I wish to know if it is allowed in Islam to call oneself a fan of someone i.e. Maulana Arshad Madani or Maulana Saad or will it become a form of hero worship?
Answer
(Fatwa: 135/L=69/TL=1433)
There is no harm if someone becomes fan of someone as a result of his knowledge and religiousness or says that he is his fan. It belongs to inner attachment and can happen with anyone. It is proved from salaf and khalaf that many amongst them have been devotees of some one. It is the result of changing world that now people are fan of film actresses instead of God-fearing people and religious scholars. May Almighty Allah save us!
Allah (Subhana Wa Ta’ala) knows Best
Darul Ifta,
Darul Uloom Deoband