Ramadan television can tackle some taboo topics

Rym Ghazael wonders why we wait until Ramadan to debate important social issues

A new UAE produced Ramadan religious show that took place in Chechenya. Courtesy of Tabah Foundation.

A woman is abusing her maid by hitting her, cursing at her and bullying her to the point of tears.

A mother is hitting her child, roughing up the little boy with a shake and finally a few more spanks, causing him to cry even louder before dragging him off.

A couple is arguing, the man raises his voice before slapping the woman, and then pulls her out of the mall. What would you do? Just give them an evil look? Would you call the police? Would you go over and try to guide them away from their abusive behavoir?

These are some of the scenarios presented and addressed in Ramadan television shows. This year, some shows also tackle religious issues and misconceptions given the rise of extremism. For example, one show on MBC called Madarek explores social issues from an Islamic perspective. In one episode, the show explored whether a husband has any right to his wife’s salary.

On the show, one woman stated her case that her husband wasn’t paying for important things around the house, and after she had “waited and waited”, she had finally decided to just get them herself using all of her salary. Since then, she continues to work to pay things for the house and the kids.

“He says he is pressured, he has many debts and I should help out, and so I do, but whatever is left from my salary he takes as well, so I feel so drained and tired,” she said.

The response, according to Islamic teachings, was her husband has no right to her money, unless she willingly and with full consent gave it to him.

Reactions to this sensitive topic on social media included comments by women who said that men today are more selfish and don’t take up the role of real men of the past, where a husband would take up responsibility of taking care of the expenses while the wife took care of the children and house.

“If a wife does nothing, then OK, the husband has a right to feel cheated, but if she does fulfil her traditional role of caretaker of his home and children, then he should fulfil his,” said one viewer on social media.

I’m not sure why we wait until Ramadan to bring up important social issues, but somehow it provides an outlet where everyone and anyone feels it is OK to discuss issues openly and tackle debates they may have kept quiet about rest of the year.

Perhaps it has something to do with the spiritual purpose of Ramadan, where besides fasting of the body and the soul, and giving charity and spending time in worship and prayers, it is time to say goodbye to bad habits and thoughts.

The first Ramadan took place during summer and hence takes its name from the word “Ramida”, denoting intense heat. It is also called Ramadan because it burns away the sins of believers. So it is a chance to start afresh and new, but it takes a lot inner determination for real change to happen. One can start small, using the example of a good friend of mine, who between her favourite TV shows, during the commercials, reads books on Islamic history and stories of the companions of the Prophet. In just one evening, she finished a whole book as there were so many commercials.

From gaining knowledge to entertainment to prayers and family time, Ramadan is truly a special time. We must do our best not to allow it to become yet another commercially driven occasion.

It is a rare time to do more than watch issues raised on television, but be part of actively fixing them.

On Twitter: @Arabianmau