Malaysia to pick top young Imam as talent show enters finals

[kidd]

By Agence France-Presse, Updated: 7/30/2010

Malaysia to pick top young Imam as talent show enters finals

A hugely popular Malaysian TV search for young new Islamic leaders stages its finale Friday, after gaining worldwide attention and igniting new enthusiasm for the religion among Muslim youth.

The "Young Imam" show has seen 10 finalists hit the prime-time stage to recite verses from Islam's holy book, wash corpses and slaughter sheep according to Muslim rules, and persuade youngsters away from sex and drugs.

Following the reality-TV formula made popular through shows such as "American Idol" in the US and "The X Factor" in Britain, the 10-week series has eliminated eight contestants.

Now, two young men will fight it out to win the "Young Imam" title.

"The final challenge consists of the Young Imam finalists presenting a religious sermon, reciting the Koran in rhythmic tones, singing religious hymns and answering questions related to Islamic law," Izelan Basar, channel manager with cable network Astro Oasis, told AFP.

Imams play a broad role in Malaysia -- where more than 60 percent of the 28 million population are Muslim -- including leading prayers at the mosque and counselling troubled individuals.

The shows' creators, who had a goal of making Islam more appealing to young people, have been thrilled by its success. The official Facebook page has nearly 52,500 fans and the discussion board is crowded with comments.

Over 1,000 guests, including the country's top clerics and religious affairs minister, have been invited to the finals of the show at a convention hall beside the National Mosque in the capital Kuala Lumpur.

The 90-minute programme will be aired live over the Astro Oasis network from 9pm (1300 GMT) and giant screens have been placed outside the hall to allow fans who could not enter to watch the show.

Since the series began in May, the 10 finalists, who were chosen from over 1,000 candidates, have been quarantined in a mosque dormitory and banned from using phones, the Internet and television.

The show -- in which the contestants face written and practical tests on the religion each week -- has become a major hit after it attracted worldwide interest and even the attention of young women and prospective mothers-in-law.

The two finalists, religious teacher Hizbur Rahman Omar Zuhd and religious scholar Muhammad Asyraf Mohamad Ridzuan -- who are both married -- said they were looking forward to the finals.

"Whether I win or lose, I am grateful that I have learned a lot of things through this programme," Hizbur, 27, a graduate of the prestigious religious school of Al-Azhar University in Cairo, told Malay daily Harian Metro.

"Praise to God, I will try my best (in the finals) and focus on my preaching work after this," 26-year-old Muhammad Asyraf, who like Hizbur was clad in a smart black suit and matching skullcap, told the same newspaper.

The winner will get a trip to Mecca to perform the hajj pilgrimage, a scholarship to al-Madinah University in Saudi Arabia, and a job at a mosque.

The sole judge who wields the weekly axe is a former grand imam of the national mosque, who said the young imams have a duty to safeguard Islam and teach Muslims to live harmoniously with other faiths.

"They are going to become good role models," Hasan Mahmood told AFP previously.

The rising popularity of the show comes against a background of concern among Malaysia's ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities over rising "Islamisation" of the multicultural country and fears that tolerance towards Christians, Hindus and others is diminishing.

A simmering row over the use of the word "Allah" by non-Muslims saw attacks on 11 churches and the dumping of severed pigs' heads at two mosques in January.

In February, three women were caned for having sex out of wedlock, the first such punishment under Islamic law in Malaysia.

Source: http://news.malaysia.msn.com/regiona...mentid=4247813

[kidd]

Wouldn't this make the imams idols?

I wonder if they use real corpse in the competition.

The winner will get a trip to Mecca to perform the hajj pilgrimage, a scholarship to al-Madinah University in Saudi Arabia, and a job at a mosque.

I'm not too keen on this. This is the country that still ban women from driving.

[Lucre]

well, i suppose it will generate some viewership. and probably present the islamic faith in a different light~

[kidd]

well, i suppose it will generate some viewership. and probably present the islamic faith in a different light~

I'm still not too keen about sending the winner to Saudi Arabia. They are very fundamentalist there and women can't do anything without the consent of her male guardian.

I don't want our religious clerics to be even more fundamentalist than they are now.

[Ace High]

Wouldn't this make the imams idols?

I wonder if they use real corpse in the competition.

role model yes, idols no.

[Ian Liew]

Is this the same competition where the winner gets paid RM1k-RM2k per month for the rest of their lives regardless of whether they actually become Imams? Or was that the Quran reading competition thing?

[Ace High]

Is this the same competition where the winner gets paid RM1k-RM2k per month for the rest of their lives regardless of whether they actually become Imams? Or was that the Quran reading competition thing?

The Qur'an reading competition is known as Tilawah or Musabaqah. Only the winner of the national level will get that RM2,000 per month allowance.

Each and every Imam Muda participants is an imam already before they entered the program.

[Lucre]

I'm still not too keen about sending the winner to Saudi Arabia. They are very fundamentalist there and women can't do anything without the consent of her male guardian.

I don't want our religious clerics to be even more fundamentalist than they are now.

since when did they ever consider the women? pardon by obtuse remark and utter lack of sensitivity, but i don't suppose anyone cared about the fates of women with programs like this. it's pretty much about men isn't it?

[Ace High]

since when did they ever consider the women? pardon by obtuse remark and utter lack of sensitivity, but i don't suppose anyone cared about the fates of women with programs like this. it's pretty much about men isn't it?

Who are 'they' you are referring to? The Saudi Arabians? Then I agree with you. The Malaysians, then I disagree.

[Lucre]

Who are 'they' you are referring to? The Saudi Arabians? Then I agree with you. The Malaysians, then I disagree.

'

noted, to which the 'they' here I referred to the imams & the organizers.

[Ace High]

'

noted, to which the 'they' here I referred to the imams & the organizers.

I don't think the imams and the organizer is does not care about women. That particular program does not in any way discriminate women.

[Lucre]

I don't think the imams and the organizer is does not care about women. That particular program does not in any way discriminate women.

i did not say discriminate, i just mean the lack of taking them into any particular consideration, which the word, care conveys. but it's just my not very humble opinion also.

then again i'm just making a callous remark. my ill habit of having to make noise even when I knew next to nothing must be acting up.

[Ace High]

i did not say discriminate, i just mean the lack of taking them into any particular consideration, which the word, care conveys. but it's just my not very humble opinion also.

then again i'm just making a callous remark. my ill habit of having to make noise even when I knew next to nothing must be acting up.

hurm... when you are saying someone did not give any consideration to the womenfolk, it is implying that the women folk are being discriminated and neglected.

[Ian Liew]

since when did they ever consider the women? pardon by obtuse remark and utter lack of sensitivity, but i don't suppose anyone cared about the fates of women with programs like this. it's pretty much about men isn't it?

Imams are all male, afaik. It's like complaining that a man has no involvement in the Miss Hong Kong paegant.

[Lucre]

Imams are all male.

My point exactly...that's why I say when do they care about the 'women' in this?

[kidd]

since when did they ever consider the women? pardon by obtuse remark and utter lack of sensitivity, but i don't suppose anyone cared about the fates of women with programs like this. it's pretty much about men isn't it?

I'm not against an all male American Idol style program (although I do think using such competition to choose future imam is kinda ridiculous). I'm just against the grand prize of sending the winner to Saudi Arabia to study.

[Ace High]

My point exactly...that's why I say when do they care about the 'women' in this?

that's not a relevant point at all. Just like what Ian Liew said, it is like asking complaining that a man has no involvement in the Miss Hong Kong paegant.

[Lucre]

that's not a relevant point at all. Just like what Ian Liew said, it is like asking complaining that a man has no involvement in the Miss Hong Kong paegant.

im not complaining, im just responding to Kidd's remark about the Saudi-Arabia deal.

[Banh Mi]

im not complaining, im just responding to Kidd's remark about the Saudi-Arabia deal.

Even then, I think you missed the point. You're saying since women can't go, it won't matter to them.
But, even though only males can enter, thus winning a trip to Saudi Arabia, Kidd's concern is that those same men will be taught and influenced by the more extreme beliefs there and bring it back to their home land.

[Lucre]

Even then, I think you missed the point. You're saying since women can't go, it won't but to them.
But, even though only males can enter, thus winning a trip to Saudi Arabia, Kidd's concern is that those same men will be taught and influenced by the more extreme beliefs there and bring it back to their home land.

geez, you guys are complicated. I'm outta here.