Founders of the new Islamic satellite channel, Al Risala (The Message), describe it as the latest step in a “new Islamic media revolution”, according to an article on the Christian Science Monitor.

"For a very long time all religious programs were just isolated, artificial, old, obsolete," says Al Risala Cairo bureau manager, Ahmed Abu Haiba.

Al Risala, by contrast, has splashy graphics and state-of-the-art sets. Although the channel broadcasts some traditional religious programs, it does so in an indirect, modern way.

Abu Haiba says the station promotes the values of tolerance, peace, and progress, while being critical of some modern developments.

"In our understanding, Islamic media is any clean media... So any program that is clean and has a message to improve a human being - improve them religiously, ethically, socially; push them towards being productive and effective, having ambitions,” says Al Risala's general manager, Sheikh Tarek Swidan.

"If we go back to the roots then we see Islam being very peaceful, very open. Respect of all humans, respect of all religions, respect of all races - that is the original message of Islam,” he adds.

Al Risala is financed by Saudi billionaire Prince al Walid bin Talal. The Kuwait-based channel began broadcasting at the beginning of March on two satellite carriers that reach millions across the Middle East and Europe.

Al Risala executives say they don’t have precise data on the size of the station’s audience. But they say that they receive thousands of daily messages of support from their viewers.

Al Risala "is really good," says Radwa Atia, a 20-year-old art student. "It discusses a lot of things, in a more free way. It discusses real life issues."

The channel was also supported by senior religious figures in the Islamic world, such as Egypt's grand mufti, Ali Gomaa, one of the country's highest religious authorities and the host of his own show on the station.

As if we can see it in Malaysia.. quite sad.

that reach millions across the Middle East and Europe

Shame we cant get it here in america either

i know television is a source of information and knowledge and you learn so much from it.

But i was thinking... how can i stop myself from watching that is haram in Islam when i turn on the television.

(a muslim lady too has to control its gaze rite? They can't just gaze at beautiful and sexy woman rite - but i'm not saying that i'm the type who likes to watch sexy girls, i'm just saying that how to watch television when there are so many things that you cannot watch?)

taken from fatwaislam.com

Question:

What is the ruling on a man looking at an unrelated woman, and a woman looking at an unrelated man, while watching the television?
Answer:

It is not permissible, because in most cases, the women who appear on television are unveiled and display parts of their 'Awrah (parts of the body which must remain covered from public gaze) and the men are handsome models of fashionable adornment and this incites temptation (Fitnah) and corruption in most cases.

Permanent Committee for Research and Verdicts


Fatawa Islamiyah, Darussalam, volume 5, page 106