New television series are produced every year in Arab countries for the month of Ramadan. And every year, some of them provoke outrage – on a religious and political level, but also among the public.
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The excitement has become something of a holiday tradition. The Islamic fasting period lasts for a month, and during that time there is at least one heated controversy about one of the popular Ramadan TV series every year. In the recent past, ambassadors have been summoned because of this, clergymen have preached about it and activists have protested. This year's Ramadan is no exception.
The Tunisian Minister of Education has already demanded that the Tunisian production “Fallujah” be withdrawn from the programme. It shows the dark side of school, including drug dealing and students beating a teacher. Two lawyers are trying to get an injunction against the show.
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The historical drama “Muawiya” was banned in Iraq. Muawiyah was one of the early caliphs and an important ruler in Islamic history. The TV series shows the inner-Islamic war that led to the split between Sunnis and Shiites. The same happened to the Iraqi production “Al Kasser”. In this case, members of the government got the job done because the historical series portrayed the leaders of the southern Iraqi tribes as primitive tyrants obsessed with sex and power.
It's no surprise. The scandals are now just as much a part of Ramadan as the popular soap operas.
Ramadan: celebrations and television
Devout Muslims are not allowed to eat or drink during the day during Ramadan. After sunset, however, restaurants open and families gather to break the fast. This turns the usual daily routine upside down. People stay up late and one of the most popular activities after dinner is watching the latest episode of the latest TV series together. The broadcasting of the episodes often begins and ends with the month of fasting, and there is a new episode every evening – but at the latest every second or third day.
“Ramadan is not only a time of fasting and reflection, it is also the culmination of television viewing and changes in leisure behavior,” said Joe Khalil, a media scholar at Northwestern University in Qatar. A survey commissioned by Netflix in 2018 found that television consumption in the region increases by 80 percent during Ramadan and that prime time shifts to between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. Other research shows that advertising in satellite channels' Ramadan soap operas costs three times the usual price.
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That's why there are Ramadan TV series for every taste – war drama and adventure stories, agents and tongue-in-cheek crooks, star chefs, game shows and comedy.
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Scandals: predictable and unsurprising
Experts have a clear idea of why there are regularly predictable scandals surrounding these series. Ramadan is a religious event and for many believers it doesn't fit controversial social issues. There are also a lot more people watching than usual.
Above all, however, it is due to the growing competition between producers. As a number of Arabic satellite channels have sprung up since the early 2000s, they are now under increased pressure to bring the series they produce to the forefront of Ramadan audiences.
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“If we look at the viewer comments, the most common criticism is: 'This is repeating itself' or 'We already know that,'” says Ahmad Hayat, a journalism professor at the University of Tennessee, USA, who researches Kuwait's Ramadan series has. “If you don't have the bite, if you don't have the best stories or that crucial detail that differentiates you from the other channels – then you don't come out on top. Then you don't survive.”
Ramadan- Series also send political signals
Trying to offer something for everyone increases the risk that individuals will feel offended. This also applies to the subtle – and sometimes not subtle – political messages. Most production companies and satellite channels in the Middle East have some connection to politicians, as well as government censorship and support. They try to behave accordingly. This is no different than films from Hollywood or China, which often reflect patriotic ideals and portray foreign adversaries as particularly evil. Arabic productions must balance what their respective governments and audiences allow.
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A new series by the Saudi company MBC shows the colonial legacy of the Ottoman Empire in the Middle East. The Turkish characters in “Safar Barlik” don't come off well. The entertainment series could soon have very real diplomatic implications, warns Kareem Shaheen, a former Middle East correspondent for US New Lines Magazine.
All publicity is good publicity
Industry observers suspect that the growing competitive pressure means that the scandal is already planned in some advertising campaigns. Because Ramadan series are so prominent, many production companies have background checks on everyone involved beforehand. This includes their political preferences, what clothes they wear to social events, and what they post on social media. So the producers already know which actors or directors might cause controversy.
“Producers are adept at dealing with scandals or exploiting them,” explains media expert Joe Khalil. “The most important thing is to captivate the audience in the first few episodes. If they can do that, viewers will likely stick around until the end of the month.”
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Muslims around the world celebrate the festival of breaking the fast
Preparations for the festival
The Islamic month of fasting, Ramadan, ends with Eid al-Fitr, the three-day festival of breaking the fast. This year, the festival begins on May 1st or May 2nd, depending on when the new crescent moon appears in the tenth month of the Islamic calendar (Shawwal). Depending on the region, this may differ in time.
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Celebrate worldwide Muslims the festival of breaking the fast
Colorful Departure
In Bangladesh, millions of city dwellers are leaving the city to celebrate Eid al-Fitr with their families in the cities and villages – the most important festival in Islam alongside the Festival of Sacrifice. Here travelers from Dhaka stretch out on the roof of a crowded ferry leaving the Bangladesh capital.
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Muslims around the world celebrate the festival of breaking the fast
Excerpt from Jakarta
In Indonesia, too, people are waiting for trains that will take them out of the capital, Jakarta. Eid al-Fitr is a time when families get together, visit each other, eat and drink together and give gifts to the children. Most Muslims in the world live in Indonesia.
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Muslims celebrate all over the world the festival of breaking the fast
Holiday rush to the island of Sulawesi
In Indonesia, Eid al-Fitr is the busiest holiday of all. About 85 million Indonesians are expected to make their way to the country this year – on ferries and in trains and planes. With COVID-19 cases falling and most travel restrictions lifted, authorities have allowed the week-long festivities again this year.
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Muslims around the world celebrate the festival of breaking the fast
Upswing for the local economy
Eid al-Fitr is also an opportunity to present yourself. Many believers buy and wear new clothing or jewelry during the festivities. Many local shops are especially prepared for the time around the festival – such as here at a market in Kolkata in eastern India. Retailers are counting on these sales.
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Muslims are celebrating all over the world the festival of breaking the fast
Celebrations in the shadow of the conflict
In Idlib, in north-western Syria, market vendors are also preparing for a brisk Eid al-Fitr business. For example, they sell dried fruit, spices and sweets. During the festival, families and friends usually exchange gifts. After years of conflict and displacement, many families in Syria are struggling to keep up traditional festivals.
Muslims around the world celebrate the Festival of Breaking the Fast
Delicious Delicacies in Jordan
After a month of daily fasting of From dawn to dusk, it is little wonder that the festival of breaking the fast revolves around food. Here in the Jordanian capital of Amman, a vendor prepares kunafa, a typical local syrupy dessert made from cheese and topped with fruit, nuts, chocolate and cream.
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Muslims around the world celebrate the festival of breaking the fast
Sweets in Gaza
Pastries filled with dates, mixed nuts, or a mixture of honey and sesame seeds are another delicacy served to break the fast in the Middle East. Many families get together to bake the cookies, called kakh, before the festivities, as here in Gaza.
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Muslims around the world celebrate the festival of breaking the fast
Caring for the Poor
< p>One of the key elements of the Sugar Festival is the concept of Zakat al-Fitr. Wealthy Muslims donate money or food to the needy so that they too can take part in the festivities. Here, a seller in Indonesia prepares money: Indonesians commonly exchange amounts of money in small denomination packets, which they then give away to their families.
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Muslims around the world celebrate the festival of breaking the fast
Two different Eid festivals?
Besides Eid al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan, there is another Islamic festival that begins with “Eid”. The other, Eid al-Adha, which means “Feast of Sacrifice,” takes place about two months later and coincides with the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. Qatayef, a pancake filled with cream and nuts, is one of the specialties of Eid al-Fitr.
Thanks to the internet and social media, ordinary viewers also have a lot of power. In 2021, the Egyptian pharaoh drama “El Malek” (“The King”) was canceled because the audience was complained that the main actor's costumes and beard were not historically accurate. In 2022, feminists and women's rights activists attacked the series “Baraa” (“Innocence”) for its portrayal of polygamy, which is banned in Tunisia.
So will there be more controversy surrounding the Ramadan TV series in the future? Hard to say, says Joe Khalil. “But they're changing. We now have the socio-cultural aspects, the political perspectives, and the scandals that were created for marketing purposes.”
This article was adapted from English.