Recently, TV series have begun portraying Muslims in negative stereotypical ways that have nothing to do with truth or reality. This article will highlight the main aspects these shows focus on regarding the character of a Muslim man or woman—whom the creators label as "religious"—and to what extent these portrayals are unfair and do not represent reality:

1- The Endless Stereotyping of Muslim Women

The portrayal of Muslim women follows a predictable pattern: she is either a helpless, submissive character who obeys her parents' decisions on life-altering matters such as education and marriage without expressing any opinion or objection, or she is a domineering, oppressive woman who selectively follows the commands of Allah and the Prophet ﷺ when they align with her desires while ignoring the rest.

However, Islam grants women the right to choose in matters such as education and marriage or any other issue, as long as it does not contradict the laws of Allah.

2- The Male-Dominated Mindset Among Conservative Women

Conservative women in these series are often shown as blindly upholding male superiority simply because of gender. For example, a mother-in-law—who is supposed to represent a devout and pious woman—is depicted as unjust toward her son's wife, even when the latter is betrayed or oppressed, merely because the wrongdoer is her son. These women are portrayed as constantly excusing and defending men just because they are men. On the other hand, feminist-leaning female characters always support women, whether they are right or wrong.

Both perspectives contradict Islamic teachings, as Allah says: "Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while they are believers—We will surely cause them to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do." (An-Nahl: 97)

3- The Transformation of Conservative Women in a Manner That Violates Islamic Teachings

Young, hijab-wearing girls are often portrayed engaging in behaviors that completely contradict Islamic teachings. They are shown engaging in premarital romantic relationships, displaying disrespectful behavior toward their parents, or even being alone in a private setting with an unrelated man—actions that Islam strictly prohibits.

4- Favoring Non-Religious Characters as the Most Likeable Ones

In these series, the most admired characters—those portrayed as noble, kind, and ethical—are almost always those who have no connection to religion. These same characters engage in major sins, such as drinking alcohol, committing adultery, and ignoring Islamic dress codes. There is a clear attempt to normalize and beautify sinful behaviors by associating them with pleasant, well-mannered characters.

Meanwhile, the deceitful, cruel, or oppressive characters are often the ones depicted as religious. If a religious character is portrayed positively, they are usually a secondary figure with little to no impact on other characters or the overall storyline.

5- Normalizing Adultery While Demonizing Divorce

Some conservative female characters in these series are shown as being unbothered by their husbands committing adultery multiple times, as long as they remain married and he does not intend to divorce them. These women are depicted as considering divorce a far worse offense than adultery. This portrayal distorts reality, as Islam condemns adultery as a grave sin, while divorce is a permissible solution when needed.

6- Condemning Early Marriage for Women

These shows present the idea of conservative families encouraging marriage for their daughters under the age of twenty as an inhumane act that deprives women of education and the chance to build a respectable life. However, this generalization is misleading. Many women who married young and had children early are happy and have even pursued their education later in life. Conversely, many women who delayed marriage are unhappy or have experienced divorce. The reality varies for each individual, and the key factor in deciding marriage should be Islamic guidelines rather than societal or feminist preferences.

7- Reducing Religious Commitment to Clothing and Quoting Religious Texts

Wearing the Islamic hijab is an obligation for every Muslim woman, and quoting the Quran and hadith is essential. However, the issue in these shows is the shallow portrayal of religious characters—focusing only on their external appearance while disregarding the essence of practicing Islam in daily life.

It would be beneficial if these dramas stopped confining the image of a Muslim man to someone who merely prays and quotes religious texts, yet is portrayed as harsh, unapproachable, and feared by his children. Similarly, Muslim women are repeatedly depicted as either victims of a merciless society or as hypocritical, power-driven individuals who observe only the external aspects of religion while causing harm to those around them.

In an era dominated by social media, television, and streaming platforms, it is high time that those responsible for producing these works adopt a fairer and more realistic representation of Islam and Muslims. They should approach Islamic teachings with accuracy and integrity rather than distorting them to fit misleading narratives.

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Drama, in all its forms and languages, has invaded our Arab and Islamic world, garnering much acclaim and popularity. However, it possesses many disadvantages and negative impacts that must be highlighted so that viewers can be cautious of intellectual distortion and deviation from faith. Since the majority of the audience is women, we will focus on the most prominent negative effects on women's thinking in our era, which contradict or conflict with many aspects of our Sharia and Islamic creed.

1. Demanding Equality and Rejecting Guardianship:

This issue is entirely contrary to the fundamental relationship between spouses. Many wives challenge their husbands and demand equality in actions and reactions, rejecting his guardianship over her. They refuse to seek his permission in matters that require it, claiming that they are free and independent and can do as they please without complying with his requests merely out of obstinacy. Here lies another disaster: in recent years, drama has excessively portrayed stubbornness, especially in women, as a positive trait! It shows the woman in many marital relationships as the contrary partner, opposing her husband in any opinion just for the sake of opposition and stubbornness, not because of her wisdom or sound judgment, or even to have her opinion respected by her husband.

This leads to significant confusion among wives about the necessity of having their opinions respected by their husbands, and the preference for husbands to follow their advice when it is appropriate, versus stubbornness and clinging to opinions regardless of their correctness or soundness.

2. Depicting Jealousy Between Spouses as Negative:

Sometimes, it is portrayed to the extent that it reflects a lack of trust between the spouses. This is a significant injustice to this distinctive and noble feeling between spouses, as long as it does not exceed reasonable limits to avoid damaging the relationship or hurting feelings. The honorable companion Sa’d bin ‘Ubada (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “If I were to see a man with my wife, I would have struck him with the sword, and not with the flat part (side) of it. When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) heard of that, he said: Are you surprised at Sa'd's jealousy of his honour? By Allah, I am more jealous of my honour than he, and Allah is more jealous than I.” (Sahih Muslim) Jealousy over family and between spouses is commendable in our Islam as long as it does not reach a pathological level where one spouse constantly doubts the other, with or without cause. The principle is moderation: a lack of jealousy is undoubtedly condemned in our Islam and reflects an unhealthy soul, while excessive jealousy is harmful to both spouses. Both extremes are blameworthy.

3. Romanticizing Infidelity as Long as It Doesn't Lead to Marriage:

In many series, the idea is promoted that it is okay for a husband to cheat on his wife or even have a child with another woman as long as he does not marry that woman and leave his wife. This idea has been extensively showcased and beautified in the eyes of the viewers, affecting the thinking of many Muslim girls and changing their perspective on the severity of adultery and the crime of infidelity, and trivializing the sanctity of marriage as a solemn covenant. As a result, some women find it easier to forgive their husband's infidelity but refuse his marriage to a second wife outright! This is due to the influence of what they watch and their ignorance of creed matters and what Sharia allows or forbids, thus prioritizing emotions over Allah’s Sharia.

4. No Marriage Without a Prior Love Relationship:

The notion that a girl should have a boyfriend or relationship before marriage has become neither condemned nor unacceptable. In many cases, the father is aware of this matter and does not reject or condemn it, let alone prevent his daughter from forming an illicit relationship! On the other hand, girls have become obsessed with the idea of the necessity and importance of love before marriage, believing that marriage is unthinkable without falling in love. They do not realize that achieving such a thing contradicts the nature of the relationship between a Muslim man and woman before marriage, as they are strangers to each other even during the engagement period until the marriage contract is concluded.

Thus, most interactions and matters that ignite the flame of love between them are actually forbidden by Sharia before marriage. Therefore, there is no room for comparing matters of acquaintance, engagement, and marriage from an Islamic perspective with the stories and dramatic series that do not follow the Islamic method and Sharia in describing and portraying the reality and details of the emotional relationship between the sexes before and after marriage.

Moreover, the obsession with love does not end with relationships preceding marriage. Many series also depict the impossibility of a successful marriage unless it is built solely on love, portraying the difficulty of its continuation if love ends or runs dry after a period of marriage. This disregards all other human and moral values such as affection, mercy, kindness, gentleness, respect, and appreciation.

5. Girls’ Infatuation with Actors and Idolizing Them:

This has become an undesirable phenomenon, especially among women under twenty, who allow themselves to gaze at pictures of male actors, the heroes of series in general and romantic ones in particular, and praise their handsomeness, which contradicts the modesty and piety of a Muslim woman in dealing with non-mahram men. It also reflects a lack of adherence to the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) command to lower the gaze. They do not stop at the first or second glance but go further by creating dedicated pages and groups on social media for a particular actor, posting his pictures and details of his life and habits, and praising him in poetry and prose. This is not part of our Islam and is not permissible for a Muslim woman in her interactions with non-mahram men.

Based on what has been mentioned, a Muslim woman must be cautious while watching or being exposed to any dramatic work to avoid its negative impact on her thinking and creed. Films and series should not become the reference for her decisions, actions, and thoughts. Instead, her Islamic creed and identity should be responsible for all of this. Finally, a Muslim woman should strive to understand her religion from the correct sources and references, not from series and dramatic works that rarely aim to convey noble messages, correct ideas, and high principles to their viewers.

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The Palestinian cause and confronting the Zionist project have been used for decades by various Arab regimes to strengthen their grip on their people. Drama has played a significant role in portraying some regimes as leaders of the Ummah and defenders of Islamic and Arab sanctities. The promotion of these regimes has evolved in multiple phases; sometimes, they are presented as liberating leaders no less than great figures like Salah ad-Din and Baibars. At other times, they use the drama they produce to promote coexistence and peace, paving the way for normalization with the occupying entity. In any case, drama has always been present, ready to shape the people and encourage them to support the regime.

“It is better to be feared than loved,” said Machiavelli to Italian princes—a piece of advice that prevailed until the end of World War II, after which major powers adopted a new methodology. This approach sought to use soft power, including culture, sports, and the arts, combining force with psychological control over the opponent. The term became a scientific concept in 1990, coined by political scientist Joseph Nye under the title “soft power,” which involves attracting others and aligning them with you without using weapons or bribing them with money.

From 1948 until “Camp David,” regimes worked to prevent Arab drama infiltration and maintain enmity towards Zionists.

Returning to the fundamental principles of soft power, drama in its various forms is part of the cultural tools of soft power for any country or entity. To be effective both internally and externally, this cultural tool must address the audience in a manner that suits them and in a language they understand. Additionally, it must carry content that impacts the audience, whether internal or external, and should be presented in a format that makes it easily understandable to viewers, even those unfamiliar with the subject, without needing to resort to research or complexity.

Upon close examination of Arab drama production and its role in confronting the Zionist project and supporting the Palestinian cause, it is clear that the frontline states (Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon) have been pioneers in using drama as a form of soft power. However, they have used it to direct the Arab public. The regimes worked to attract and mobilize their nations to adopt their views on the Zionist project. They also led the public to align with the state's orientations, whether these were aimed at opposing the project or normalizing with it, depending on the time period and the state of military confrontation with it.

The Evolution of Dramatic Engagement with the Zionist Project

Government control over broadcasting and artistic production in Arab countries, along with these countries' official adherence to the standards of confrontation with the Zionist project, boycotting the occupying state, and refusing normalization with it, had a significant impact on the region. From 1948 until the signing of “Camp David,” they worked to prevent the infiltration of Arab drama and maintain an atmosphere of hostility towards the Zionists. For decades, the Arab public remained largely untouched by artistic works that integrated Zionists into the region and made dealing with them economically and politically a necessity for peaceful coexistence. Frontline states maintained their focus on sending specific messages that reaffirmed the principles of the conflict and its connection to Arab identity.

The main narrative carried by most Arab dramas remained largely unaffected or diminished, despite the successive defeats of Arab armies. Instead, these works portrayed defeat within the context of the ongoing conflict with the Zionist project. Throughout this journey, they also highlighted partial victories achieved by some of these armies, broadcasting hope and encouraging continued confrontation, while the focus on intelligence victories was particularly prominent.

After the “Arab Spring,” there was an intensified wave of attacks against the resistance in Egyptian drama, which began sending provocative messages against it.

The wave of confrontation with the Zionist project began to break after Egypt's first symbolic victory over the occupying army in 1973. With the late President Anwar Sadat's turn towards “Camp David” in 1978, the Egyptian regime sought to use art and drama to convince the Egyptian and Arab public of the treaty. The most alarming aspect of this period was the justification of national self-protection, which was conceived by the Egyptian dramatic imagination. This shift would later evolve, especially after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, into laying the groundwork for a shift in Arab drama away from conflict with the Zionist project. However, Arab drama continued to sway between confrontation with the Zionist project, showcasing its crimes against Palestinians, and promoting normalization with this project, sometimes subtly and other times audaciously.

By the late 1990s and early 2000s, we see a variety of approaches in Egyptian cinema. Some works presented the Palestinian cause, even if marginally, such as in the films “Sa'eedi in the American University” and “Friends or Business.” Others warned of Zionist infiltration and normalization, such as in the films “Fattah Eneek” and “Ahlam Omrena.” Not to mention the Syrian drama that offered “Al-Taghreba al-Falastenya,” the most profound work dealing with the cause in its various human, historical, and resistance dimensions.

Meanwhile, other works subtly promoted the necessity of normalization while maintaining hostility. Examples include the films “The Cousins” and “The Embassy in the Building,” and the series “Ferqat Naji Atallah.” Some series during this period even attempted to normalize the Jewish character, as depicted in the series “Bab Al-Hara,” portraying Jews as peaceful individuals spreading peace within society.

The “Arab Spring” and Normalization Drama

The events of the “Arab Spring” had a profound impact on the Arab world, with regimes becoming aware of the dangers of this wave's continuation or resurgence after its failure. This led to increased rapprochement between the regimes opposing the “Arab Spring” and the Zionist entity. This position also affected resistance movements, with Egyptian drama particularly intensifying its attacks on them by sending inflammatory messages.

The heroics of the “Al-Aqsa Flood” battle forced drama makers to send positive messages towards Palestinian resistance.

Gulf states joined the trend of drama aligning with the Zionist project, producing series that promoted normalization with it. These works attempted to create a new narrative of the good Jew who sought to live peacefully in his homeland but was forced to leave due to persecution. The series “Haret El Yahood” was the most blatant example of this phase. After the “Arab Spring,” drama's contribution to the Zionist project served two dangerous messages in the conflict. The first was the demonization of the Palestinian resistance, specifically, and the second was linking anyone who aids that resistance to terrorism, “ISIS” extremism, and drug trafficking.

The “Al-Aqsa Flood” and a Cautious Return

The course of the confrontation and the extension of the war following the heroics presented by the resistance in the battle that began on October 7, 2023, “Al-Aqsa Flood,” forced drama makers to cautiously send some positive messages in Ramadan series in 2024. Some series called for boycotting companies and countries supporting the Zionist entity. They were also compelled to produce the series “Maliha,” which tells the story of a girl who was displaced from Gaza in 2000 and stayed in Libya with her grandfather until Gaddafi's fall, deciding to return. The series narrated the story of the occupation of Palestine, alongside a parallel story of Egypt's assistance to Palestine. Although not entirely positive, it marked a new step after drama had long receded from confronting the Zionist project, even if only cautiously.

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