It is from the sofa in my living room that I have, three or four times now, found "Noor" (a 'soap' based on an affluent Muslim family in Turkey) next in line on satellite channel MBC4, after half-watching some other program – which is how it happens that I have developed a few thoughts on what has been described as an 'obsession' to millions of viewers - particularly, apparently, in Saudi Arabia. Anyhow, after reading a recent Washington Post article on the subject of Noor, I decided to give voice to those sentiments.
Of course, as some of you may also know, I do not, for the most part, understand Arabic, but a person doesn't have to be a rocket scientist to understand what is in front of their eyes…
Excerpts from Washington Post article with my comments:
COMMENT 1: Subject title - our obsession with Noor is reported on in Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/02/AR2008080201547_2.html
The only part of this program that I can understand might be worthy of 'obsession'/emulation is the fact that it has initiated discussion of the contrasts found in the intimate relationships between the husband and wife lead characters (it's the only relationship in the series that sets out the concept of compassion) and, apparently, what other viewers find lacking in their own relationships. How sad, however, that we are not more enamored or inspired by the countless examples of the compassion found in Prophet Mohamed Salla Allahu 'Alaihi Wa Sallam.
COMMENT 2: Article Title - A Subversive Soap Roils Saudi Arabia
Subversive was an excellent choice of words.
COMMENT 3: The show has become the subject of angry Friday sermons in this strict Islamic kingdom, and the country's chief cleric recently issued a fatwa calling it "decadent" and sinful to watch.
Decadent and sinful – quite frankly, I do not believe their sentiments are unjustified. Is this program indicative of 'progress'? I do not think so – from where I sit, it is nothing less short of a step backward.
COMMENT 4: "Noor" has had such a deep influence because, unlike American or Mexican soap operas broadcast here, it is about a Muslim family living in a Muslim country.
EXACTLY why I feel the way I do in comments 2 and 3 – Muslim family living in a Muslim country – seriously? I would never have guessed… I have not seen anything in the story that even remotely indicates that the characters are "Muslim".
I have not seen one incident where the story line included a single family member excusing themselves for prayer; the men leaving the home to go to the mosque; I have not seen even one female character dressed, whether it was for leisure, work, business, or at home, dressed in either jelbab, hijab, or abaya. On the contrary, the cast wardrobe consists entirely of street clothes that you would find people wearing in any other country not proclaiming itself to be "Islamic" or "Muslim".
Personally, I am saddened that this program has become an 'obsession'. Is this what we want to present/support as demonstrative of life in the Muslim world? Life according to the true teachings of Islam? Or are we just supposed to swallow it hook, line and sinker as Muslim Reality TV? Astifurallah Al-Azeem.
Sure, we are all human, and it is not to say that we don't have similar thoughts, feelings, and experiences with life choices – but why not produce a program with similarly charismatic characters, demonstrating how to make better choices? Wouldn't it be something if THAT became an obsession!
Note: In one of the more recent episodes, the soulfully blue-eyed lead male character (Turk), is shown sporting a rather large tattoo on his upper right arm – that's 'Islamic' – imitating the custom of another society vs. showing reverence for religious/Islamic teachings.
Seriously? Astifurgallah Al-Azeem.
Ah, and then there was this week's stunning moment: a female lead character awakening from her abortion while her husband, who was at home babysitting and playing with the couple's daughter, runs across the "conveniently left in a place where your husband – who you want to hide something from – will find it" (duh) positive pregnancy test result, and is suddenly thrilled to learn he will have a second child – but will ultimately be devastated to learn his joy was 'premature'. So much for that marriage…
COMMENT 5: The show is also dubbed in an Arabic dialect, not classical Arabic, which makes it easier to understand and feels more intimate to viewers.
So glad the article's writer mentioned the dubbing. I have never in all my life seen a program where every single character's lines were dubbed. Seriously, it is painfully ridiculous to watch.
COMMENT 6: According to several local newspapers, Saudi men have divorced their wives after finding photos of Muhannad on their cellphones or because they found their wives too taken with the Turk with the soulful eyes.
Now THAT'S ISLAMIC…
N-O-T!
As to Turk's 'soulful eyes' – geez – they're blue –
so what!
And while we're, again, on the subject of Turk, a few days ago the program offered a scene during which we observe Turk dressing to out. The amount of time given to this scene, and the unabashed love the character displays for himself as he looks repeatedly in the mirror, was nauseating (not unlike the Saudi men with their headgear - as I often observed - while 'checking' it's arrangement on their heads through a reflection in a mosque window). Anyhow, all I could think was,
"Dude, GET OVER YOURSELF!!!"
COMMENT 7: But clerics say the national obsession is unhealthy and detrimental to Saudi society's traditional culture. Al-Eqtisadiah newspaper quoted a prominent cleric, Abdul Mohsen al-Obeikan, as saying the show erodes Muslim values and asking satellite channels not to air it.
Quite honestly, I am wildly curious as to why the cleric(s) are even having to ASK why this program is allowed to air on satellite channels in Saudi Arabia – if there was truly an uproar about the program the government could/would block it in a nano-second.
COMMENT 8: "When young people, who have all become fascinated with this show, watch Muslims like themselves engaging in premarital relations and having children out of wedlock, that is more dangerous than if they see Westerners doing those same things…"
Which begs the question – why does Saudi Arabia – in complaining of the influence of the 'west' invite the 'west' into the homes of its citizens via satellite in the first place? Again, the government has the power to block these images/programs – and yet they don't – so what is the complaint, REALLY????
And why does the 'west' have to bear the brunt of the blame for choices made within the confines of the Kingdom in the first place? The west is the west, as is the east the east – if western influences are not welcome do not allow or invite them in – if it is felt necessary to restrict the Kingdom's people to that degree. If not – then do not complain of the guest you have invited after the welcome mat has been laid out for him.
COMMENT 9: The show's finale, after 140 episodes, will be broadcast at the end of August, right before the start of the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
Al-hamdulillah for that.
Shortly after becoming Muslim, while volunteering at the 2003 ISNA Convention she was interviewed for Nile TV and later that year participated in a voter registration campaign at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, which led to her first "quote" in a CBS News story.
She addressed President Jacques Chirac, dressed as the Statue of Liberty, in front of the Embassy of France in Washington, D.C. as hundreds gathered on January 17, 2004 in protest of an impending law prohibiting Muslim women from wearing hijab. 
Women inside Saudi Arabia and around the world, meanwhile, carried on protesting in the media. "It was the most striking example to date of concerted Islamic feminist global protest and one that authorities could not ignore," stated Margot Badran, Senior Fellow, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim Christian Understanding, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
On returning from Gaza in January 2010, she was compelled to do more. In support of the reported 700+ students in need of exit visas for pursuit of studies abroad, Ms. Schwartz launched the 'No Gaza Student Left Behind' campaign in June 2010 with a press release, open letter to President Obama, online petition drive and posters.
In June 2010 the woman's rights movement in Saudi Arabia resurfaced as guardianship reform, in conjunction with the rights of foreign nationals, once again came to the forefront as King Abdullah of prepared for a June 29 visit to the White House. Ms. Schwartz again lent MWA's support, to demonstrations that took place in front of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington, D.C., and in front of the White House, in association with the Comit'e de Soutien 'a Nathalie Morin,' of Canada, Muslims for Progressive Values and Responsible for Equality, and Liberty (R.E.A.L.), based in Washington, D.C.
The new year was also marked by participation in International Hijab Awareness Day, an event organized in support of bringing awareness to physical abuse within Muslim communities - commemorated in conjunction with the one-year anniversary marking the tragic beheading of Aasyia Zubair Hassan (1972-2009).
To round out the year, Ms. Schwartz was given the opportunity to showcase her organization, Muslimah Writers Alliance (MWA), through a mini-documentary titled, زمام المبادرة - عائشة شوارتز/Lead the Way - Aishah Schwartz. Produced by iFilms of Cairo, Egypt for Al-Jazeera Arabic TV, the documentary premiered December 1, 2010 (repeated on Wednesday's throughout the month) and is now available on YouTube. The short-film also features MWA member and new author, Rania Marwan, who recently published her first book in a series on Islamic manners for children, "Laila and Pesto the Fly".
