Religion, as presented on TV back then, was something to be respected and honoured on the media
I recall care being taken even about the kind of advertisements that were run between religious shows, if they were any at all
But then the Aalim Online era begun
Make no mistake; as an objective bystander I appreciate the fact that Aalim Online was the first show that brought Islamic scholars of different schools of thought on the same podium, and acted as an interfaith forum of sorts
Many similar shows followed, providing useful information
https://www
youtube
com/watch?v=LjBxiuHQRqY But then something dangerous happened
These shows started bringing in ratings
And advertisements
And money
Ramazan, followed by Eid is of course heyday for marketeers and consumerists
Therefore, religious shows were morphed into Ramazan religious shows – all in one type – with the azaan, religious scholars and verses of the Holy Quran in one hour and full throttle live entertainment show the next
Every one followed this trend
Money kept rolling in
Ramazan’s spirit of giving was abused into marketing gimmickry
Thousands of motorbikes are given away to people who are willing to sacrifice their self-respect and let their humiliation be broadcasted for it
Karachi’s legendary killer motorbiker boys keep increasing on the streets of a city where 23 million or more reside, but there is no dependable public transport system
Sadly enough, these shows are a reflection of what is going on in our society
These Ramazan shows are a slice of Pakistan today
A bit of religion followed by a bit of gossip and a bit of extravagance and a bit of unethical humiliation of someone who cannot stop us from doing so and a bit of retail therapy – all in a single breath
It may be very easy for the affluent upper tier Pakistanis to judge the people coming on these shows for that motorbike and say, “In kee koi izzat e nafs nahin?” (Don’t they have any self-respect?) But the reality is that in a society with such drastic socio-economic disparity, we often cannot relate to what winning a motorbike or a mobile-phone means to the masses
They struggle every day and pretend to be carrying on a comfortable life, but in reality are exhausted by financial crunches
Here we are, witnessing the beautiful spirit of this month being hijacked by money making machines
These shows, for instance, Pak Ramzan Amir Liaquat Show and Jeeto Pakistan with Fahad Mustafa, in the long run, will have disastrous and sustained effects on our social fabric
Some are beginning to show already
Thanks to the fact that gifts are given even if the person does not know the answer to “which are Pakistan’s neighbouring countries?” the bar for intelligent general knowledge quizzes is not just being lowered but has been smashed
Levels are also being lowered with regards to collective entertainment
Publicly ridiculing others is considered funny, or people pretend that it is funny because the host is often being praised collectively, so that s/he is happy with the audience and gives away a gift
https://www
youtube
com/watch?v=Jvpnkkvg2X4 https://www
youtube
com/watch?v=bF6bvwsC-5I There is certain decorum – call it adab, if you may – that is required for religious and spiritual messages to permeate a heart
When that is absent, the soul does not absorb the beautiful messages Ramazan is transmitting to it
When a large part of our post-iftar eve is spent watching these shows even though we criticise them, something inside us dies
What’s worse is that the few genuinely informative and interesting religious shows that are on television in Ramazan, such as Baran e Rehmat with Hamza Ali Abbasi, also lose their credibility due to the blanket assumption of viewers that all Ramazan special shows are just the same sub-standard offering
The genuine scholars are respected less due to those who have not yet embodied the beautiful spirit of Ramazan, and in fact of Islam
Thus, some genuinely good shows no longer get the recognition they deserve
https://www
youtube
com/watch?v=cTH1MeMnHc8 https://www
youtube
com/watch?v=Yr4hWLlOqCk Do the hosts and producers of these shows realise what a powerful medium they have in their hands, and how productively this could be used to propagate the real ideals of Ramazan like charity, hospitality, simplicity, love and compassion? Maybe it’s time to make it a regular dua in Ramazan that may Allah (SWT) guide those who have been given this power to use it responsibly
Date: | 16-Jun-2016 | Reference: | View Original Link |
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