Dubai's official television channel has been overhauled. Approximately one month ago, it was re-launched with a new logo and a new program lineup. Its new approach is modern and open, and it is a platform for reformist political and social messages. The channel's leading news personalities are talk show hosts Lina Sawwan and Daoud Al-Shiriyan, who promote reform by raising relevant issues and inviting guests to discuss them.
Lina Sawwan hosts the weekly 'Hadith wala Haraj' ('Speak Your Mind Without Embarrassment') program on social affairs. Recently, Sawwan devoted a program to polygamy in the Arab world, hosting Muhammad Murad, who has married 12 wives, along with one of his wives, a son, and a daughter. Other guests on this show were Dr. Moza Ghabash, a political science professor opposed to polygamy, and Dr. Seif Al-Jabari, director of the Islamic Affairs department of Dubai's Religious Endowments Ministry, who argued in favor of polygamy.
To view excerpts from this show on streaming media and/or download broadcast-quality version of the video, go to Clip No. 155 on http://memritv.org/clip/en/155.htm
The following are excerpts from the program, followed by synopses of other programs from the new Dubai TV :
Host Lina Sawwan: "…I will begin with someone who has experienced marriage, not once, twice, or four times, but 12 times, and he is already planning for wife number 13 this year. With us we have Mr. Muhammad Murrad… What's your explanation? Why do all these women marry you? Surely they know that you will divorce one of them and get another one instead of her after a short period of time. Why do women agree to marry men who like to get married?"
Muhammad Murrad: "I, for example, had four wives. When one dies, I marry another. When one grows old, I divorce her and marry another…"
Host Lina Sawwan: "Muhammad [Jr.], I would like to ask you, do you believe in polygamy and are you yourself planning to marry more than one woman?"
Muhammad Murrad Jr.: "By Allah, I'm with Father. And if I want … I will try to be like Father. It is true that it is impossible because in the old days, everything was natural. In our days everything is modern. We have a refrigerator, enjoy air conditioning. But in their time, it was not so; everything was natural. I'll try, Allah willing."
Host Lina Sawwan: "You mean, you will try to marry more than one wife… Your plan for the future is that since you have a refrigerator you can bring many women home?"
Muhammad Murrad Jr.: "Just like Father, Allah willing."
Dr. Seif Al-Jabari: "Polygamy is not a crisis, but something that stems from human nature. I will mention some examples of the importance of polygamy to the lives of all societies. [It was so in] all legislation, Islamic and those proceeding it that serve as laws to us, if they are compatible with Islam. Because Islam has always been singled out because of its polygamy. The reality is different. All religions, the entire human race, were accustomed to this method, but Islamic law came and institutionalized this anarchy. There was much polygamy that reached…"
Host Lina Sawwan: "Hundreds of wives."
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Dr. Seif Al-Jabari: "But Islam came and set restrictions. I would like to mention a very important formula. It is well known that there are a lot of women in all societies. It reaches four times as many women than men…"
Host Lina Sawwan: "Because you men wage many wars, maybe if you stopped… Dr. Moza, help me here…"
Dr. Seif Al-Jabari: "There is a social and demographic imbalance in the population imbalance in all of all humanity, within the Islamic world and outside of it. We have a problem. We suffer from it. It needs a solution. Everybody wants to get married. Europe is crying for polygamy, so where's the problem?"
Host Lina Sawwan: "Surely, not all Europe…"
Dr. Seif Al-Jabari: "I have studies showing that if you ask any [European] woman today, she would tell you, 'I am physically and emotionally isolated from my husband, but I cannot divorce him.' Their marriage is eternal. But they each have a lover.
"The husband marries a number of wives for various needs. First of all, the Koran says, 'Then marry other women as may be agreeable to you.' Gynecology … it is well known … a wife can contract a disease, menstruate, give birth, be pregnant; women have many different conditions. Where will the man go? Men are different than women. A man is in dire need of a wife. Otherwise he will turn to the forbidden, which is a bigger problem. So where's the problem? Am I to endanger society and defy Allah by going to prostitutes, drinking alcohol - I apologize - and go to other things, or should I marry permitted women and solve my problem and the problem of a fellow human being in a lawful way? Every woman wants to have children and live.
"There are Islamic laws, but if [the first wife] is not pleased with the second marriage she can file for a divorce, it is natural."
Dr. Moza Ghabash: "Excuse me, he supports divorce so he can get married. He supports divorce only so the man can marry again. Excuse me, Dr. Seif, knowledge of religion is one thing, but hiding behind religion and interpreting all our mistakes in the name of religion is a social crime." [1]
Criticizing Arab Society
On a previous program, Sawwan mentioned journalist Robert Kilroy-Silk, recently fired by the BBC after writing an article in which he criticized Arabs. Sawwan stated that it might be a good idea for Arabs to ask themselves whether they actually were as Kilroy-Silk had portrayed them. To view this excerpt on streaming media and/or download broadcast-quality version of the video, go to Clip No. 122 on http://memritv.org/clip/en/122.htm [2]
Criticizing the Saudi National Dialogue
Another Dubai TV host is the liberal Saudi journalist Daoud Al-Shiriyan, who writes a weekly column for the London Arabic-language daily Al-Hayat. On his 'Al-Maqal'('The Article') show, Al-Shiriyan focuses on Saudi matters and hosts Saudi liberals. On one program, Al-Shiriyan hosted Saudi liberal journalist Khaled Al-Dukhail, who had participated in the "Saudi national dialogue" – and who revealed that the dialogue recommendations were dictated by Saudi authorities. To view this excerpt on streaming media and/or download broadcast-quality version of the video, go to Clip No. 141 on http://memritv.org/clip/en/141.htm [3]
The Roots of Saudi Terrorism
On another program, Al-Shiriyan hosted liberal Saudi journalist Turki Hamad, who discussed the roots of Saudi terrorism. He accused the Saudi government of sharing the same "discourse" as terrorists, and of running institutions which lead to terrorism. To view this excerpt on streaming media and/or download broadcast-quality version of the video, go to Clip No. 130 on http://memritv.org/clip/en/130.htm [4]
Criticizing Polygamy and Autocracy in the Arab World
Berwin Habib hosts a social affairs program. On one program, Habib invited renowned Egyptian feminist Dr. Nawal Al-Sa'dawi to present her radical views on Arab society. On the show, Al-Sa'dawi criticized polygamy, calling it a "humiliation" for women, as well as autocracy in Egypt. To view this excerpt on streaming media and/or download broadcast-quality version of the interview, go to Clip No. 139 on http://memritv.org/clip/en/139.htm [5]
Vestiges of the Old Among the New
While these talk shows represent a new kind of Arab medium, the religious ruling program of Iraqi sheikh Ahmad Al-Qubeisi, 'Al-Kilma wa Akhawatuha'('A Word and Its Sisters') is a vestige of the old familiar, inciting Arab media – a platform for antisemitism and support for terrorism.
To view an excerpt on streaming media and/or download broadcast-quality version of Al-Qubeisi's show go to Clip No. 95 on http://memritv.org/clip/en/95.htm [6]
