It has all the ingredients of daytime television: problems with relationships, mental health and raising children. But it is slightly different. For one thing, nearly all the women wear headscarves.
This is Islam Channel, the halal version of Good Morning Britain or This Morning. There are no glamorous presenters. But if you are an orthodox Muslim you can watch without the risk of something “haram”, or forbidden, popping up on screen. And there is no chance of forgetting that it is time to pray, as the “adhan”, or call to prayer, appears on screen five times a day.
.... On the women’s morning show, one of the guests brings up the subject of counselling. She says women must find an “appropriate” therapist who understands their culture. What if, as she experienced, your husband is thinking of taking a second wife? A non-Muslim counsellor will “dismiss” this as bigamy, she cautions. What would a Muslim counsellor suggest?
.... The scholar responds by saying that music is forbidden, as is anything that is “wasteful of your precious time”. He quotes a Koranic passage in which Allah condemns those who engage in a musical environment. There are better ways for a 12-year-old to spend her precious time, he adds, before insisting: “But in Islam we are allowed to have fun and entertainment.”
Another caller wants to know why two animals are sacrificed when a male child is born but only one for a baby girl. “We do not ask why Allah commanded it, we just obey.” So much for questions. [The Times (£)] Read more
