Wednesday, January 3, 2007

New Sitcom: Little Mosque

AA,

This is good news indeed. We welcome it.

What we could not communicate effectively to the mainstream public, especially after the incident of Imams thrown out of the plane. From the reading of it without seeing, this sit-com will really do the best job in building bridges.

If some one is cooking in the backyard in a giant dish, hope they neighbor's won't call the FBI as they would know that they are not making chemicals but making Biryani. The humor about suicide below is really funny it will stop the watcher in the tracks

At last, it is happening through main stream media.

Mike Ghouse
world Muslim Congress
www.WorldMuslimCongress.com

http://www.calendarlive.com/printedition/calendar/cl-et-canadatv3jan03,0,4990285.story
Sitcom's devout belief that faith can yield fun

Canada's 'Little Mosque on the Prairie,' about a small Muslim community, will offer topical humor about Islam and Christianity.By Beth Duff-BrownAssociated PressJanuary 3, 2007TORONTO — The bearded imam in traditional robe is railing against pop-culture idols, warning Muslims to protect themselves from the evil influences of prime time. " 'American Idol,' 'Canadian Idol,' I say all idols should be smashed," Baber tells a small congregation sitting on the floor of a makeshift mosque. " 'Desperate Housewives'? Why should they be desperate when they're only performing their natural womanly duties?"

Rayyan, a gorgeous young woman in a head scarf, looks bemused, then whispers to her mother: "Hey, did you tape last night's episode?" The scene is from the first episode of the CBC comedy "Little Mosque on the Prairie," airing Tuesday in Canada.The producers hope the topical humor about Islam and Christianity — with a backdrop of bumbling buffoons and everyday cross-purposes — will be as funny as it is fresh.

"To me, this is not a political show, this is not about the Iraq war, it's not about 9/11," said the show's creator, Canadian Muslim Zarqa Nawaz. "First and foremost, it's entertainment." It may not be about 9/11, but it often feels like it. In the first episode, a handsome young Muslim man is being dragged by police from an airport line after he barks into his mobile phone: "If Dad thinks that's suicide, so be it. This is Allah's plan for me." He is talking about his decision to leave his father's Toronto law firm and become the spiritual leader of the small Muslim community in the fictitious prairie town of Mercy. Another scene has a character named Joe stumbling upon the new makeshift mosque housed in the parish hall of an Anglican church, then rushing out to call the "terrorist attack hot line" when he sees the Muslims bowing to pray, "just like on CNN."

Nawaz noted that though the classic sitcoms "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons" dealt with bigotry and racism for the first time on American TV, their success was based on the hilarious delivery of those issues, not on preaching to viewers. "If it humanizes Muslims, that's great," she said during a recent taping in a studio outside Toronto. "But we live and die by the ratings, and whether people find it funny."

In another scene from the first episode, the Muslims are arguing about the start of the holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims fast from dawn to dusk. The imam, Baber, insists Ramadan begins when the crescent of the new moon is observed with the eye, "just as the prophet did." Yasir, a Lebanese Canadian who owns a construction company, suggests instead: "Why don't we just log on to Moonsighting.com and let the starvation begin!"

Although Nawaz and executive producers don't want the show to be pegged as a Muslim comedy, they believe the time is right for TV to tackle the treatment of 800,000 Muslims in Canada and some 6 million in the United States. "It really is a show that focuses on relationships and families; it's not about terrorism," said executive producer Mary Darling.

"But we're not afraid of introducing those issues." "Since 9/11, what we see on the news nearly every day portrays Muslims in terms of conflict," said Nawaz. Although some have questioned whether the show might insult Islamic fundamentalists, Nawaz believes Muslims deserve more credit. "This assumption in the media that Muslims are going to riot in the streets, freak out and get upset is ridiculous," she said. "It's just a comedy."

No comments:

Post a Comment

MUSLIM SPEAKER

MUSLIM SPEAKER
Email to: SpeakerMikeGhouse@gmail.com

Voice of Moderate Muslims

Voice of Moderate Muslims
Voice of Moderate Muslims

Moderate Islam Speaker

Moderate Islam Speaker
Moderate Islam Speaker

quraan burning

Planned Muslim Response to Qur'an Burning by Pastor Jones on September 11 in Mulberry, Florida

PRESS RELEASE
August 19, 2013| Dallas, Texas

Mike Ghouse
Text/Talk: (214) 325-1916
MikeGhouse@aol.com

Mirza A Beg
(205) 454-8797
mirza.a.beg@gmail.com

www.WorldMuslimCongress.com


PLANNED MUSLIMS RESPONSE TO QUR'AN BURNING BY PASTOR JONES ON 9/11/13 IN MULBERRY, FLORIDA

We as Muslims plan to respond to pastor Terry Jones' planned burning of 3000 copies of Quran on September 11, 2013 in positive terms.

Our response - we will reclaim the standard of behavior practiced by the Prophet concerning “scurrilous and hostile criticism of the Qur’an” (Muhammad Asad Translation Note 31, verse 41:34). It was "To overcome evil with good is good, and to resist evil by evil is evil." It is also strongly enjoined in the Qur’an in the same verse 41:34, “Good and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is better; then you will see that one who was once your enemy has become your dearest friend.”

God willing Muslims will follow the divine guidance and pray for the restoration of Goodwill, and on that day many Muslim organizations will go on a “blood drive” to save lives and serve humanity with kindness.

We invite fellow Americans of all faiths, races, and ethnicities to join us to rededicate the pledge, “One nation under God”, and to build a cohesive America where no American has to live in apprehension, discomfort or fear of fellow Americans. This event is a substitute for our 10th Annual Unity Day Celebration (www.UnitydayUSA.com) held in Dallas, but now it will be at Mulberry, Florida.

Unwittingly Pastor Jones has done us a favor by invigorating us by his decision to burn nearly 3000 copies Quran on September 11, 2013. Obviously he is not satisfied by the notoriety he garnered by burning one Qur'an last year.

As Muslims and citizens we honor the free speech guaranteed in our constitution. We have no intentions to criticize, condemn or oppose Pastor Terry Jones' freedom of expression. Instead, we will be donating blood and praying for goodness to permeate in our society.

We plan to follow Jesus Christ (pbuh), a revered prophet in Islam as well as Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) – that of mitigating the conflicts and nurturing good will for the common good of the society.

We hope, this event and the message will remind Muslims elsewhere in the world as well, that violence is not the way. Muslims, who react violently to senseless provocation, should realize that, violence causes more violence, and besmirches the name of the religion that we hold so dear. We believe that Prophet Muhammad was a mercy to the mankind, and we ought to practice what we believe and preach. We must not insult Islam by the negative reactions of a few.

We can only hope it will bring about a change in the attitude of the followers of Pastor Jones, and in the behavior of those Muslims who reacted violently the last time Pastor sought notoriety – We hope this small step towards a bridge to peaceful coexistence would propel us towards building a cohesive society.

Like most Americans a majority of Muslims quietly go about their own business, but it is time to speak up and take positive action instead of negative reaction. May this message of peace and goodwill reverberate and reach many shores.

Lastly, we appreciate the Citizens of Mulberry, Florida, Honorable Mayor George Hatch, City Commissioners, police and Fire Chiefs for handing this situation very well. This will add a ‘feather of peace’ in the City’s reputation. We hope Mulberry will be a catalyst in showing the way in handling conflict with dignity and peace.

We thank the Media for giving value to the work towards peace rather than conflict.






URL- http://worldmuslimcongress.blogspot.com/2013/08/planned-muslim-response-to-quran_18.html



Thank you.

CIVIL DIALOGUE

The people in Dallas are making an effort to understand and clean their own hearts first, when we are free from bias, it would be easy to share that with others. Islam teaches us in so many ways to "respect the otherness of others" and it is time we find simple practical ways of doing it.