Controversial Omar TV drama a big hit across the Arabian Gulf

[جوري]

Controversial Omar TV drama a big hit across the Arabian Gulf

Ola Salem
Aug 2, 2012

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A Ramadan television drama that has stirred fierce debate for depicting a companion of the Prophet Mohammed is among the most-viewed shows during the Holy Month.
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  ■ Scholars split on Ramadan series

Topic

• Ramadan

Five years before next role

The role of Omar Ibn Al Khattab will be Samir Ismail's last for five years. A five-year acting ban was among the conditions required by MBC when it signed the previously unknown Syrian actor. "He is a beginner, but professional," a source at MBC said. "The people who produced the show were insistent that the actor should not be famous - so not to mix between him and older shows." The source said this was to "immune any linkage of his image". Once the five years are up, he will be limited to "respectful" roles. Ismail said he was very eager and honoured to take on the role. "I was very anxious for this role which depicts a dream for any actor, no matter how big they are," he said. He added that he would chose his roles carefully. "Part of my responsibility is to present myself as a good actor, avoiding any role that might tarnish the character."



The US$50million (Dh183.6m) production, Omar, portrays the life of Omar Ibn Al Khattab, the second Caliph and one of the 10 who were promised the heavens.
It tells how he expanded the Islamic empire from Afghanistan to Libya in the east, and Syria and Iraq to Yemen in the south.
Despite campaigns for the show to be boycotted, and fatwas advising Muslims not to watch it because of its depiction of the Caliph for the first time on screen, the programme has become a major hit for MBC, making it in the top 10 most viewed shows this Ramadan in Saudi Arabia and the Arabian Gulf.
An MBC source reiterated his appeal to watch the show before judging it. "It is the show that got most debate," he said. "We proved the fact that people should not have prejudged it."
If anything, the controversy had helped ratings, he said.
While many clerics were against the show being aired or even made, others, including Sheikh Salman Al Odah from Saudi Arabia and Qatar-based Yusuf Al Qaradawi, approved.
In the UAE, a specialised mufti at the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowment has said it would be best to avoid such shows and to "dedicate the time to prayer and worship".
It may be that some viewers' curiosity over what was considered to be taboo got the better of them.
"The fatwas that have come out were not convincing to people," said Dr Aisha Al Nuaimi, the chairman of the mass communication department at UAE University.
"Although he [Omar] was personified, he was a strong character, and the show pulled big efforts for the production. This all has given the show credibility. Personifying the Prophet's companions is something new, but it is important to know the history and know people who had an influence on Islam's history.
"The high number of people watching it shows there is a thirst to know about this period, especially when a lot of audience don't read much themselves."
But Dr Ahmad Alomosh, the dean of the department of sociology at Sharjah University, put the show's success down to a more basic qualities. The acting was great, he said, as were the action scenes, and the show was entertaining.
Many Sunnis believe Omar is the most influential person after the Prophet. His rule established the basis of the a judicial system, and made great advances in administration, education, and politics.
Sheikh Salman said that many feared the show would cause tension between Sunnis and Shia, who do not view Omar as a legitimate leader.
To accompany the drama, MBC has been running two daily strands intended to provide further historical context.
The first, Al Farouq, by Nabil Al Awadhi, focuses on the Caliph's background and his role in governance. It is followed each day by Omar Sani Al Haya, by Amr Khaled, which looks at the values of the Calpih and how he built the Muslim empire.
Before the start of the first episode, MBC showed a five-minute segment that argued it should not be left to others to depict Muslim history.
Sheikh Salman has called for more drama shows like Omar, particularly from Egypt which released many dramas and is now under Islamists rule.
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http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-n...e-arabian-gulf


I was surprised that sheikh Qadrawi of Egypt approved, I saw a program yesterday on Al-Jazeera where he was speaking of the means where Muslims can counter the attacks and he mentioned TV as a medium and then I was searching some more to see he approved this.. Just wanted to share

[Ramadan90]

Hmm, very interesting. What is more interesting is why people are watching TV during the blessed month? The scholars(?) declared a fatwa against this and people still watch it. I guess the taboo sparked curiousity.

[جوري]

It did.. I have been reading so much about Umar RA in the past few weeks..

[Ramadan90]

It did.. I have been reading so much about Umar RA in the past few weeks..

I did not read the whole article first(its late lol), but as I kept reading it answered all of my questions. I still wonder why people have this useless box in their house. I sold my TV.

I love to read about the history of Islam and the prophet(PBUH) time. It is like entering into their world and and forget everything else around me. I love to read in general. =)

[Scimitar]

Why is there a new topic for this? We have a live one disussing this topic already, which, you tooko part in Bluebell... I fail to see the need for a separate topic

Scimi

[جوري]

the other wasn't a debate was it? or as perceived an attack on two individuals (which it wasn't)- it was also closed prematurely given the original thread starter wasn't looking for a debate but to discuss the drama itself.. at any rate my interest was sparked with yesterday's Sheikh Qadrawi's fatwa and nothing to do with the previous and certainly not looking to fuel any further ire..

[Scimitar]

I had no idea it got closed, my apologies.

Scimi

[Scimitar]

I was surprised that sheikh Qadrawi of Egypt approved, I saw a program yesterday on Al-Jazeera where he was speaking of the means where Muslims can counter the attacks and he mentioned TV as a medium and then I was searching some more to see he approved this.. Just wanted to share

Does this mean that you will watch the the series now?

Scimi

[جوري]

Per my original statement I'll not discourage nor encourage anyone since I've seen a couple of episodes I don't feel in a position to pass judgement it would be like those who are hypocrites enjoining what's good forbidding evil while forgetting their own souls. I'll leave it to individual discretion!

[Scimitar]

That's a clever way of not answering my question a simple yes or no would have sufficed

Scimi

[Ibn Abi Ahmed]

Sheikh Salman has called for more drama shows like Omar,

Sh. Salman Al Awdah is a scholar and an intellectual who just gets it, someone from the kingdom who is actually relevant in contemporary times. Masha'Allah. He understands that the way forward is by utilizing means and not being shackled to the fear of progress within the guidelines of the deen.

Amazing message (hit CC for English captions): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4vnnEQRl0Q

"It is really brave of the Jurist to open the doors that can be opened instead of waiting for others to break them." This kind of thought only comes from deep understanding, not elementary studies.

[جوري]

I don't think they showed it in the KSA

Saudi prince vows to stop TV film on Muslim Caliph

Published Monday, July 16, 2012

A member of Saudi Arabia's ruling family has vowed to stop a series to be telecast by a Saudi satellite TV channel during the fasting month of Ramadan about some of the ancient Muslim leaders who were close companions of Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be Upon Him).

Prince Abdul Aziz bin Fahd, son of the late King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz, slammed the Middle East Broadcasting Company (MBC) for its intention to show "Umar Al Farooq" series, which has been jointly produced with Qatar.

"I swear to God that I disown and distance myself from MBC's work, especially Umar Al Farooq.I will do my best to stop this series.Qatar must accept God's will otherwise, we will go to court," he told Saudi newspapers.

The Prince said he had heard of reports that well known Muslim scholars in Qatar, including Sheikh Yousuf Al Qaradwi, a prominent Egyptian cleric, have approved the showing of the series.

"Y ou will see what I will do and I hope you will pray for me," he said.

The Prince's comments are the latest in a series of remarks criticizing that series, which is supposed to be shown on the first day of Ramadan next week. MBC, one of the largest TV establishments in the Middle East, said the costly episodes would be telecast in most Arab countries and in Turkey.

Saudi Arabia's mufti (top cleric) Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Abdullah al Shaikh, said last week those behind "Umar Al Farooq" series have committed a "grave mistake and a crime" by spending their money on the production of such work.

"Turning the life of Muslim Caliphs and the Prophet's (PBUH) companions into TV and cinema work is wrong and brings insults and criticism to them," the Mufti told thousands of Muslims during Friday's open-air prayers in Riyadh.

"Return to your God and stop wasting your money on wrong things...this is a grave mistake and a crime..all those who are funding, adopting and participating in this work are mistaken and misled," he added.

Thousands of scholars, dignitaries and other people have already used social networks and newspapers to attack the episode "Omar Al Farooq", better known as Umar ibn Al-Khattāb, the most powerful of the four Rashidun Caliphs and one of the most influential Muslim rulers in history.

Omar, who succeeded Abu Bakr Al Siddiq as the second Muslim Caliph before he died in 644, was a Sahabi (companion) of the Prophet (PBUH).

More than 550 actors from most Arab countries take part in the series.

Umar is personified by Syrian actor Samir Ismail while Abu Bakr is acted by Ghassan Massoud, also Syrian, who acted as Saluhddin in the famous film "Kingdom of Heavens" which covers the conflict about Jerusalem.

http://www.emirates247.com/news/regi...07-16-1.467428

[جوري]

That's a clever way of not answering my question a simple yes or no would have sufficed

Scimi

I don't agree with Qadrawi's fatwa-NO!.
However, it is better if people see a drama for educational purposes that are made about Muslims by Muslims than stupid movies depicting Muslims by dogs..
Again, though I may feel a certain way, my uncle watched this during Ramadan the two times he was over and it was on I watched along. He maintained an air of neutrality and curiosity but deep down inside me I feel off about it and again many facts were off, some things that the prophet PBUH said were relegated to the sahabas. Some events were subtracted from or switched around so that it wasn't very true to life.

[CosmicPathos]

Ive watched two episodes. Yet I dont feel a hypocrite when I tell ppl to not watch it. I havent watched the whole series, 2 episodes to see what is it about.

By watching, I define it as sitting down, watching the whole thing, while enjoying it. So I did not "watch" the show.

[CosmicPathos]

Sh. Salman Al Awdah is a scholar and an intellectual who just gets it, someone from the kingdom who is actually relevant in contemporary times. Masha'Allah. He understands that the way forward is by utilizing means and not being shackled to the fear of progress within the guidelines of the deen.

Amazing message (hit CC for English captions): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4vnnEQRl0Q

"It is really brave of the Jurist to open the doors that can be opened instead of waiting for others to break them." This kind of thought only comes from deep understanding, not elementary studies.

He gets it because his ideas support your pre conceived notions of what is right and what is wrong?

If this drama is halal, which it is not, then classical music is also halal.

[Ibn Abi Ahmed]

He gets it because his ideas support your pre conceived notions of what is right and what is wrong?

If this drama is halal, which it is not, then classical music is also halal.

Lol, do you ever see things in a non-simplistic view? And do you ever have husn ad-dhan of others? Just because I praise him - does that mean I agreed with him just because he agrees with me on this issue? That, because I happen to like the drama and I am for it, I am trying to modify some Islamic teachings to make it halal based on ignorance and supporting only those scholars who agree with me to match my "pre-conceived notions"? Nope. You're accusing me of dishonesty. I have my reasons to believe it is permissible just like you do with the opposite. But I'm not going to sit here and defend my views to you and why or why not I believe someone 'gets it'. Sorry, don't have the time nor do I believe it is productive.

Learn tolerance and respect those who disagree with you. Jurisprudence was never ever a simplistic black and white affair.

[جوري]

http://www.ummah.com/forum/showthrea...ibn-al-Khattab

[جوري]

guess who---

[CosmicPathos]

Lol, do you ever see things in a non-simplistic view? And do you ever have husn ad-dhan of others? Just because I praise him - does that mean I agreed with him just because he agrees with me on this issue? That, because I happen to like the drama and I am for it, I am trying to modify some Islamic teachings to make it halal based on ignorance and supporting only those scholars who agree with me to match my "pre-conceived notions"? Nope. You're accusing me of dishonesty. I have my reasons to believe it is permissible just like you do with the opposite. But I'm not going to sit here and defend my views to you and why or why not I believe someone 'gets it'. Sorry, don't have the time nor do I believe it is productive.

Learn tolerance and respect those who disagree with you. Jurisprudence was never ever a simplistic black and white affair.

First of all, I am not sure if this falls in matters of jurisprudence, or aqeedah as love of Prophet is part of aqeedah, and part of loving Prophet involves loving those whom he loved aka his companions. That is one reason why scholars consider shiites out of Islam because they curse the ashaab who have been given jannah.

Moreover, we can only learn about complexities of universe, by simplifying things down to equations, and logical clauses, much like how scientific hypothesis works.

And finally but most importantly, I cannot understand how Islam can be a final deen and yet be not black and white in regards to its ihkaam. If deen claims to be final and complete, it having no clear answers for gray areas is contradictory. Such a deen screams non-divine. So to me, Islam is divine, and hence must have black and white answers to every problem that we will face in dunya, otherwise if its not clear, it just ceases to be a divine deen and becomes a humanly endeavor.

[جوري]

I think what's important to me at this stage since it can't be undone, for those people to not show up in vile roles after this, I don't really quite know how else to articulate this but who the hell are you going to act and be after you were given the role of one of the greatest personalities that Allah swt has blessed mankind and especially our ummah with..

I don't know why, I just feel like my feelings are hurt by this.. Although he did promise in the interview not to do anything to tarnish that image with any roles he chooses thereafter..
I feel very irresolute about it though.