Saudi nod to Cinema Halls in Madinah sparks anger in India

Raza Academy, the Sunni Barelvi organization of Indian Sunni Muslims that promotes Islamic beliefs through publications and research today staged protest outside the Minara Masjid, Mumbai against Saudi government for opening cinema halls in Madina Munawwara. This is after Saudi Arabia’s nod to cinema halls and entertainment centres in Madinah al Munawwarah – the final resting place of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) sparked anger in India and Pakistan.

 

 

 

It all began on September 03, 2021 when Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani, top Pakistani Islamic scholar, former judge and currently Vice President and Professor of Hadith at Darul Uloom Karachi, re-tweeted an old tweet of Madinah al Munawwarah civic body. Madinah Regional Municipality in the tweet dated November 22, 2020 shared info-graphics of the plans to build an outdoor shopping centre, Boulevard U Walk, at a prime location in Madinah city by Arabian Centres, a leading owner, operator and developer of contemporary lifestyle centres in Saudi Arabia.

 

 

 

According to Arabian Centres, the new mall is set to be built on the lines of its successful predecessor, the U-Walk Centre at Riyadh, which opened in September 2019. The info-graphics of the project listed six components of the project that included shops, restaurants, and 10 Cinema Halls and 02 Entertainment Sites. It is the construction of the cinema halls and entertainment sites that has angered the Muslims in India and Pakistan.

 

 

Angry social media users while criticising the Saudi government even said that the Saudi rulers have gone astray, have become inept and insensitive, and have lost the credibility to rule the holy land. The decision to grant permission for cinema hall in the City of the Prophet (peace be upon him) also rekindled the old demand of handing over the control of Haramain Sharifain to an International Body of Islamic countries and Muslim scholars.

.

.