Make Me A Muslim (channel 4 part 1)
Monday 17th December 2007 01:08:05 PMHaven't posted in a while and thought it'd be a good idea to make a comeback for this one. Make Me A Muslim aired yesterday on Channel 4 and what a laugh that was, we were in hysterics from start to finish because it doesn't represent us modern day muslims at all. It had more of a comedic value if you ask me ... oh on so many levels!
For those of you who may not know what the program was about Channel 4 has a good summary.
Can Islam help repair the moral fabric of British society? To test it out, Imam Ajmal Masroor asks six non-Muslims and one lapsed Muslim to follow Islamic teachings for three weeks. The six come from Harrogate, in Yorkshire, a town with very few ethnic minority inhabitants.
Here's a picture of the three men and one muslim women who have the task of giving some insight of the muslim world to six weird and wacky individuals. And from what I saw they didn't do terribly well. Infact, they sucked big time. These guys were far too "old skool" in my opinion, what the producers should have done is have modern muslims explaining the concept of islam and how it can apply in their everyday lives but no they didn't want to do that ...
A little background on the non-muslims who decided to take part in the programme.
LUKE
A gay boy who leads a party lifestyle and enjoys dressing up fashionably ... erm, gay. Also likes designer sunglasses, pink tops, panties, and frocks. I like the fact that out of all the other non-muslims on the show he's the most open minded and respectful to others beliefs and opinions.
Comedy moment when one of the imams, Suleiman, is explaining to Luke why he thinks being gay is a choice and not a built-in function.
Luke: Why can't islam accept who I am?
Suleiman: Look Luke, God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve!
Roflmao.
PHIL
A live-alone beer-drinking porn-watching bacon-munching taxi-driver who is also partial to a slice of the "gentlemens club" every so often.
"I get up in the mornings, I know God loves me, I don't understand why you have to pray fives times a day to show you love God, I don't get it"
You could say Phil is the most rebellious of the group but he does say towards the end of the show that he's willing to give islam one more attempt.
ASH & KARLA
Ash is referred to as a "lapsed muslim" in the show and is dating a non-muslim called Karla who is looking for acceptance from Ash's side of the family. She tries to get to grips with islam but it could be said that her reasoning for participating is flawed.
KERRY
A mother of two glamour-model who has recently dished out £4k on breast enlargement. The muslim women in the group plans a trip to Bradford with Kerry to find her some suitable clothes, however Kerry is having none of it. Afterall she is paid to take her clothes off.
There's also one more person in the group but I can't remember her story (or maybe they didn't show much of her). I really do hope Channel 4 viewers don't take the program seriously because if they do they'll surely have some warped views of muslims. Which can never be good for anyone.
Hopping 'round the blogosphere I noticed some very well written reviews about the show, one paragraph that struck out was by Unique and there's no way I could have said it better myself.
I believe the main imam, a British Muslim, had a vision for this program, to let the British public know that their materialistic life of sex, nudity, alcohol, binge-drinking and nightclubs is slowly rotting their society away from any morals and real meaning. He wants non-Muslims to look past the materialistic life and find a peaceful, spiritual life that has nothing to do with the immoral scenes we see in the streets of the West. He believes Islam is the answer, the cure, for such societal diseases.
Part 2 (of 3) is coming on tonight at 8pm, I'll be watching - just for the laugh.
- Make Me A Muslim (channel 4 part 1)
- Video: Make Me A Muslim
Thanks toseef! :) It's coming on tonight or next sunday? I'll be watching for the laugh too and hopefully to clarify any confusions on my blog.
Yeah it's coming on tonight and the finale is on tomorrow at the same time. I'm glad they've decided to finish it in 3 days cos I'd lose interest if it was 3 weeks!
I came across that show whilst channel hopping last night. I didn't like the way it was shot, they made out like the non-muslims were contestents on a gameshow or something.
It was funny though, I'm just remembering the clothes they made Luke buy :)
You know I didn't even wanna watch this, but was horrified as I did as to what these poor people are expected to think of Islam.
But yep, the comedy value of it all was a light relief.
I'm glad you posted this, as we don't have it in the U.S.and yes the comedic value was worthwhile; I agree it is not a good representation.
Think Carla's affinity for displaying her large chest in skinny baby tanks--in public--might have anything to do with "Ash" not wanting to introduce her to the parents???