Sony has postponed the global release of a much-anticipated video game due to concerns that it may offend Muslims.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7679151.stm
Copies of LittleBigPlanet are being recalled from shops worldwide after it emerged that a background music track contained two phrases from the Koran.
Sony issued an apology for any offence that its use of the backing track might have caused.
The changed version of LittleBigPlanet will now go on sale on 3 November in the UK and 29 October in the US.
Trial judge
A statement on the LittleBigPlanet website said: "We're sure that most of you have heard by now that one of the background music tracks that was licensed from a record label for use in the game contains two expressions that can be found in the Koran.
"We have taken immediate action to rectify this and we sincerely apologise for any offence this may have caused."
Speaking to the BBC LittleBigPlanet creators Media Molecule said it was alerted to the problem by a Muslim gamer who had been playing a beta, or trial, version of the game.
The music in question comes from Grammy award-winning artist Toumani Diabate from Mali and is known to have been available through online music stores for months.
In an e-mail the gamer who spotted the Koranic phrases warned that mixing music and words from Islam's most holy text could be considered deeply offensive by Muslims. He suggested producing a software patch to remove the music.
Media Molecule said it did produce a patch but, following consultation with Sony, decided to go further.
...this is obviously a blow to Sony on the eve of what was expected to be a triumphant release of LittleBigPlanet.
Darren Waters
BBC technology editor
Read the dot.life blog in full
"We decided to do a global recall to ensure that there was no possible way anyone may be offended by the music in the game," said a Sony spokesman.
"A new version of the game without the music has been produced and will be released shortly so that anyone anywhere in the world can enjoy LittleBigPlanet," he added.
In June 2007, Sony apologised to the Church of England after setting scenes in a violent video game inside Manchester Cathedral. On that occasion the game was not withdrawn.
LittleBigPlanet has been described as a game about making games.
It lets gamers build their own playground levels and then swap them with other players over the PlayStation Network.
Everything that can be seen in LittleBigPlanet can also be created by gamers - from textures, characters, to objects and levels.
Manzoor Moghal, of the Muslim Forum think-tank, explained that words from the Koran should not be set to music because the words are seen to have come directly from God.
He added: "We must compliment Sony for taking decisive action by withdrawing these games immediately, and releasing a version that is not offensive to Muslims."
Gay
we've already discussed this.
Back in BLACK
are you gay? u keep referring to it
i didnt see a thread on this anywhere
Why are you proposing? lol
No, this topic is gay. We've already discussed this in the news thread.
argh, were have you been man?
Back in BLACK
Thank you Sid.
I rest my case O Editoral one.
Back in BLACK
thats twice not cool dude not cool.
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane, by those who couldn't hear the music...
Should be:
"That's twice. Not cool dude, not cool."
You're welcome.
And I agree with what other people have said; this thread is the most pointless thing since 'How to Learn French' was translated into French.
Don't just do something! Stand there.
I read something that suggested that it may be haraam/kufr to recite the qur'an with music...
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
Because it's biddah maybe?
“Before death takes away what you are given, give away whatever there is to give.”
Mawlana Jalal ud Din Rumi
bi'dah is not the same as kufr.
I have no idea if what admin says is correct or not, though.
Don't just do something! Stand there.
He said it was haram/kufr.
“Before death takes away what you are given, give away whatever there is to give.”
Mawlana Jalal ud Din Rumi
bi'dah is not the same as haram, either.
Don't just do something! Stand there.
But bidah is haram, mostly.
“Before death takes away what you are given, give away whatever there is to give.”
Mawlana Jalal ud Din Rumi
Mostly its not.
Only if it's in matters of faith/aqidah.
Inventing the car wasn't haram, but it is bi'dah.
Umar (ra) said when he saw people praying 20 ra'kats of Taraweh at Ramadan: "What a good bi'dah this is!"
Don't just do something! Stand there.
But isn't reciting the Quran to a song bidah?
“Before death takes away what you are given, give away whatever there is to give.”
Mawlana Jalal ud Din Rumi
I think the issue is whether its a good bi'dah or a bad bi'dah.
I can't see any reason as why it could ever be a 'good bi'dah', but I'm not a scholar.
According to admin, there are scholars who say its haram/kufr. That is the issue at steak. Whether or not it is bi'dah is, at best, a secondary issue and, at worst, utterly irrelevant!
Don't just do something! Stand there.
If it's bad bidah then that's what makes it haram. Do you kow what I mean?
“Before death takes away what you are given, give away whatever there is to give.”
Mawlana Jalal ud Din Rumi
i know what you mean, but it might very well be haram for another (more important) reason.
But we digress... this tangent is as useful as a chocolate teapot.
We agree on everything that's important, so we should leave it at that.
Don't just do something! Stand there.
OK, what do you think that more important reason is?
“Before death takes away what you are given, give away whatever there is to give.”
Mawlana Jalal ud Din Rumi
It could be that there are some Muslims out there that have the opinion that music itself is not allowed.
And then there is the reasoning that when the qur'an is recited, we have been instructed to listen to it. Not talk, no distractions, but actually listen to the words.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
Neither do I. It was something I read in some "notes" from a different language so I could easily be mistaken. I had intended on questioning the reasoning, but I forgot and then I thought to just throw it up on here.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
GamesIndustry.biz.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.