Pakistan: Religious school Jamia Binoria Town declares ‘fatwa’ against TikTok for hampering Islamic code, conduct

Jamia Binoria Town, a prominent religious school in Karachi, Pakistan has issued a religious decree (Fatwa) declaring the use of TikTok as illegal and haram.  Terming it to be a temptation of the modern era, Pakistani vernacular media reported. In the past, religious scholars have been calling for a ban against the use of TikTok as a reason for spreading immorality and a partial ban has also been issued against the social media app time and again in Pakistan.

Details of the Fatwa

As reported by a prominent Pakistani media, the fatwa condemns the practice of men and women on TikTok making videos on the platform which is viewed as a means of spreading obscenity, and nudity deemed as a waste of time and leading to moral decay.

Engaging with TikTok inevitably involves participating in activities that are considered harmful in Sharia making it nearly possible to avoid falling into such transgressions. Consequently, the fatwa declares the use of TikTok as impermissible. The Jamia Binoria Fatwa underscores that TikTok not only contains videos that mock scholars and religion but is also a platform where everything can be subjected to mockery and ridicule

Reasons for the Ban

The Fatwa delivered online by Jamia Binoria asserts that TikTok poses an increased danger as fitna (temptation) in the present age and is considered illegal and haram from the perspective of the sacred Islamic law called Sharia. Among the other reasons cited, the app’s inclusion of photos and videos of animals is deemed forbidden in Sharia, and the creation and dissemination of obscene videos of women on the platform is highlighted, a Pakistani media agency said.

Global Ban on Tik Tok

With over 39 million downloads in 2022 alone, TiK Tok owned by China-based Byte Dance is under increasing scrutiny and calls for a ban worldwide including in Pakistan, according to data from Sensor Towers, a mobile and digital analytics firm.

Earlier this year, a petition was filed in the Lahore High Court, urging a ban on the application. The petition highlighted concerns about the platform’s perceived detrimental effects on the youth and society adding to the growing chorus of voices advocating for restrictions.

In 2021, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) imposed a five-month ban on the video-sharing app from July to November. The ban was lifted after TikTok provided assurance that it would enhance security measures to control indecent or immoral content on the platform, a prominent Pakistani agency said.