CAIRO: Less than a decade ago, the term “Islamic Television was not yet used in the Middle East. State-run channels featured early morning segments of bearded men reciting the Quran. And on Fridays they aired extended sermons from local mosques. But these somber, lackluster broadcasts only attracted the most die-hard devotees and had little social impact.
Today Islamic television is a multi-million dollar industry with a smorgasbord of different channels that boast high production values and sleek fast-paced direction. Many are only designed to provide entertainment while others are devoted exclusively to political provocation.
In 1998 Saudi Arabia’s ART launched the region’s first Islamic satellite channel Iqraa. Their flagship program was “Talk from the Heart hosted by now renowned Islamic televangelist Amr Khaled.
The show’s guests included actresses and reformed drug users who openly discussed their path from debauchery to enlightenment. Khaled encouraged uninhibited displays of emotion and more often than not the program ended with someone in tears.
“Talk from the Heart’s earnest format instantly struck a cord with millions of ordinary Muslims and revolutionized Islamic television forever. It also revealed a feverish need for informal shows that spoke to Muslims about their everyday problems.
Amr Khaled became an overnight sensation, creating a cult following of millions of fans around the world. His show also paved the way for an entirely new kind of Islamic celebrity, enjoying the same mania and glamor associated with movie stars and pop singers.
Quick to seize the opportunity, television producers soon launched new Islamic channels such as Al Resalah and Al Nas that in turn produced their own stars. Today an Arab viewer is spoilt for choice with preachers that suit every pallet: from the ultra-conservative to the liberal English speaker.
The selection is also no longer limited to men. Women such as Abla Al Kahlawy, Heba Kotb, and Souad Saleh all host highly successful programs. Saleh’s weekly show called “Women’s Fatwas on the Egyptian satellite channel sees women asking for guidance about their personal life.
“We have dedicated callers from Europe, the US and Canada who call time and time again. The secret of this show’s success is that it reaches out to Muslim women on an intimate personal level, the program’s director Nahed Salah El Din told Daily News Egypt.
Egypt has launched a bigger variety of Islamic programming than any other country. But none of these openly represent political Islam or attempt to impose an explicit word view.
It’s a different story for Lebanon’s Al Manar, however, that began broadcasting their satellite channel in 2000.
Funded by Lebanese Shia party Hezbollah, Al Manar set a unique precedent with its unabashedly partisan approach and bombastic style. The channel often uses women wearing the niqab as broadcasters and features propaganda music videos that regularly attack America and Israel.
In recent years the US has described Al Manar as a terrorist organization on par with Hamas and Al-Qaeda. But the channel remains as defiant as ever continuing to produce programs that some believe encourage suicide bombings and acts of terrorism.
And while Al Manar seems hell-bent on increasing animosity between the West and the Muslim world, other Islamic channels are trying to do exactly the opposite. In the UK the Islam Channel has dedicated itself to building bridges with the West, as well as providing English-speaking Muslims with their own voice.
“We wanted to counteract growing hatred against Muslims after 9/11 and the London bombings. We knew we had to do something, Arsan Ali, program director at Islam Channel in London, told Daily News Egypt.
Seen all over world the Islam Channel has achieved unprecedented success, attracting millions of loyal viewers. Its itinerary includes everything from specialized talk shows to children’s programs.
But it is their new game show “Faith Off that has generated media frenzy in recent months.
“Faith Off is the world’s first ever inter-faith game show, where Sheikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jews, and Muslims are made to compete against each other.
Contestants are tested on their knowledge of other religions. The inevitable errors made by these contestants provide ample comedic material but also reflect greater misunderstandings amongst different communities.
Ali explains his channel’s motivation for creating the show. “We wanted to launch a program that put people of different faiths face to face. Ultimately the idea is that it forces individuals to look past religious differences to see how similar we all are.
The show has proven to be a big hit and the Islam Channel has now launched a new program entitled “Modern Mosque that scouts the UK for the ‘best mosque’ in the country.
“The idea is to look throughout England for the ideal mosque that caters to the local community and includes the best facilities. After the July bombings here in the UK mosques were presented in the media as centers of violence. We hope to show a different side to these places.
Whether it’s about sheer entertainment, building bridges with the West, or even anti-American propaganda, Islamic TV is having a worldwide impact. Over the last decade Islamic television has transformed itself from its austere beginnings to a flexible medium that can be adapted to fit a variety of TV genres.
