Islam Channel-Muharram Misconceptions

This is a petition to express our outrage in regards to the total lack of respect and sympathy the ISLAM channel has shown for the holy month of Muharram and the events that took place during this month. It seems that the greatest Islamic sacrifice against oppression, tyranny and falsehood has been grossly overlooked and totally undermined especially as a result of a certain biased program aired by the ISLAM Channel.

The fact that the channel calls itself the 'ISLAM' channel would lead one to assume that its contents would reflect the views and beliefs of a diverse ummah without any prejudice. Islam Channel has used its name and its standing as a world wide broadcasting channel to disseminate the ideas and creeds of a particular ideology within Islam but packaging it as the only view within Islam, in particularly the views of the majority Ahl Sunnah wal Jammah.

The Islam channel claims to be a television channel which represents the Islamic perspective. It also states that it provides a true and quality media alternative for Muslims. The two scholars that were invited on to the program the virtues of the month of Muharram did not represent the teachings of the Ahl Sunnah nor did they represent the teachings of the Ahl Tashayu and thus the points aired were certainly not of an Islamic nature. Therefore one ponders as to which ideology the show and indeed the channel as a whole represents. It was a completely biased program with an agenda to make people forget about the great sacrifices in Karbala that has kept Islam alive and its teachings pure.

Commemorating the sacrifices bore by Imam Husayn (ra) is neither a novel custom nor strange to the teachings of the blessed Prophet (PBUH). The scholars of the show completely misunderstood the point when they stated that crying and remembering the event amounted to a form of repenting for not assisting Imam Husayn (ra) and outrageously stated that getting married on Ashura was an allowable act to perform. Scholars of the Ahl Sunnah wal Jammah like Muhadith Shah Abdul Aziz Dehlavi and Allama Ibn Hajar Asqalani to name only a few have given precise details of the origins and highly regarded customs for mourning Imam Husayn (ra), if only the so called Islam channel scholars had picked up their books instead of following their own innuendos.

The bare fact that the channel has the privilege of being called the 'ISLAM' channel is because of the great Sacrifice that Imam Husayn (ra) gave to keep the name of Islam alive. The veils that the channels female hosts and guests have the comfort of wearing are as a result of the hardships faced by the female descendants of our Holy Prophet (PBUH) and their perseverance and foresight after the tragedy that took place in Karbala.

It is a real shame that people who call themselves Muslims in our present age and time, who profess to follow the Holy Prophet (PBUH) of Islam the grand father of Imam Husayn (ra) and recite the Shahada every day, tirelessly oppose commemoration for Imam Husayn (ra), while Non - Muslims regardless of faith, like, love, adore and even venerate Husayn (ra). Quoted are couple of famous sayings from non Muslims regarding the beloved Imam Husayn (ra).

Charles Dickens - (1812-1870) English novelist of the Victorian period:
If Hussain fought to quench his worldly desires, then I do not understand why his sisters, wives and children accompanied him. It stands to reason therefore that he sacrificed purely for Islam.

Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) Famous British historian:
The best lesson which we get from the tragedy of Karbala is that Hussain and his companions were the rigid believers of God. They illustrated that numerical superiority does not count when it comes to truth and falsehood. The victory of Hussain despite his minority marvels me!

We therefore present this petition to put forward our views and to make the Muslim nation aware of the wrong and shameful stances taken by the ISLAM Channel. We urge both our Muslim brothers and sisters to realise the detrimental effect this could have on our Ummah and act by signing this petition to ensure that the true teachings of our Holy Prophet (PBUH) remain pure and are correctly followed.