'Muslim MTV' Launched

Ya'qub —

Egyptian channel 4Shbab aims to provide an Islamic take on music video culture for the world

On a boat moored on the Nile, 4Shbab's founder, Ahmed Abu Haiba, explained why the current music video networks were a threat to Muslim identity. "These channels are strange to our culture," he said. "There are young Muslim men today who'd like to have girlfriends, be part of a dating culture, and yet when they want to get married they look for a devout, religious wife. This is cultural schizophrenia … and it's these channels which are giving our young generation such misunderstandings and smashing their identities."

But the channel — which declares it will "listen to the tune of Islam" — is already being criticised. On the one hand, Abu Haiba has been accused of demeaning Islam by those who believe that all music is haram (forbidden). On the other hand, his station has taken flak from women, who rarely feature in its music videos or game shows such as 'Who Wants to Be an Islamic Pop Star?'.

Joshua Salaam, part of Native Deen, an American Muslim hip-hop outfit who are one of the first bands to be promoted on the new channel, said, "I think the launch of this channel is massively important, probably more so than a lot of scholars and parents realise because they haven't been raised with music video in their lives, but music and video set the tone of what culture is, what identity is. For a Muslim to be able to watch this channel and see that … they don't have to separate their religion from their culture, that's huge."

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You — Sat, 7 Mar 2009 - 14:40

I say good on the guys doing this, but I do think a few of the assumptions in the article are weak.

"There are young Muslim men today who'd like to have girlfriends, be part of a dating culture, and yet when they want to get married they look for a devout, religious wife. This is cultural schizophrenia … and it's these channels which are giving our young generation such misunderstandings and smashing their identities."

Seems a little weird and putting all the problems into one convenient pot.

Another related question is about money buying religious influence. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

1R4M — Sat, 7 Mar 2009 - 15:25

[quote=Ya'qub]"There are young Muslim men today who'd like to have girlfriends, be part of a dating culture, and yet when they want to get married they look for a devout, religious wife. This is cultural schizophrenia … and it's these channels which are giving our young generation such misunderstandings and smashing their identities."
[/quote]

EXACTLY!
This is the one thing that really pisses me off the most

1R4M — Mon, 9 Mar 2009 - 12:24

[quote=wednesday][quote=1R4M][quote=Ya'qub]"There are young Muslim men today who'd like to have girlfriends, be part of a dating culture, and yet when they want to get married they look for a devout, religious wife. This is cultural schizophrenia … and it's these channels which are giving our young generation such misunderstandings and smashing their identities."
[/quote]

EXACTLY!
This is the one thing that really pisses me off the most[/quote]

How come? (It is SO unfair to tell us that you don't like something WITHOUT a valid reason as to why don't YOU like it)[/quote]

why?!
I felt lik being mysterious...

The Lamp — Mon, 9 Mar 2009 - 12:26

I think for obvious reasons, they should just stick to percussion instruments if they want to use musical instruments at all.

You — Mon, 9 Mar 2009 - 12:34

[quote=The Lamp]I think for obvious reasons, they should just stick to percussion instruments if they want to use musical instruments at all.[/quote]

What obvious reasons?

Would that not be awful limiting?

These days everything is probably digitally synthesized anyway...