This story is a little old by now, but I just came across a mention of it in some publishing industry newsletter that circulated through my cubicle today. It seems that the Business Software Alliance has found common cause with Sheikh Ibrahim Atta Allah, who Law.com calls "the highest authority in Sunni Islam."

I find the BSA's embrace of Islamic clerical authority more interesting than the edict itself -- one presumes they keep at hand an expert staff of religious scholars on hand to enable them to parse the difference between righteous (and software-industry-friendly) statements of religious thinkers, and those which should be dismissed as not in line with the true will of God (sure, it's great that intellectual-property theft is haram, but what about those prescriptions against usury? Getting your startup financing becomes a mite more tricky if you have to follow the Sheikh on that one).

As regards "the highest authority in Sunni Islam," I note Google search on that phrase brings up a somewhat differing result in a BBC story. At least we know someone is in charge, even if we're not quite sure who.