ABSTRACT
The introduction of the motion picture had a transformative effect on society that reached far beyond the technological aspect of the media. When analysing Islamic debates and opinions about the film media, that the development and introduction of the cinema in Europe and the United States was not unproblematic or uncontested. As in the Middle East and the rest of the world, the cinema in the West blurred and challenged the distinction between the public and private spheres, and the cinema halls created a new social space. By visiting cinemas, Muslims run the risk of entering a new public space that is not governed or secluded by Islamic rules and regulations. The physical set-up of the cinema was perceived by the ulama' under discussion as a challenge to Islamic norms and values because men and women would be interacting beyond the traditional gender boundaries, making it difficult to uphold a strict gender division inside a cinema hall.
