#TweetLikeAnExtremist: Arab social media mocks religious fundamentalism

#TweetLikeAnExtremist: Arab social media mocks religious fundamentalism

Social media users around the Arab world poke fun at Islamic fundamentalists on Twitter, mocking their harsh interpretation of the religion of peace.

2 min read
25 Jan, 2017
Twitter users across the Middle East have tweeted out using the Arabic-language hashtag #TweetLikeAnExtremist [Twitter]

Social media users around the Arab world have made fun of Islamic fundamentalists on Twitter, mocking their harsh interpretation of the religion of peace.

Twitter users across the Middle East have tweeted out using the Arabic-language hashtag #TweetLikeAnExtremist to poke fun at militant groups such as the Islamic State group and al-Qaeda.




Translation: "All are welcome to the youth camp tomorrow, there will hold an event for breaking musical instruments and a session for infidel children to repent their sins."

Translation: "You are all going to hell, except for me and anyone else who thinks the exact same way as me."

Another user said: "1950: Radio is haram. 1970: TV is haram. 1990 mobile phones are haram. 2000 Bluetooth is haram. 2017 the cinema is haram," referring to the recent ruling by Saudi Arabia's highest-ranking cleric that cinemas and music concerts were a form of "depravity".

Translation: "Girls cannot be left alone with their fathers and cannot even be in same room as him without her mother or siblings."

Translation: "Haram, Haram, Haram, Haram, Haram, Haram, Haram, Haram, Haram, Haram, Haram, Haram, Haram, Haram, Haram, Haram, Haram, Haram. To keep away any evil."

Social media users aren't the only one taking a stab at extremists.

Earlier this month, a comedy skit poking fun at British women who join extremist groups sparked debate about whether comedians can tackle sensitive topics such as religious fundamentalism.

The New Arab contributor, Tallha Abdulrazaq, said the skit was a misguided propaganda stunt aimed at gaining cheap social media clickbait hits.

"This is not about Muslims being "too sensitive" to comedy, or the apparent necessity for Muslims to accept mockery of their religion as adherents of others faiths do. In fact, it is more about the normalisation of demonising and mocking Islam and Muslims," Abdulrazaq said.