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Hold
Your Breath for a Coming Resalah
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By
Sara Sharaf**
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Mar.
16, 2006
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The dove logo of
Al-Resala |
Monday,
February 28, witnessed the official launching of Al-Resalah Satellite TV Channel
in Al-Minastirly Palace on Roda Island in Cairo. Set against the Nile bank, the
historical Minastirly Palace, which stands next to the ninth century Nilometer,
was an appropriate setting for the new channel — an Arabic-language channel
with an Islamic identity that aims to present a vision of "innovation and
tradition," as its motto states, that is grounded in distinct tradition.
This is a promising start, although it is not the producers' highest hope. The
plans reach beyond the enchanting setting to a channel that addresses the needs
of an English-speaking audience.
The
night started with the melodious recitation by Sheikh Mahmoud Khalil, one of
Madinah's most celebrated Qur'an reciters. He opened with verses 102-109 of Aal
`Imran, which call upon believers to hold fast to God's bond and remind
believers that all things return to God.
Egyptian
actress and singer Sabreen, radiant in her white-lined black abaya, hosted the
opening reception. She started with a brief introduction, speaking of the
identity and aim of the channel. She explained that Al-Resalah, literally
translated as "the message," is a symbolic name of God's words, God's
message to humanity, and such message is what this channel hopes to convey. This
is particularly crucial at a time when the world has demonstrated its acute
ignorance of the message and its Messenger as indicated by the recent events
surrounding the publications of the anti-Prophet Muhammad cartoons.
Al-Resalah
wishes to symbolize what Muhammad's community stands for and what his message
is. In presenting a purposeful message in an appealing modern package, the
channel attempts to fill the vacancy of popular media that contributes to the
revival, rather than decadence, of this Ummah.
Moving
Speech and Performances
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Dr. Tariq Al-Suwaidan
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The
floor was next handed over to Dr. Tariq Al-Swaidan, the popular Kuwaiti persona
who is renowned for his lectures and shows on Islam and character development.
He is also the originator and manager of the channel. Swaidan spoke in his
distinctively firm and enthusiastic manner, emphasizing the need to transmit the
message of Islam to others — a process which can only take place if it is done
with competence and perfection. He also stressed the importance of creating an
appealing means of representing the lifestyle of Islam in a way suited to
contemporary framework because, although the content of the message is the same
as it was in the second and third centuries CE, today's tools of transmission
are different.
Swaidan
spoke with great conviction of the nascent revival that has started not only in
Muslim countries, but also within Muslim minorities abroad — a revival that
promises a prospering, flourishing Ummah within 25 years' time, and that Al-Resalah
hopes to contribute to. On this note, he continued, explaining that Al-Resalah
is not an individual project, but rather a project of an Ummah. He finally ended
with acknowledgments, the most touching of which went to his cherished wife,
Buthayna Ibrahim.
The
rest of the program included several musical performances, the first by the
Jordanian group, Al-Sawt Al-Jadid. The next was a Saudi duet who sang a
beautiful song for the Prophet, followed by a cheerful, catchy song for
children. Masoud Kirtis, a rising Turkish singer, also performed a couple of
multi-lingual songs before the show ended with Sami Yussef, who moved the
audience to tears with his touching, heart-felt performance of his song "My
Ummah," an eloquent finale suitable to the theme of the evening. That the
opening of Al-Resalah was celebrated by music clearly indicates their stance of
"promoting positive art" is an outlook that shows their desire to
encourage art and entertainment that both fit into and enhance the Islamic
context.
Promoting
Positive Art
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An ad for one of Resala's educating cartoons Salati or
My Prayer
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The
enterprise, generously funded by Prince Al-Waleed ibn Talal, began its
preparation over one and a half years ago. Although three to four months are
usually sufficient time, the dedicated team was determined to complete its job
to perfection, and the quality of its productions was evident in the breakers
shown to the audience. Each breaker represented the main lines of Al-Resalah's
orientation — emphasis on and recognition of the role of women in the tender
image of a glowing-faced mother cradling her child, her flowing white clothes
flapping in the breeze; the thrill of success and the importance of education
embodied in the delighted moment of young graduating men and women throwing
their tassels in the air; familial bliss of happy children running into the arms
of their smiling parents; and the plurality of cultures represented by six men
from various regions of the world including Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Arab
world coming together to shake hands. The latter image in particular enhanced
the fact that Islam is not restricted to Arab culture, a fact which Al-Resalah
plans to incorporate in its future plans of launching an English-language
channel in addition to proposals for children's, documentary, and music
channels.
The
current Al-Resalah, however, is primarily aimed at the Arab Muslim audience,
with particular focus on the younger generations. The mission and vision of Al-Resalah
is to "promote positive art," said Naira Al-Sheikh, marketing director
of Al-Resalah. The content of Al-Resalah's programs will cover a wide array
including movies, talk shows, women-interest shows, documentaries, educational
programs, economic analysis, field reports, religious programs, game shows, and
cartoons. "Less than 15 percent of our programs will be religious
shows," said Ahmad Abu Haiba, manager of Al-Resalah's Cairo branch. Current
programs include demonstrative, participant-based leadership development with
Swaidan, a social purposeful talk show hosted by Sabreen; an interactive
discussion on freedom of thought hosting thinkers and intellectuals, Dr. Ayid
al-Qarny on prominent Muslim figures, and a music talk show hosted by Egyptian
singer Iman Al-Bahr Darwish. This varied mix indicates Al-Resalah is "not
necessarily a genre of an Islamic channel," as Naira al-Sheikh put it,
rather it is a "moderate channel with an Islamic view."
A
Safe Window
One
of the aspects Al-Resalah has particularly invested in is the cartoon segment,
as indicated by the attention it was given in the opening reception. Al-Resalah
promises to provide sex- and violence-free entertainment, thus creating a
"safe window for our children's eyes."
Cartoon
characters such as Zayn and Iman introduced themselves to us, praying for their
parents and speaking of the values they represent. These cartoons were created,
with a $5 million budget, by Al-Najm Productions with the collaboration of over
250 cartoonists located in five different countries. The cartoons include a
comedy Arabic-teaching show; a funny series devoted to discussing teen problems;
simple stories enhancing imagination, creativity, and communal interaction; a
cartoon for endorsing national identity; a show teaching children how to pray;
and a cartoon that introduces nutritional awareness.
This
rich and varied collection demonstrates the emphasis placed on the educational
and developmental aspect of the cartoons — entertainment with a sound vision.
Al-Resalah has even dedicated one cartoon section to under-6-year- olds, and the
other to 6- to 12-year-olds. This shows the planning and care that has gone into
the production.
The
launching of Al-Resalah is good news for those of us who want to be able to sit
down and relax in front of TV and feel we are being entertained in accordance
with our Islamic values. Many sighs of relief will come from parents who now
feel they can give their children something to watch that is food for both their
minds and souls.
Iqra
was the first Islamic channel created, and others such as Al-Fajr and Al-Manar
followed. Al-Resalah has taken things a step further, pushing forth into the
wider realm of entertainment media. Al-Resalah's cutting edge allows it to
compete with other entertainment media and offers, in the words of Swaidan,
"clean and refined" entertainment. With green lines of the logo
drawing the profile of a flying dove, Al-Resalah will, God willing, transmit the
divine message that was brought by him who is a mercy for humankind.
**
Sarah Sharaf holds a master's
in Islamic art and architecture from the American University of Cairo. You can
contact her at artculture_egypt@yahoo.co.uk.
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