Egypt cleric says too much Pokemon Go could be dangerous
Posted July 24, 2016 7:00 am
CAIRO (AP) - A leading Egyptian Sunni Muslim cleric has warned against the dangers of playing too much of the wildly popular mobile phone application "Pokemon Go," adding to Mideast religious voices that have sometimes been sterner in their critique of the game.
Abbas Shumman, the deputy sheikh of Egypt's Al-Azhar institute, told The Associated Press that the game "makes people busy with it, ignoring their main work and it might also put them in danger," but says there is no problem with people playing it in moderation if they are at home or in a safe place.
He adds, "if someone is busy reading the Quran while he is walking in the street, this might make him have an accident so we would tell him not to read it this way."
In this Wednesday, July 20, 2016 photo, Egyptian dentist Mark Shehata, 24, uses the "Pokemon Go," mobile phone application while driving in Cairo, Egypt. Abbas Shumman, the deputy sheikh of Egypt's Al-Azhar institute, has warned against the dangers of playing too much of the wildly popular mobile phone application, adding to religious voices that have sometimes been sterner in their critique of the game. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
The Associated Press
In this Wednesday, July 20, 2016 photo, Egyptian dentist Mark Shehata, 24, uses the "Pokemon Go," mobile phone application while walking in Cairo, Egypt. Abbas Shumman, the deputy sheikh of Egypt's Al-Azhar institute, has warned against the dangers of playing too much of the wildly popular mobile phone application, adding to religious voices that have sometimes been sterner in their critique of the game. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
The Associated Press
In this Wednesday, July 20, 2016 photo, Egyptian dentist Mark Shehata, 24, uses the "Pokemon Go," mobile phone application in Cairo, Egypt. Abbas Shumman, the deputy sheikh of Egypt's Al-Azhar institute, has warned against the dangers of playing too much of the wildly popular mobile phone application, adding to religious voices that have sometimes been sterner in their critique of the game. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
The Associated Press
In this Wednesday, July 20, 2016 photo, Egyptian dentist Mark Shehata, 24, uses the "Pokemon Go" mobile phone application while driving in Cairo, Egypt. Abbas Shumman, the deputy sheikh of Egypt's Al-Azhar institute, has warned against the dangers of playing too much of the wildly popular mobile phone application, adding to religious voices that have sometimes been sterner in their critique of the game. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
The Associated Press
In this Wednesday, July 20, 2016 photo, Egyptian dentist Mark Shehata, 24, uses the "Pokemon Go," mobile phone application in Cairo, Egypt. Abbas Shumman, the deputy sheikh of Egypt's Al-Azhar institute, has warned against the dangers of playing too much of the wildly popular mobile phone application, adding to religious voices that have sometimes been sterner in their critique of the game. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
The Associated Press
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