Finsbury Park Mosque

By Hani Mohammad, IOL Correspondent

LONDON, May 27 (IslamOnline.net) – A TV program tackling the real issues of living a Muslim lifestyle in Britain proved a must-see success among many community households.

The Shari’ah TV series on Channel 4 features British Muslims seeking answers from a team of leading Islamic scholars and experts for the first time on British terrestrial television.

"The groundbreaking new discussion series provide a unique opportunity for both Muslim viewers and those of other faiths to see Islam examined in an honest, sensitive and unsensationalised way", the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) said on its website.

"Shari’ah TV allows British Muslims to explore what it means to live in the western world and follow Shariah Law, and addresses the many misconceptions and prejudices about how these laws fit with 21st Century British life."

Presented by journalist So Rahman, a Muslim, the program looks at subjects including the family, citizenship, consumerism and the relationship between Islam and other faiths.

Clarifying Islamic principles and confronting common misunderstandings about the faith – such as media misrepresentation and stereotypes – also come high on the agenda.

The program gives the chance to unravel confusions that people may have about Islam, through an interfaith dialogue with other religious figures and audience.

People aged 18-35 could join the studio audience to seek advice and clarity on personal dilemmas from a panel of highly respected Imams and Islamic experts.

Uphill Struggle  

In the fourth program aired on Tuesday, May 25, historian Karen Armstrong gave an account of the meaning of Jihad in Islam – a matter raising much controversy as many claim that it is used as a justification for attacks against western targets.

In Islam, Jihad takes various shapes - not all of them are necessarily military – such as self-defense against acts of injustice, she averred.

The program also hosted a Muslim advisor appointed by British Prime Minister Tony Blair after the September 11 attacks.

It also witnessed an Asian Muslim convert from Buddhism, who told the audience and viewers of her tormenting experience to convince her family of her conversion to Islam.

The opening program that began in April addressed the perception of Islam, looking at contentious subjects including the hijab, terrorism and forced marriage.

Other episodes will discuss Muslims' involvement in the British society, politics, police, army and foreign policy.

They will also tackle financial issues as interest, Islamic finance, careers, women working, and the cultural issues of music, films, TV, youth behavior.

Other Programs

Other programs were also made by British TV channels with relations with Muslims and interfaith dialogue as the main focus.

In January, the BBC have contacted the MCB in connection with identifying possible Muslim talents for a new series for BBC1 which aims to explore how other families run their lives and households.

Channel 4 also send daily SMSs to the subscribers on Islam. The content is prepared by the famed British scholar of Egyptian origin Zaki Badawi.

Britain has a Muslim community of about two millions.