So a TV series about the life of Caliph Omar Ibn Al Khattab, which has been considered one of the largest TV productions in the region is being aired now in Ramadan. This series has a cast of 30,000 actors and a technical team from 10 different countries.
A committee of seven leading Islamic scholars reviewed the facts presented in the series to ensure their religious and historical facts accuracy and the authenticity of this project. It has raised a lot of controversy on whether its "halal or haram" and whether we should even watch the show. I have been reading and seeing many heated debates on tv, twitter and facebook. Facebook groups calling for boycotting MBC and so on.
Again what i say here is merely my opinion and you can agree or disagree but im just blogging out loud. I am not attacking anyone nor am i giving out any fatwas. I am just speaking my mind..
We have been watching all sorts of tv shows on tv .Most are pointless and are just a waste of time others showing women walking around half naked. I feel slowly show after show women are dressing less, there is a lot of sexual implications, nudity, other scenes that i am sometimes shocked to see on TV. There is a noticable increase in violence, profanity, disrespect for traditonal values, unethical & morally unacceptable ideas, along with sexual connotation in movies as well.
Nowadays, what is considered a "G" Rated movie is FAR from "General"! Shows showing woman talking openly about being bisexual or lesbians or having sex changes and almost every tv show has gay couple now.. cause you know.. its cool and OKAY to be GAY :S
Just today i was watching american idol on MBC4 which i believe is a SAUDI channel and one of the contestants talent was POLE DANCING.. and well she did her performance and showed us her butt and well.. it was ALL AIRED ON TV IN RAMADAN?
Ok before i stray away from the main subject..All this commotion and sa7wa deeneyah (islamic consciousness) and people who dont even pray or hardly know or apply any islamic beliefs in their life are now calling for this tv series to NOT be aired. Why is there no reaction to all the real islamic threats on TV? The daily shows poisoning our everyday life and our minds and the minds of our children? I feel these shows are much more harmful and if Muslims around the world want to speak up they should start by the REAL problems in the world.
Don't underestimate the effect of what we see on tv. I personally feel the difference when i watch too much tv. At first you are shocked and maybe sometimes even revolted by what you see and slowly, its no longer shocking and you dont even react to what you see.
An average person watches around 4 hours of television DAILY & that number increases on holidays and ofcourse it probably doubles or triples in RAMADAN with all the variety of musalsalat on 24hours a day!
People rarely read nowadays and have replaced books with tv shows or movies.. this also means that TV is their MAIN source of information and what people are continuously viewing will definitely have an effect on them.
Now that they decide to make a show that is actually meaningful and informative, that can actually teach you a thing or two about the birth of Islam and how Sayidna Omar Ibn Al Khattab played a very important role in the history of islam and in spreading ISLAM. It receives all this criticism even though it is very likely to reach MANY who would never bother to pick up a book to read about his legacy in ISLAM.
I understand the reason why many are against this show to be aired although visual depictions are not explicitly banned in the Qur’an, Sunni scholars have generally agreed that personifications of religious figures are banned. But there are other scholars that disagree and support this show, including the prominent Egyptian Scholar Shiekh Yusuf Al-Qaradawi and Shiekh Salman Al Odah. I respect their strong stands to what they believe in but i don't like how some attack and refuse to agree to disagree.
The beauty of Islam is that when there is an issue that is not mentioned in Quran and Hadith the Islamic Scholars release fatwas and there are usually opposing fatwas both with strong justifications. Which is when you decide what you feel is the right fatwa in your heart and this is Ra7ma men Rabna. (Mercy From Allah)
They are merely actors and doing their best to play their roles and reading out the script they are given. Yes there will be a lot mistakes done im sure and i heard one of the actresses was wearing braces :S
And that is expected because no one is perfect and no one can ever play a perfect role but that makes us want to learn more about the real OMAR and also encourages us watch the many other series on TV now talking about his life, like Amr Khaleds show " عمر صانع الحضارة"
" Omar Sane3o Al 7adara" or Qisat Al Farouk by Nabil Al Awadi قصة الفاروق للشيخ نبيل العوضي
I think that just by the fact that this show was even made, without even watching it all this talk about it has not harmed but actually made more people ask about who this show is about and why all the media is focused on it. Many of those people now have learned who Omar is and will actually make the effort to educate themselves to learn more about him.
Some fear that by airing this show it will open a door to other shows, that in the future MBC might air a show on the life of the prophet Mohammad (PBUH) and that this is just a start of a series of shows using the name of Islam to get money by getting the highest number of viewers. The producers of this series have stated that the main purpose of producing such an important dramatic work is to correct the misunderstood parts of Islamic history.
I believe that nowadays not many people read and when they read not many read books about thier Islamic Heritage or History. They read books by authors like "Paulo Coelho" or books like "why men marry bitches" that is IF they read. Im sure there are other people who read books about islam but i feel the majority will NOT.
We are at a time where people would rather wait till a good book is made into a movie. Visual Media is much more powerful and effective and will reach out to much more people.
For ex, we know drunk driving or texting and driving is dangerous and can cause major accidents on the road, yet no matter how many times we hear it or read it, when we see a video of a car crash or watch a touching video showing a mom crashing into a tree while her baby flys out of the car. That is MUCH more powerful. it sticks to you!
How many movies were made about people that we never heard about that made us actually get to KNOW them and admire them?! How many times did you watch a movie about someone and it made you google them and want to know more about them?! Movies like " Ghandi" and " OMar al Mukhtar" MANY!
And yes i know there is no comparison to those people to OMAR as he was afterall one of the prophets companions, and unlike any other but we need to know in the end he was not a prophet but a human being, extraordinary but not divine.
If the series showed the Prophet (pbuh) it would be a different story as there is no debate on whether that would be acceptable or not.
So even if the characters were not represented 100 % and we should know in the end of the day they are ACTORS !
Arent you actually intrigued to READ and KNOW more about this important person. And wont many who never heard of him actually know who he was after this?!
The people opposing the show fear that this show will affect the image in our minds and in our children's minds of Omar ibn al Khatab. So before you judge others for watching it, know that whether you admit or not there is a lot of GOOD coming from this show. The real fear in times like this is not just how he will be remembered but more like IF he will be remembered if we don't take the right measures to spread his legacy.
I find its easier for any message or information to stick to my mind when its visual. Maybe its because im a visual communicator and i don't have much time to read nowadays, but thats just me. And i personally will be watching this show and believe a lot of GOOD and useful information will come out of it.
Lets not fight if we disagree. If you disagree with me and others who support the show. just simply Do NOT watch it and accept that people might disagree with your point of view.
Your fear is how he will be remembered after this show, my fear is IF he will be remembered by many without this show. And whether or not the actors play their roles accurately the script is approved by Muslim Scholars and we will definitely learn from it. Please Dont forget we are in the "lady gaga" generation :S
Here is a fwd i received on BBM messenger that i would like to share with you as well because i felt it pretty much said what im trying to say :
لماذا سأشاهد مسلسل "الفاروق عمر" رغم دعوات المقاطعة؟
الآتية
- في الوقت الذي ظهر فيه علماء أفاضل عارضوا العمل حرصا على الدين؛فهناك علماء أفاضل أيضا أجازوا عرض العمل ومشاهدته حرصا على الدين، ورغبةفي التعريف برموزه العظيمة؛ مثل: الشيخ يوسف القرضاوي -رئيس اتحاد علماءالمسلمين- والشيخ سليمان العودة، والكل يؤخذ منه ويرد، والاختلاف بينالعلماء والفقهاء رحمة
في النهاية.
- لأن هذا المسلسل دعوة لمواجهة مسلسلات إيران ذات المرجعية الشيعية
التي تخالف في مذهبها ومعلوماتها مذهب أهل السنة والجماعة الذي يتبعهمعظم مسلمي الوطن العربي وأنا منهم، بجانب أنه أشرف على كتابته وراجعتفاصيله فطاحل العلماء من أهل السنة والجماعة
سواء الشيخ يوسف القرضاويأو الشيخ سليمان العودة؛ وهو ما يعني أن معلوماته الدينية ستكون سليمةوغير مشكوك فيها، وتوافق المذهب الذي أتبعه
- لأن بعض الذين يدعون للتعرف على سيرة عظماء رموز الإسلام من الصحابة وآل البيت من خلال الكتب والمراجع، غفلوا عن أن لكل عصر مفرداته وأدواته،ونحن الآن شئنا أم أبينا في عصر السماوات المفتوحة، وزمن الدراما التيتجذب ملايين المشاهدين، وأعترف أن معلومة الكتاب أكثر غزارة؛ لكن عليهمأن يعترفوا أيضا بأن معلومة الدراما أكثر ثباتا في الذهن، وأن قدرةالمشاهد على استرجاع مسلسلا بأكمله تفوق قدرته على حفظ صفحة من كتاب
-ثم إن الأمة الآن صارت لا تقرأ بقدر ما تشاهد، مع وجود نسبة هائلة منالأمية.. فلماذا لا نتقرب إلى من لا يقرأون بالوسيلة التي تجذبهم بدلا منأن نمنع التمثيل والتجسيد، وفي المقابل لن يقرأ أحدهم ويبحث في المراجعوالكتب، ويكون قد خسر المعلومة بشكل نهائي؟!!
- لأن هذا العمل ليس فيه مساس لكرامة سيدنا عمر بل على العكس أنهافرصة لنشعر
بالقرب أكثر من أمير المؤمنين
- وأخيرا وليس آخرا.. بعد أن يقاطع البعض مسلسلا مهما يجسد سيرة الفاروقعمر.. هل ترشحون لهم مشاهدة مسلسل "مولد وصاحبه غايب" لهيفاء وهبي؟ أم"مع سبق الإصرار" لغادة عبدالرازق؟ أم "كيد النسا" لفيفي عبده؟
7 comments:
I agree with your point of view. I am also a very visual person who can understand better by watching rather than reading. I also do read about the caliphs and the sahabas. Me watching the show is one of my efforts to learn about the sahabah. I am sad that we muslims have lost our identity and most dont know about the history of Islam and how it spread and by whom, etc.
Anyways, after watching Omar Series, I am greatly affected and inspired. Could you recommend any other shows like this which have english subs? Jazakallahu Khairan.
I agree with your point of view. I am also a very visual person who can understand better by watching rather than reading. I also do read about the caliphs and the sahabas. Me watching the show is one of my efforts to learn about the sahabah. I am sad that we muslims have lost our identity and most dont know about the history of Islam and how it spread and by whom, etc.
Anyways, after watching Omar Series, I am greatly affected and inspired. Could you recommend any other shows like this which have english subs? Jazakallahu Khairan.
TV as in the new era of technology is basically an implementation over society which did not exist ever before 1900s. The change from Audiographic Understanding to Photographic Understanding and now from Photographic Understanding into Videographic Understanding is the key in making people give up the true form of knowledge. Which was attained by BOOKS and READING BOOKS alone. The knowledge one can get from BOOKS is far more ADVANCED and threatening to the WESTERN societies as it still is today. The whole purpose about this is and this whole issue is to prevent MUSLIMS from adopting a way of following BOOKS. Remember, ISLAM started with a BOOK way before Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). You as a Muslim is said to accept the FOUR (4) BOOKS as the valid revelations from ALLAH (swt) at first place to start with. Whether it be Zaboor through Prophet Dawood (PBUH), or Torah through Prophet Musa (PBUH) or Injeel (Bible) through Issa (Jesus) (PBUH) and the final revelation through our Beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the point is that it was revealed in the form of a BOOK as people could take it and acquaint themselves with it.
If you think that is unaccounted for then I am going to ask you a simple question. If ALLAH (swt) wanted us to learn through Photographic Understanding or Videographic Understanding, do not you think that ALLAH (swt) could have revealed the revelations through this means?
First of all to those who do not understand the terms Photographic or Videographic or Audiographic, it is the ability to understand through different mechanism as in the ability to understand with various aspects of understanding. For example, there was a time in the history where people better understand with audiographic understanding which means, that people would come and listen to poetry and lectures and history talks and they will get whatever was mentioned to them. This aspect is called Audiographic Understanding or Audiographic Memory as in people listening and memorizing it. An excellent example of this is when the Quran was revealed, it was in a time in history when people could understand and memorise better for that particular time as in reciting laud and then people listening and memorizing it.
The trials and tribulations ahead of the year 2013 is far more severe than what you have experienced in the past 5000 years from the birth of Pharaoh to the incident of Japan's Tsunami all combined together. Attain knowledge through Islamic Understanding.
Just because someone is called Muhammad or Abdullah or Yusuf does not mean they represent ISLAM. Just because someone is called Abdullah does not mean that it is an ISLAMIC name. Remember majority of the Islamic Names have derived from their Jewish ancestral roots. For example there was a Jew by the name of Abdullah Ibn Saba who is a well known Jew in the history and still is in the Shia/Shiite World. For more on this, please read http://www.khorasaan.net/origins-of-shia.php
The same way Islamic Scholars have disappeared during the time of Kamal Atta Turk in Turkey and when Islamic Scholars have disappeared, who will defend Caliphate of Islam? Of course NO ONE is left to defend it, hence the destruction of Islam has started. Which in many cases between 1919 - 1926 various Islamic Learned individuals have defending the true aspect of Islam but where very easy to defeat as they did not have anyone to back them or defend them. These people were later on exiled and or imprisoned for the rest of their lives.
May ALLAH (swt) increase our emaan and give us the broaden our abilities to attain knowledge in the cause of ALLAH (swt) and share it with others. Ameen.
For more information about this and other related historical FACTS please visit our web site at: http://www.khorasaan.net/black-banners-of-khorasaan-table-of-contents.php
I am a Muslim by birth and always knew the contributions of Hazrat Omar R.A but after watching this show, I am head over heels in love with this great man. I cant thank the channel who produce this movie enough for their efforts. May Allah give them the reward for teaching us about our religion and the great sacrifices that the companions of prophet had to give.I also thank you for taking time out and writing this great blog in favor of this series.
yes i agree, if the story is historically correct it should be watched but it would be even better to simply read on the person, is
Why don't those who refute this program refute their pewny king saud for allowing corruption to happen in the land of prophet pbuh May allahs curse be on all those who side with them under merely one Hadith that says obey your leaders YEAH WE KNOW THAT BUT THEY CANT DISOBEY ALLAHS LAW AND BE OBEYED!!!!! For crying out loud wake up and smell the coffee
I would recommend this show highly as you have to be intelligent to understand that we don't take means and knowledge we use means to get to knowledge are you telling me you reciters think your so high esteemed with knowledge that you don't check your references oh wait I forgot you just blindly follow your scholars like muppets even though the Quran was sent for the whole of mankind the dumbest contradiction I've ever heard is as follows so I quite from the Quran and I'm nothing not even a student of knowledge and you say NAH YOUR A LAYMAN then you quote after me and your correct ? But if humans are laymen you must be one too so why is it when you quote it's okay ? Furthermore you get some joeys that say well the scholars said lol orite jog on please
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