A good rule of thumb when browsing news on the Internet is, if you think the news is too good/ wacky/ incredible/ (insert adjective here) to be true, it probably is.

Local satirical website Mufti News recently published an article, "Grand Mufti declares durians haram", on how durians had been declared haram by the Grand Mufti (a Muslim legal expert who is empowered to give rulings on religious matters) of the "International Islamic School of the Leap of Faith"

The piece was inspired by complaints made over a durian eating competition held during the month of Ramadan.

Here is a choice quote from that hilarious article:

“We expect the motion to make the durian haram, to go on smoothly in Singapore as Singaporeans are used to having things they like banned by the government, like chewing gum”, Mel Ayub Oleh, a MUIS representative informs us.

Most took the satire in their stride.

And that should have been the end of it, no harm, no foul. Except, some people started believing it to be actual news.

With one even bringing up the tragic Charlie Hebdo shooting for some reason.

The situation got so bad that even Halal SG, the official account of the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis), had to step in to clarify, and assure everyone that durians are not haram.

Perhaps the greatest reply in this whole fiasco was this comment by a defiant durian lover.

Don't trust everything you read on the Internet.

Top image from Flickr

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