Ramadan TV's Real Drama: outrage at alcohol, iPhones and hugs

Published August 3rd, 2012 - 04:54 GMT

'Tis Ramadan, the season to be subdued, calm, spiritual and ruminative, right? So what's all this we're hearing about cursing, feuding impure thoughts and soap operas depicting debuachery (at least in Islamic terms)? An Arabic Sex and the City, you say? Say it ain't so!

Find out what the Arab world is abuzz with this Ramadan TV season, as complaints, gossip and controversy circulate. We look to the the TV soap productions of the holy month to see what's got everyone talking, and generally indignant and offended this season.

We bring you a Ramadan soap round up of reviews: to include all viewer commentary. We have 'anachronisms' from iPhones showing up in historical dramas to modern cars that weren't yet-created. Iraq-Kuwait viewer-wars are triggered in response to the 'Iraq invasion' series. Complaints abound of a racy, sexy, obscene Ramadan in film, with wine flowing on the tables, and tongues running loose. Overall, the vibe we're getting is that Arabs disapprove the TV choices or 'taste' for the holy month. Check out the word on the TV street.

Have your say: were you shocked, offended or even amused by the Ramadan TV-choices this season?Do you think people are over-reacting?

View as a slider

View as a list

Racist comments arisen from Saher El-Leil: Watan Nahar, Iraq-Kuwait TV drama

Saher El-Leil: Watan Nahar: The Iraqi–Kuwait soap opera, Night Owl: Held Hostage to Day (or Day Invasion), is a dramatization of Saddam's invasion of Kuwait. Re-hashing the political conflict among viewers, it's opened the floodgates to racist & bitter jibes, at, cursing of, Kuwaitis, Iraqis, Saudis & Palestinians. A can of worms best left shut.

comedy anachronistic moments in Iraqi-Kuwaiti TV drama

I spy an iPhone! Saher El-Leil: Watan Nahar's comedy anachronisms: A flawed finish riddled with inconsistencies in 90s memory lane include an iPhone and car models not yet created. A tiny (Arabic style) cup of coffee lasts forever as an actor sips through a whole scene, still to drain this magical cup! Plasma screens pop up before their time.

Omar - Ramadan TV drama is an adaptation of the Prophet's time, so no cars

Prophets and fast cars! "Omar Ibn Khattab's" very airing has been cause for complaint amongst many who are not convinced that it's fine to enact and personify the Prophet's inner circles. Three of the Prophet's companions, namely Caliphs, star here. The show's legitimacy aside, a technical crack sees a car creep into the background of a scene.

Bedroom scenes in Ramadan soaps are taboo for holy month

Adultery, Israel, bikinis! It doesn't get much more controversial at Ramadan: Adel Emam courts controversy again in Ferqet Naji Ata Allah‪,‬ (Naji Ata Allah's Gang). The bank robbery drama features a 'bed' scene with an Israeli wife cheating on husband: x-rated for the holy month. Son Mohamad Emam cavorts with a tourist in a skimpy bikini.

The 4th Wife fake airport scene is shot in a mall

"The 4th wife": Polygamy doesn't raise eye-brows at Ramadan, but duping viewers with settings does. The director thought he could pull the wool over the audience's eyes when he shot an airport scene in a famous Egyptian mall, but the attentive shopping savvy audience were having none of it.

Ola Ghanim flashes her face a little too much in Ibn Moot this Ramadan drama

Ibn Moot (Son of Death). The Egyptian actress Ola Ghanim adds insult to Ramadan injuries chronicled in this gallery when she prays at the mosque without removing her makeup. Traditionally Islamic prayer should be practiced make-up free. Visits to the Mosque are no place for fashion statements. Ramadan is a month to slow down and tone down.

Ramadan drama inconsistencies critical TV commentary from Khawajah El Gader

"Khawajah Abed El-Gader" (The Gentleman Abdul Kader): a linguistic inconsistency insulted viewer intelligence, not dulled by long hours of fasting it seemed! One man spoke classical Arabic instead of English while in England. Those shrewd viewers couldn't help but notice he spoke regular Egyptian Arabic once in Egypt.

Hanan Al Turk plays a Christian nun in Sister Teresa Ramadan TV 2012

Sister Teresa: Salafis were not happy that actress Hanan Al Turk was playing a Christian role, at Ramadan of all months. As for the Christian community, their complaint was that a religious figure was cursing. Muslims were further rattled by Hanan's admission of being moved by the experience of playing a nun, feeling a connection with her role.

Sharabat Drinks- had wine flowing: Ramadan TV subject to criticism

Hakayat Banat (Stories of Girls) and Sharabat Lawz (Sweet Drinks) were both the subject of censure & condemnation this Ramadan. The former was classed as the Arabic Sex and the City by some for its adult content and focus on casual relationships. Sweet Drinks was not short of drinking, dancing and decadence of its own. Too much for a holy month.

Hug scene is criticised in Red Lines, Ramadan TV 2012

Red Lines: This Ramadan TV special certainly crossed red lines for the religious faithful who objected to scenes that contained a hug too many and too intimate for the holy month of abstinence.

Saher El-Leil: Watan Nahar: The Iraqi–Kuwait soap opera, Night Owl: Held Hostage to Day (or Day Invasion), is a dramatization of Saddam's invasion of Kuwait. Re-hashing the political conflict among viewers, it's opened the floodgates to racist & bitter jibes, at, cursing of, Kuwaitis, Iraqis, Saudis & Palestinians. A can of worms best left shut.

I spy an iPhone! Saher El-Leil: Watan Nahar's comedy anachronisms: A flawed finish riddled with inconsistencies in 90s memory lane include an iPhone and car models not yet created. A tiny (Arabic style) cup of coffee lasts forever as an actor sips through a whole scene, still to drain this magical cup! Plasma screens pop up before their time.

Prophets and fast cars! "Omar Ibn Khattab's" very airing has been cause for complaint amongst many who are not convinced that it's fine to enact and personify the Prophet's inner circles. Three of the Prophet's companions, namely Caliphs, star here. The show's legitimacy aside, a technical crack sees a car creep into the background of a scene.

Adultery, Israel, bikinis! It doesn't get much more controversial at Ramadan: Adel Emam courts controversy again in Ferqet Naji Ata Allah‪,‬ (Naji Ata Allah's Gang). The bank robbery drama features a 'bed' scene with an Israeli wife cheating on husband: x-rated for the holy month. Son Mohamad Emam cavorts with a tourist in a skimpy bikini.

"The 4th wife": Polygamy doesn't raise eye-brows at Ramadan, but duping viewers with settings does. The director thought he could pull the wool over the audience's eyes when he shot an airport scene in a famous Egyptian mall, but the attentive shopping savvy audience were having none of it.

Ibn Moot (Son of Death). The Egyptian actress Ola Ghanim adds insult to Ramadan injuries chronicled in this gallery when she prays at the mosque without removing her makeup. Traditionally Islamic prayer should be practiced make-up free. Visits to the Mosque are no place for fashion statements. Ramadan is a month to slow down and tone down.

"Khawajah Abed El-Gader" (The Gentleman Abdul Kader): a linguistic inconsistency insulted viewer intelligence, not dulled by long hours of fasting it seemed! One man spoke classical Arabic instead of English while in England. Those shrewd viewers couldn't help but notice he spoke regular Egyptian Arabic once in Egypt.

Sister Teresa: Salafis were not happy that actress Hanan Al Turk was playing a Christian role, at Ramadan of all months. As for the Christian community, their complaint was that a religious figure was cursing. Muslims were further rattled by Hanan's admission of being moved by the experience of playing a nun, feeling a connection with her role.

Hakayat Banat (Stories of Girls) and Sharabat Lawz (Sweet Drinks) were both the subject of censure & condemnation this Ramadan. The former was classed as the Arabic Sex and the City by some for its adult content and focus on casual relationships. Sweet Drinks was not short of drinking, dancing and decadence of its own. Too much for a holy month.

Red Lines: This Ramadan TV special certainly crossed red lines for the religious faithful who objected to scenes that contained a hug too many and too intimate for the holy month of abstinence.

Ramadan TV's Real Drama: outrage at alcohol, iPhones and hugs

"The 4th wife": Polygamy doesn't raise eye-brows at Ramadan, but duping viewers with settings does. The director thought he could pull the wool over the audience's eyes when he shot an airport scene in a famous Egyptian mall, but the attentive shopping savvy audience were having none of it.

Red Lines: This Ramadan TV special certainly crossed red lines for the religious faithful who objected to scenes that contained a hug too many and too intimate for the holy month of abstinence.

You may also like

Subscribe

Biden calls Uganda anti-gay law ‘tragic violation’ of human rights

Report: Guardiola invites Neymar to join Man City

Saudi kidnapped in Lebanon

China urges Japan to suspend chip trade ban

Arsenal, AC Milan & PSG to compete for Marco Asensio