According to the Detroit Free Press, something called the Fiqh Council of North America (ostensibly a group of Islamic scholars) has declared via fatwa that Muslims are prohibited from passing through body scanners at airports. "Fiqh" is a term meaning "Islamic jurisprudence" and the council is located where one would logically assume a council on Islamic jurisprudence would be housed - Plainfield, Indiana.

In part, the fatwa reads:

"It is a violation of clear Islamic teachings that men or women be seen naked by other men and women. Islam emphasizes haya (modesty) and it considers it part of faith."

Would that this emphasis had been drilled into the jihadists frequenting strip clubs before performing the will of Allah.

Amazingly enough, the fatwa does not also prohibit Muslims from air travel. Rather, supporters of the fatwa are urging Muslims to choose the optional pat down afforded by the TSA. As might be anticipated, the Council of American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) endorses the "ruling".

Only one question remains: How long until the next fatwa is issued declaring the optional TSA pat down violates Islamic law?

Matthew May welcomes comments at matthewtmay@yahoo.com