Ayatollah issues fatwa on Iranian rapper

A senior Iranian cleric has issued a Fatwa on a Germany-based Iranian rapper for insulting Islam, the Fars news agency reported Wednesday.

Persian-language Al Arabiya reported, that the latest single from Shahin Najafi, "Naqi," has earned him a death sentence from Ayatollah Safi Golpayegani, a Shiite cleric in the Iranian city of Qom.

Related stories:

• 'Couple behind Iran campaign deserve Nobel'
• Egypt comedian found guilty of offending Islam
• Iran bans pet advertisements following fatwa
  

The song has drawn sharp anger from protesters who believe it is offensive towards Imam Naqi, the revered tenth Imam for Shiites.

Shahin Najafi's latest single 'Naqi'

Al-Arabiya reported that a pro-regime website has launched an online campaign calling to hang Najafi and proclaim him a heretic. The campaign calls all Shiites and Muslims in general to find the rapper and "send him to hell."

Najafi, 31, was forced to move to Germany when his politically-motivated lyrics for an underground band he was associated in Iran, earned him a ban.

His songs mostly deal with issues such as theocracy, poverty, sexism, censorship, child labor, execution and drug addiction. He strives to use poetic, literary, philosophical and political elements in his music.

• Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter
  

• Receive Ynetnews updates directly to your desktop