ABU DHABI // Marina al Yakhoot is usually filled with the chatter of its patrons, but during Ramadan nights silence falls and all eyes are glued to the cafe's television playing popular soap operas. Hesham al Zouby, the manager of the cafe, near the Marina Mall, tries to worship as much as he can during Ramadan. But once he goes to the cafe after Taraweeh, the prayers after Isha, all people want to do is watch TV or play cards.
"The only time we put on something religious is when we wait for the athan [call for prayer]," he said. "Other than that, people want entertainment the whole time." Ramadan has been considered as the high season for soap operas and TV shows for the past 20 years, a fact that remains a moot point for some members of the Muslim community. Dr Khaled Abdelalim, an Islamic preacher who has a show on Ajman TV, argued that Ramadan should be the high season for worship because it is a time when the rewards are unlimited compared with the rest of the year.
"During Ramadan the doors of heaven are open and the doors of hell are closed," he said. "So not a single breath should be wasted with anything that does not please Allah." He said people do need to release their stress with some "fun" but suggested they focus on positive, "halal" fun. "For example, one could play sports, go out and enjoy nature, visit relatives," he said. "These activities are fun and are encouraged in Islam, which makes them a form of worship as well."
Watching soap operas during Ramadan not only wastes time, but no true joy can come from doing so as real happiness comes from doing what pleases God and helping others, he said. "Even those who watch comedy shows are not truly happy, they are just laughing hysterically," he said. "The problem is that people lost the value of fasting and turned the holy month from a month of hard work and feeding the poor into a month of laziness and overeating."
According to Ammar al Kateeb, an independent soap opera production manager, the situation was unlikely to change because Ramadan has become the most important time of the year for soap opera production. "The owner of the company, or the producer, is a businessman at the end of the day," he said, "and his highest profit is in Ramadan because the channels pay the highest rate during that period." However, there are certain guidelines that some producers try to keep to for their Ramadan productions.
"There should be a level of decency and respect to traditions so no one is offended," he added. Although Nabeel al Hilwani, a Syrian actor, is acting in three soap operas this Ramadan, he opposes the trend of launching all the new shows during the holy month. Al Hilwani does not watch any television during this time, instead he spends his day fasting, reading the Quran and praying at the mosque.
"I don't see why Ramadan was chosen as a season for new releases," he said. "But we need to earn our living, so we conform anyway." Aya Drubi, a 23-year-old consultant from Syria, defended those who watch soap operas. They give her a chance to gather with her family at the end of the day and enjoy some "quality time" with them. "Our main focus in Ramadan is doing more prayers and reading Quran, but after Taraweeh, there are a number of shows that are decent and address important social issues that are nice to watch," she said.
"The problem is some people get addicted to the TV in Ramadan. For example, my aunt has a notebook with the schedule of all the soap operas' timings and channels. This is a problem, because in that case the whole day is wasted." @Email:hdajani@thenational.ae