Muxlim Pal is the latest addition to the growing number of virtual worlds. It’s part of the Muxlim Inc. web site, billed as “an online community that fosters a friendly environment where users can enjoy fun, compelling and easy-to-use social media services. Our vision is to connect the world’s Muslim communities to each other, and to the wider world, through shared online experiences.”
Muxlim Pals Virtual World
Members have an avatar – or “Pal” – that they use to interact with people and objects in a virtual environment. There is an exchange system of coins and a set of “meters” – scores for health, happiness, spirituality, knowledge, and so on. Coins can be used to buy clothes and other items, with more coins being available using real cash. However, an exchange rate has not been defined yet as the system is still in beta. The aim is to have the official launch sometime in 2009.
The site’s owner, Mohamed El-Fatatry, said, “We are not a religious site, we are a site that is focused on the lifestyle. This is for anyone who is remotely interested in the Muslim culture and the Muslim lifestyle.
“From what we have seen from our market research is that most Muslims have a lifestyle that is not so different from everybody else. They all share the core values which are from Islam then beyond that they actually have made identities, they have many interests.”
A pal also has a room for personal use – somewhere to decorate, meet, or get changed in. There are some restrictions in place; according to a BBC article, “Any content portraying violence, drugs, sexual references or profanity can be flagged by users and quickly removed.”
Primary source: BBC News Online
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