A brief scene in the long-running British soap Eastenders became a trending topic on Twitter after actor Himesh Patel, who plays Tamwar on the show, highlighted the true meaning of Islam during Monday night’s episode.
Patel's Muslim character explained to his onscreen girlfriend Nancy (played by Maddy Hill) what one passage in the Holy Quran translates into after she asked him what it meant.
“Do good to relatives, orphans, the needy, the neighbour who is near of kin, the neighbour who’s a stranger, to the companion at your side, and to the traveller,” it read.
Tamwar said: “That to me is what Islam is about. Be kind to people, family and strangers alike, and love them.”
Although the scene was filmed months ago, it screened in perfect timing amid the hostility Muslims and Arabs in France and the West are having to deal with following Friday night's Paris attacks - which terrorist group ISIS took responsibility for.
Fans of the show were touched by the moment and took to Twitter to praise Eastenders for the storyline.
Maddy and the BBC - the channel that airs the soap - stressed that the timeliness of the episode was unintentional and "part of an on-going storyline."
Here are some of the tweets praising Tamwar and Nancy's scene.
Quite a lovely moment in #EastEnders as Tamwar explains to Nancy that Islam is about being kind to people. The timing is perfect.
— Alexander Call (@AlexJCall) November 16, 2015This Nancy and Tamwar scene feels beautifully appropriate given some of the things that have been said over the past few days #EastEnders
— Ryan Love (@RyanJL) November 16, 2015#EastEnders verse from Qur'an bravo @BBC1 I am truly overwhelmed perfect timing in these sad and difficult times
— sid siddiqui (@goggleboxsid) November 16, 2015What a beautiful poignant and timely scene that was from Tamwar quoting from the Quran. True meaning of Islam. Well done @BBCOne #EastEnders
— Uncle Kev (@CountyTeaBoy) November 16, 2015
