The Egyptian soap opera A’elat Al Hag Mitwalli has been one of the few Arab TV series that caught the eye of the American press, namely the daily Los Angeles Times.
In his story, the correspondent of the US daily, cared for reporting every detail of the extensive debate aroused on the series.
The writer started his story: “Forget about the war in Afghanistan and the bloodletting between Israelis and Palestinians. … legions of Arab women are angry, fuming in fact, because of a middle-aged man named Hag Mitwalli.”
Then he quoted one of the Egyptian women's advocates as saying: "I wonder how they can make such a show. They make polygamy look very nice, very romantic, very rich like a dream. It is the worst show I have ever seen in my life. It is the worst show Egyptian television has ever made. They destroy all life values." But, the writer commented, “here's the rub: She hasn't missed an episode yet.”
He also portrayed the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, as “a time for fasting, praying and being with family. But because families gather at dusk to break their daytime fast and stay up through the night celebrating, it also is a time for television. It's like every night is Thanksgiving; after a big holiday meal, the family flops down in front of the set. So television stations treat it like sweeps month, filling their lineups with popular movies and special shows.”
The writer tackled the main subject of the series, polygamy, which is a controversial issue in the Arab world. He said, “The issue of multiple marriages is the focus of intense debate in the Islamic world. Those who promote it find justification in the Koran, the Muslim holy book, which says it is permissible to have up to four wives. But those opposed also point to the Koran, saying it approves of taking more than one wife only if a man can treat each equitably, a standard that the holy book notes is unlikely to be achieved.”
Pointing to the question aroused by many about the reason behind screening such series, the writing said: “Polygamy is also an issue seen as central to Muslim women's struggle for rights and equal treatment under the law. Given that Egyptian television is controlled by the government, which routinely censors what viewers can see and hear, activists are asking what message the authorities are sending by producing such a show.”
Again, the writer reminded of the paradox: “Despite the hue and cry, there is still the matter of ratings. Everyone, it seems, is watching it.”
Finally, the writer concluded his story by describing one of the episode scenes: “Mitwalli was either lounging in his pajamas with his wives seated around him, or flirting with his soon-to-be fourth wife, or dreaming of her. "Why do you need to marry again, you are going to be a grandfather," one of his three wives said. Mitwalli smiled and replied, "You stay young forever." – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
