The tale of a Turkish soap opera
Writing by abuhatem on Saturday, 30 of August , 2008 at 5:27 am
In my trip to the Arab world this summer, I fell in love with a strange show - a Turkish soap opera dubbed into Syrian colloquial Arabic, which was being watched by over 80% of the population of my small town. A 150-episode drama, which airs for one hour nightly, I decided to give it a shot and in a few days I was hooked.However, the show has created a huge ruckus from a few conservatives in the Arab world, and the Western media has treated the show as some sort of engine to liberalized oppressed Arab women who long for romance.There have been a lot of stories on Noor in the English press. Case-in-point: Canada’s Globe and Mail, The U.K.’s Financial Times, Turkey’s Hurriyet, the newswire AFP, France 24, MSNBC, and Lebanon’s Menasat.The Western media’s reports all have one thing in common: Noor is popular because of the oppression of Arab men:
Financial Times: ”What’s scary is that people have confused fiction with reality - if so much noise is created because a man treats a woman well, what does that say about our society?” says one television executive. According to a report on the MBC website, a man recently left his wife after she said she had contacted the lead actor of Noor and was planning to meet him. Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, is apparently threatening fines for cars with pictures of Muhanad on their windows.
The Globe and Mail:That may be because Muhannad is an almost impossible character to live up to, said the mother of the Al-Qadi family on the fourth floor. “Our society does not allow men to be romantic like Muhannad,” said Um Sanad. ”In our environment, with all the stress, it is very difficult to be romantic.”At the same time, her tall, dark-haired 16-year-old son, Sanad, sees the handsome Turkish actor as a role model.”I want to be romantic like him,” said the dark-haired Sanad, smiling softly.
AFP:”Such series reflect how the lives of Arab people are torn between modern life and their traditions,” said Lebanese sociologist Melhem Shaul, who specialises in the media.”Somehow these shows help ease the anguish that grips us,” Shaul added.
This is all excessive exaggeration and media commentary. However, these newspapers do report that Noor had higher ratings than the Beijing Olympics in the Arab world and millions of Arabs watch daily. This I can attest to being true, I believe this is the most popular show in the history of Arab television.There was even a fatwa by the Mufti of Saudi Arabia condemning the program. Saudi Arabia is known to support a very fundamentalist (and arguably, to more orthodox Sunni Musims, heretical) sect of Islam called Wahhabism. Now I will not argue behind the Mufti’s motives or fatwa. This is a blog on politics, and I am no religious authority. But all of these “anti-Noor” groups, as the AFP calls them, how many have actually sat down and seen an entire two episdoes - or even one - of the series? Before anything is condemned people should know what they are condemning, this is a principle self-evident to the logical mind.
Noor is your typical soap opera. Yet, the reason it is popular in the Arabic world is not only because girls have crushes on its main character, romantic Muhanad, or because they are oppressed by their husbands. Of all of the female relatives I know in Syria, and they are many, all of them love their husbands, and none claim to be oppressed by their husbands, yet they all watch Noor. When I asked one woman - who wanted to remain anonymous - what she thought of allegations that this soap opera was only popular because of a feeling of oppression amongst Arab women she replied (bear in mind she is a Syrian and not a Saudi, where oppression against women does indeed exist) (translation mine):
“That is ridiculous, and a lie. In fact, I would say no other woman is cared for more than the Arab woman. Our husbands may not show their romance publicly, but they care for us. They spoil us. They always elevate us through their respect for women. They also buy us flowers, they also buy us jewelry, and they also respect us. Unlike American men, they don’t divorce us in extremely high rates, they don’t beat us like the American movies on TV, and they don’t see only our beauty in us. It is true that we Arab women care for our houses, that even if we work we find it our duty and role to do housework, cook, and family work but these traditional gender roles do not mean we require liberation - no no, I would much rather be an Arab woman than an American woman and these newspapers saying this is why people watch Noor are being stupid.”
The main objection with Noor by “conservatives” in the Arab world are that it contains elements of Westernized culture. Yet, Arabs see such elements in their everyday lives; moreover American movies have been popular in the Arab world since the late 1960s - and in fact the vast majority of Arabs have seen many American movies. People object to Noor because the Muslims in the show sin - there is an abortion in the series, there is occasional drinking, and there is extra-marital sex. As a religious Muslim, and political conservative, I oppose all of these things myself. However people see them in their everyday lives, and what’s more sins such as jealousy, idolatry, hatred of other human beings, or starting fighting amongst people are very horrid vices in Islam yet if such things were to be banned in movies or literature there would be no movies or literature. Much of the criticism leveled against Noor is in fact unfounded. Much of the show has very conservative and pro-family themes, much more than any American soap opera ever would. A few examples:
- Noor, the main character of the show, is the poor cousin of the rich aristocratic main character of the story Muhanad. When Muhanad begins to fall into the vices of youth - gambling, drinking, and women - his grandfather Fikri decides to calm him down and structure his life, seeing in him potential. Thus Fikri arranges a marriage between Noor and Muhanad and they marry immediately (a very non-western concept!). Muhanad at first absolutely abhors Noor due to his attachment at a previous girlfriend, but in time falls deeply in love with her and then becomes what the newspaper articles describe as so loving and attached and romantic. This is a traditionalist theme - that arranged marriages give more happiness than girlfriends, and that love can be learned.
- The grandfather in the show, Fikri, is extremely virtuous. He only cares for his family and keeping his family together. He gives generously, and cares not for money. Whenever people in his family get in fights he attempts to solve them immediately. He tells his family members “know the real meaning of brotherhood, brotherhood means that you always protect each other and that you never hurt each other.” When Noor and Muhanad get in a fight and wish to divorce, Fikri attempts to pacify both and stop them from fighting each other. He is such a good person that he is naive about other people and thus gullible, many see kindness as a way to use him.
- The mother of the show, Sherefe, is extremely controlling and overpowering. She expects respect from her children - she asks her children and relatives to only call to her with respectful titles such as the Arab world khanom meaning madam, and she expects a kiss on the hand upon greeting. Yet, with all of her controlling and all of her perceived “meanness” she has an extremely big heart and truly loves her children and only wants the best for them. She is always looking after her married son Muhanad, and is extremely overprotective with him, but although she may annoy she teaches that respect, civilness, and obedience to parents is not a relic of the past but something loving and important to family and society.
- Muhanad’s wife Noor, the main character, is extremely forgiving. She forgives Muhanad for cheating on her, albeit after a very long time. She does not judge and always sees into people’s hearts attempting to help people fighting get along and be friendly again. She is extremely sympathetic and forgiving. These are Islamic values at their apex. When she finds out that a family member attempted to kill her husband and in fact destroyed his kidney, she asks her husband to forgive him and tries to keep the family together. When she finds out that someone attempted to steal millions of dollars in her name, she forgives that person at well. She is always understanding and forgiving, and for this people love her. She is an obedient wife, and for all of those who say this show opposes traditional gender roles, it does not do so in a American or European sense - it does so in a Turkish sense. Although Noor works full time (something completely normal in the Arab world by the way), she obeys everything her husband tells her and even asks his permission for simple things such as taking a class or leaving the house.
- The show’s dialogues have many traditionalist, and/or Islamic themes. For instance, the show portrays the many good parts of life - romance, marriage, enjoying one’s time with family, enjoying one’s work, having the blessings of food, clothes, and wealth - but also shows the many bad parts of life - death, divorce, illness, betrayal, and sneakiness. Muhanad and Noor’s marriage is not hunky dory, they fight a lot like every wife and husband, almost every episode.
- A main theme of the show is that many hard things happen in life but one should not give up hope, that one should do good to others and forgive (like Noor, Muhanad, Fikri, and the other characters), instead of fight and keeping hard feelings. ”People are nothing without their family” Noor says in numerous episodes. The family sticks together - through thick and thin - and helps each other out in hard times. Even when things get rough, they always have hope. They realize the major calamities that come down are tests from God. ”This world is nothing but good and bad surprises right after each other,” says one of the main characters. This is a very traditionalist anti-utopian theme, for both secular traditionalists and religious ones.
- The show also teaches women not to be slaves. Noor is not afraid to tell her husband that he is wrong on things, although she respects his decision if he won’t listen. She isn’t afraid to reason with him if it will help him. I support traditional gender roles, but slavery isn’t a traditional gender role! The show teaches women that they can be smart, they can be strong, and they can disagree with their husbands and have personalities without being slave drones or their opposite - rebels without a cause.
- Abortion is bad. One character gets an abortion, without notifying her husband, and is not allowed because it is late-term. She then gets a back alley abortion. For the next 20 episodes the girl goes insane, must check-in to a mental hospital, and becomes horrendously sick and regretful of her move. Yet her family cares for her through the process, and her husband forgives her and moves on.
Yes, some have become Noor-obsessed. There are reports of divorce cases because of the “dreamy” main character Muhanad. Some also left their jobs to concentrate on the soap opera. Others have done other oddball things. Yet, there are people obsessed with many things. Surely, we can ignore this ridiculous minority and concentrate on the vast majority of viewers. I do give these newspapers some credit however for highlighting some positive aspects of the show as well:
MSNBC: Bakiza, the matriarch of a large household in Jerusalem’s Old City, surrounds herself every night with her children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. They each take something different from the show. “I admire the story of Mohannad and Noor because of what it shows about how a family should be,” said Bakiza. “The grandfather, Fikhry, is the one who takes care of the whole family, decides everything, and solves all the problems. Everyone respects him.”
To some young women, the aspiring fashion designer Noor, provides a positive female role model and encourages them to raise the bar not only on future spouses but on themselves.
AFP: ”They are a bit like us,” said Lebanese Christian housewife Ibtissam Issa. “I really like their belief in tradition and their loyalty to the family.”
The main theme of this show is the importance of family. Romance and love are only one component of this show, and they aren’t a bad component either. While tales of Arab oppression of women are exaggerated, it is true that many in the Arab world do treat their wives as slaves or chattel. This is not because they are “spiritual” in any way - indeed, many don’t pray or fast or do things of a religious nature - but simply because of the backwards societies of the Middle East. Romance and love of one’s wife is a good thing, caring for one’s family and forgiving and forgetting is a good thing, respect for the elderly and obedience of them is a good thing. And in this soap opera, every single member of the family except one lives in the exact same mansion and thus the family is strongly connected.
The soap opera has also done something phenomenal. It has united the Arab world behind Turkey. This is no exaggeration. The Associated Press reports that Saudi visits to Turkey are up 300%. The Turkish ambassador to Saudi Arabia said this was because of Turkish soap operas in the Arab world. In Syria, the connection has been even more present. Turkey and Syria are historical neighbors. To highlight this, I went to the Turkish-Syrian border this summer, and we saw an ancient Armenian Christian town (Kessab), with a large portion of the population which speaks Turkish. Turkish-Syrian relations are stronger than ever now. Historical similarities between Syria and Turkey are becoming rediscovered and are rekindling a love for Turkey, a fellow Muslim country, in the Syrian Arab ethos. Noor character Ayca Varlier described this as “incredible” and hailed the beginning of a new cultural connection. To illustrate why this is so - let me just inform some of you as to what Turkey and Syria have in common. Historically, Ottoman Turkish, a language no longer spoken (thrown out in the 1930s by revolutionary Kemal Attaturk) shared many words with Syrian colloquial Arabic. Turkish cuisine has always been extremely close to Syrian cuisine, with the same types of foods. Even Turkish music with its extensive use of maqam is extremely similar to music in northern Syria. Turkish Islam regards Sufi movements with high regard, and so does Syrian Islam. This new cultural attachment to Turkey (illustrated in the number of trips to Turkey made by Arabs, as well as the number of Turkish television series planned for Arab television - MBC, the channel airing Noor has purchased twelve more of them) is an extremely positive development for an Arab world that has been scarred by its extreme nationalism in the 1960s, and its current apathy for the greater Muslim populace.
People should watch things before they criticize them. Arabs were wasting their time with much worse soap operas than Noor for many, many years. In societies were unemployment is high, and with lots of free time, television series will be popular. It is inevitable. I am personally a newsjunkie myself and don’t watch much television series at all - I couldn’t name many other Arab television series, nor could I name any of the major television sitcoms on the major U.S. networks - but this soap opera really wasn’t that bad and there is much good coming out of it. I think if I, as conservative as I am and as traditionalist as I am, can find much praise for this soap opera, then that is saying a whole lot.
Category: The media
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