I agree with the overall anaylsis of Dr Yaser, but I disagree with a little bit of the overly positive look at the show. I think we should wait for more episodes to unfold. This show has benefits that some people might overlook. Some which were outlined in the post and others maybe in future posts. The show in terms of production and/ or a message will also have some negative sides. It will stir up emotions of people within the Muslim community and some of the laughable moments reinforce sbtly some stereotypes (if not about the community then about certain people within it)

I personally disagree with those who think the show is a bad outreach tool, since it was not designed to be that nor does it fit the “traditional” idea of that, even to the viewers. I agree with Dr Yaser in this. It is a sit com, not a lecture. It also presents the goals of its producers and designerd that are presented by a certain media medium (in this case comedy). We can gree on somethings and disagree on others. No show is meant to be perfect.

What we can do though, I think is use this show as a tool for dialogue. Some of its topics are worth discussion. It can also be used as a starter for discussions with many TV audiences many who I believe would be interested in a positive dialogue or experience that has to do with anything from: minorities, comon problesm within communities, family values, etc.. It can also be a show that will help people come together. Think of youth who can now talk to their friends at school about a show about them, or women who see in Zarqa as someone who is successful who is at the sametime similar to them in her beliefs and values…

Finally although I don’t find the show as brillian as its advocates are promoting, nor is it as terrible as its critics are saying, it still has its laughs and is interesting. Its also unique and a step forward (I hope but it is not flawless of course)

Jazakallah Khair Dr. Yaser for initiating getting all of this out in the open. While I agree that we shouldn’t label people and call their intentions for doing anything (especially if they are well-known), I too am not a fan of the episode.

I found the show to have jokes of bad taste, and as a Muslim I couldn’t help but feel offended at the jokes of the Deen. I also found it to be poorly written and not too funny at all, as it did not cater to my style of humour and entertainment. With this in mind I probably won’t watch the rest of the show unless it takes a COMPLETELY new direction in its entirety.

However, I do feel that there are 2 ways one can watch the show. The first way is as a casual viewer looking to be entertained, and the second is as someone who is nitpicking, and just looking for any flaws to bring them out.

A good portion of the jokes criticized above, I feel, were seen from a nit-picker’s perspective. I think when we watch the show it should be as objective as possible. If we look for flaws then we will find millions by our own inclinations, even if that was not the purpose of the joke. For example, I found the whole idea of comparing the appearance of Baber and the appearance of Ammaar, comparing the traditional and secular Muslim to be a little farfetched. I always felt that Zarqa was poking fun at Baber’s age and “old school uncle” mentality to be her true objective, not pushing the “Western look” as the progressive Muslim agenda.

This is just a reminder to myself and to the other people, and I don’t mean to offend anyone as we are all entitled to have our opinions. Just try to view it as objectively as possible, and don’t “look” for offensive material, rather if it comes, then we have all rights to speak out against it.

For the future…I sincerely hope that the creators of the show clean up their act to make it more tasteful, more appealing, and actually entertaining. First off, they need to lay off jokes on Islam (it is considered a grave sin to misquote the Qur’aan). Second, it actually has to be funny, which is the main purpose of a sitcom right? If not the present people in charge of the show, then someone else needs to be at the helm insh’Allah.

Just to end with a quote from one of my high school teachers regarding the show. “I watched it, I tried to like it, I wanted to like it, but this just isn’t going to work out.”

Again I didn’t mean to offend anyone, and may Allah help me to understand the situation better.

“I don’t think any part of this show is meant to be educational”

In the CNN video that you posted on your blog, it shows an interview with Zarqa Nawaz. In this interview, she herself says that her sitcom serves to educate and build bridges between people. Forward to the 2.20 min, and listen for the next 15 seconds approximately. The creator of the show herself admits her show is a source for laughter and education. Since this show conveys information about muslims to Canadians, it becomes a form of dawah. Consequently, the image portrayed in the show must be in accordance to the shariah. Even if Zarqa didn’t intend the show to be educational, anything muslims present will be a form of dawah. Of course nobody expects a lecture of the 5 pillars and their significance in a sitcom, but we do expect the show to educate non-muslims using humor as a driving force.

In one of your paragraphs (second) you said:

“No they won’t. Talk to your friends that are not Muslim. Noone expects a sitcom to actually educate. They expect it only to entertain.”

In the fourth paragraph you also said:

“Regardless of arguments for or against, the viewer is simply left with the knowledge that in a real community this is an issue and the writer/producer simply isn’t going to take sides or try to solve it in 22 minutes. Wonderful. I happened to mention this episode and its central topic to a couple of non-Muslim women. Their immediate reaction was to recall their knowledge that in Orthodox synagogues there is a barrier. I think this show is just going to enforce the understanding that the existence of such debates in a religious community is just normal.”

- You said that non-muslims who watch this show will not take any educational value from it, but will enjoy the sitcom as a form of entertainment. In another statement, you talk of how the viewer is left with the knowledge of this debate (the barrier) in the muslim community, and how these non-muslim women incorporated this knowledge for a comparison between jews and muslims. So does not this sitcom have an educational component to it? Of course the show is meant to serve its purpose as a comedy, but nonetheless it does convey to non-muslims a certain dogma of Islam. Consequently, it becomes a form of dawah.

Still on the subject of characters. Unreal, you say. Not so, say I. Imam Amar? Quintessential Toronto Yuppie. Each of you probably knows at least half a dozen bros that look, style, dress, and speak just like him. And you like the non-fat cappucino :). So someone like this in real life probably doesn’t wind up being an Imam. So what. I actually have an image in mind right now of someone that looks a lot like brother Amar that’s given a couple of khutba’s here and there. The character is real. It’s the situation that’s unreal. Which is exactly what makes a sitcom (situation comedy).

Its not that the character Imam Amar isn’t real, but that the show portrays an Imam whose image is contrary to the sunnah of Mohammed(saw). Showing a clean shaven – which is against the sunnah of Mohammed (saw) and the fitrah of a muslim - Imam staring at a woman while bending over is hardly the type of dawah we should be giving. The fact that that are numerous brothers that share the same image as Imam Amar doesn’t mean this is the image we ought to portray. If anything this shows the weakness of us brothers following the sunnah in a non-islamic environment. Allah(swt) says:

يَا يَحْيَى خُذِ الْكِتَابَ بِقُوَّةٍ وَآتَيْنَاهُ الْحُكْمَ صَبِيّاً
(It was said to his son): “O Yahya (John)! Hold fast the Scripture [the Taurat (Torah)].” And We gave him wisdom while yet a child.

9:12

Similarly, we muslims should hold on to our religion with strength and not be afraid to tell non-muslims this is our religion that Allah(swt) has honored us with. This show is unreal not because it is simply a sitcom, but that the events shown are against the teachings of Islam and would be rarely replicated by muslims in the West. Why not present an Imam who follows the sunnah of Mohammed(saw), who is bashful and modest, and speaks in an eloquent manner with hints of humor? Why not present muslim women as expressing their opinions with modesty and intelligence, instead of running around fighting men as did the daughter of Yasir? Her behavior only tarnished the image of muslim women and opposed the noble characters of the Mothers of the believers, who were the real knowledgeable female scholars of this deen. During the historical battle between Aisha(ra) and Ali(ra), Aisha(ra) behaved in a modest and bashful manner and did not run around raising her voice while fighting men. Would that behavior be appropriate for our mother? So why is it appropriate to present this to the non-muslims as an “IDEAL educated muslim women in the west”? I am not saying that the actors, whom most are not muslim except a few, must act a perfect manner. The problem is with the show depicting those muslims who follow the sunnah (by having the beard) of Prophet Mohammed(saw) as primitive individuals, while those who do not follow the sunnah as wise individuals who must the save day. Some examples:

1) In the second episode Baber, who follows the sunnah of Prophet Mohammed(saw) by having a beard, complains how schools in the West filled his daughter with “thinking” and about the image of “desperate housewives”. Therefore, muslim men with beards are portrayed as against women thinking, and only advocate their purpose as submissive housewives.
2) Imam Ammar is a former lawyer who sacrificed his career for Islam, while his image has no resemblance to that of a muslim. Since he is playing the role of the Imam, his image must conform to the sunnah of Mohammed(saw). It is Ammar who provides a compromising solution regarding the barrier, one that surprised the audience and appeased both sides of the argument to a certain extent. It is Ammar who quotes from Bukhari as his evidence for his solution, while Baber is never seen quoting anything. This depicts Baber as a conservative Imam without any education

3) Baber is the person who is burdened by a heavy accent, preoccupied by giving khutbas solely about the Kuffar’s evil intentions and Canadian Idol, to the extent that Baber is seen as a extreme Imam. Imam Ammar is eloquent in speech and is seen performing activities a REAL Imam would do – meet with the mayor of the town, have a dialogue with the local pastor and so on. Again, the one with the beard and thob is an absurd crazy muslim, while the clean-shaven western looking Imam is portrayed as an Imam fit for the job. I’m not saying that wearing a shirt and Jeans is deplorable, but the comparison highlighted in the show between the two Imams depicts those who follow the sunnah as absurd individuals.

After watching this show, how will non-muslims view Islamic scholars who have a beard and a cap? This show doesn’t build bridges like Zarqa said, but only produces stereotypes – that a Islamic scholar, or any muslim for that matter, that follows the sunnah of the Prophet(saw) is probably an extremist and is not fit to head any mosque.

Another brilliant thing is the ending. Sure, no Imam ever would give the “ruling” that Amar gave. Sure, no theological or legal analysis was given of the various positions, etc. But that’s missing the point (in my view, and I really don’t mean to offend anyone).

Since the show is a form of dawah, how could it be irrelevant to use the shariah as a form of scriptural guidance for the show? If the show chooses to delve into Islamic rulings, it must therefore, consider Islamic theology. If used in a responsible and intellectual way, exposing the beauty and practicality of Islamic law in everyday life is what would attract non-muslims to Islam. Instead, Zarqa has chosen to abandon this great jewel to substitute it for distasteful humor. This show provided an amazing opportunity to destroy the stereotypes that exist in society today, as well as serve as a form of dawah to attract non-muslims to the truth. Instead, the show has only served to aggravate these stereotypes and make a mockery of the religion. Some may say that the inappropriate jokes are not to be taken seriously. Allah(swt) says in surah taubah:

وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُمْ لَيَقُولُنَّ إِنَّمَا كُنَّا نَخُوضُ وَنَلْعَبُ قُلْ أَبِاللّهِ وَآيَاتِهِ وَرَسُولِهِ كُنتُمْ تَسْتَهْزِئُونَ

If you ask them (about this), they declare: “We were only talking idly and joking.” Say: “Was it at Allah (عز و جل), and His Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) and His Messenger (SAW) that you were mocking?”

لاَ تَعْتَذِرُواْ قَدْ كَفَرْتُم بَعْدَ إِيمَانِكُمْ إِن نَّعْفُ عَن طَآئِفَةٍ مِّنكُمْ نُعَذِّبْ طَآئِفَةً بِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُواْ مُجْرِمِين

Make no excuse; you have disbelieved after you had believed. If We pardon some of you, We will punish others amongst you because they were Mujrimun (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, criminals, etc.).

9:65-66

Though the jokes may not be directly making fun of Allah’s Messenger (saw), saying jokes that may a mockery of Allah’s religion is something the muslim community should refrain from. Saying that there is 115 surahs in the quran (second episode), and that Prophet Mohammed(saw) never had a telescope from Costco is mocking the religion. I’m not saying you shouldn’t joke at all. But, the jokes must be said in a manner that is both funny and halal.

May Allah(swt) bless the muslims in the West and aid them in their dawah. Anything good that I have stated is from Allah(swt), and anything wrong is from me.

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّكَ رَبِّ الْعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُون

وَسَلَامٌ عَلَى الْمُرْسَلِينَ

وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِين

First of all, JazakAllah kheir to Dr Yaser for initiating this discussion and providing us with the interesting comments. I would like to point out however, what I feel are some problems which are being neglected here.

Criticism of these episodes has encompassed a variety of aspects, from the unislamic behavior of the actors to the poor humor. However, in my opinion none of these are even a fraction as troublesome as what really should bother the muslim community about this show - the fact that it is being used as a mouthpiece for secular ‘muslims’ to advance their deviant ideologies and ridicule traditional Islamic scholarship.

“How so?”, you ask. Let’s look at it carefully. The entire show is more than just poking fun at everyone without any bias, as suggested above. It is clear throughout the show that two groups within the Muslim community are being contrasted: on one hand we have the educated, liberal, enlightened secularists [or “progressive muslims” as they call themselves] and on the other hand we have the ignorant, backward, fresh-off-the-boat “conservatives”.

In fact the entire attitude of the show is summarized in a single statement by ‘Baber’ (who is supposedly representative of the face of conservative traditional Islam) in his emotional outburst about his daughter:

“Western school system!! Filling her head with…thinking!!

This statement alone should have provoked outrage from the Muslim community. The fact that this show would blatantly express in no uncertain terms that traditional Islam (and therefore traditional Islamic scholarship) is an illogical way of life fundamentally opposed to the use of reason, this is nothing short of an abominable lie. We should be outraged that the show would suggest that ANY segment of our community is opposed to reason. This is a clear insult to ALL Muslims. Have not the traditional scholars of Islam always described the position of BOTH sound reasoning (al-aql as-sarih) alongside the authentic texts (naql as-sahih)?? Contrast this with the quote from Baber.

And yet this quote from the episode is not an isolated mistake by the producers. The WHOLE show is in line with this portrayal. The man with the beard and the kufi is having domestic problems and is causing problems in the mosque, and who saves the day? The “enlightened” “educated” “progressive Muslims” (when we heard this word in the first episode, alarm bells should have been going off) who receive their advice from christian priests. Why is it the “progressives” (read: secularists) who are portrayed as the ones who speak good english, are knowledgeable about the religion (notice their consensus that the barrier has “no theological validity”?!) while the conservatives are portrayed as bigoted, close-minded misogynistic fobs? Not to mention Baber is also portrayed as an emotionally unstable ‘baby’.

So when a non-muslim see a muslim scholar or imam with a beard, and dressed in a cultural style the first thing they will remember is the emotionally-unstable, ignorant and sexist weird imam from Little Mosque on the Prairie!! What kind of service does that do for the Muslim community? No one will take such muslim imams seriously anymore, no matter how important their message. What happens to the Muslim imams with beards that wear shalwar khameez (pakistani dress), but like Shaykh Abu Ammaar Yasir Qadhi they provide an eloquent and fundamental message for the Muslim community in the west in flawless english:
http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=8230318654042458761&q=yasir qadhi

So this portrayal of our community (and it is OUR community) is definitely something that should be disturbing to us.

If this isn’t enough for us to question Nawaz’s underlying agenda, let us look at the following excerpt from the Globe article:
>>The germ of the idea for Little Mosque started several years ago, after Nawaz locked horns with several more conservative male members of her Regina mosque. After many years of praying with the men, she walked in one day to find a curtain had been strung, separating the sexes, because the men found women “too distracting.” Rather than get mad, Nawaz — who had completed several comedic film shorts — made a National Film Board documentary, called Me and the Mosque. “It was about how women feel about mosques,” she explains. “I was pretty sure all the gender discrimination these men talk about doesn’t come from the faith, but from a cultural interpretation of the faith, and from patriarchy.