Little Mosque on the Prairie

Review by Mike Ghouse

This is one of the funniest sitcoms made on Muslims, and it must be acknowledged as TV production at its best while building bridges between the communities. In its premier episode, the sitcom has dealt with crucial elements, busting myths about Islam and Muslims, while creating in a humorous way, a desire to know more about the culture and religion.

The average Canadian or American would laugh boisterously, as much as any Muslim, at the ignorance of the characters of talk show hosts, Mayor, the repairman and the average Joe. The director has done a fabulous job in stereo typing people, be it Muslims or the conservative people of the Town of Mercy. The director has tactfully shown the idiotic and intelligent versions on both sides of the divide.

The talk show host is portrayed as the typical neo-con talk show host on the air waves. No matter what the Imam (Muslim Clergy) says, the host is eager to interpret it wrongly even before the Imam completes his sentence. In another scene, the police officer calls the Mosque to verify that the Imam in custody was indeed the new Imam for the Mosque. He gets a recorded message for a roofing company stating “we blow the competition away”. The officer freaks out when he hears the word “blow” and mistakes the Imam as a guy who would blow up buildings.

The most hilarious scenes are: The imam giving the sermon and referring to smashing of the American and Canadian Idols and the response it generates is real. He meant to urge people to attend the Mosque instead of watching the show. The panic on the face of the contractor when he watches Muslims saying Allahu Akbar and kneeling down in prayer is classic. The cell phone episode is a real eye opener. The Imam was talking with his Dad, and dad was telling him that it would be suicidal to leave the law practice and go preaching, and when he responds “Dad it won’t be suicidal” the people in line at the Airport panic, and get frightened even more when the police interrogates him and identify him as an Imam heading to a Mosque.

There is a mighty big lesson for the Muslims to learn – learn the Western nuances and be sensitive to the language usage. A dear friend of mine went to Australia for the first time and when he entered the pub, obviously for the first time, he thought he heard an Aussie “ did you come here to die?” when in actuality he was asked “did you come here today?

When the Old Imam excitedly shares the idea about finding a room in the building to do the funeral chores, he speaks in his own style of English that is used in his motherland and says to the new Imam. “Oh, yes, we found a place to wash the dead bodies”. The frightened look on the face of the contractor is worth retaining in memory.

The average Muslim is frustrated living a normal daily life like every one else. Every word he or she utters becomes a secret code language to the frightened ones.

When we talk about integration, we forget the education part of it. People living in the same neighborhood does not mean much if they live in their own enclaves and in their own Islands. People have to live social life together, dine together, attend funerals and weddings together and do other things to bring about true integration.

Every word is funny – please pay attention to it.

EPISODE 1 - IN 4 PARTS
Part 1 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu2-lXDe2to&mode=related&search=
Part 2 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmSAYyTKD0o&mode=related&search=
Part 3 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4SH-vxBZEo&mode=related&search=
Part 4 : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsOH7Kmmfrs&mode=related&search=

This is the best thing that has ever happened to Muslims and Islam. Just like all people, Muslims have been crying out loud not be misrepresented. Finally, this show has done it; it is like our prayers coming true.

At least the world can see what they hear on the talk show radios, and what they see on the television is not necessarily the truth. This is the finest Sitcom on Muslims. Please remember, it is a comedy. I request my co-religionist to relax and enjoy the sit com. Please don't find faults with it - such as Muslims looking at the intruder while praying. In reality, it does not happen - but in the sitcom they show it. Just laugh it off.

The Little Mosque on the Prairie - a sitcom produced by CBC Canada, and written by Ms. Zarqa Nawaz, a Pakistani-Canadian Muslim.

Mike Ghouse is a Muslim thinker, speaker and a writer. He is president of the Foundation for Pluralism and is a frequent guest on talk radio, discussing interfaith issues. He has appeared on the local affiliates of CBS, NBC, ABC, PBS and FOX. He founded the World Muslim Congress on the belief that if we can learn to accept and respect the God-given uniqueness of each one of the 7 billion of us, conflicts will fade and solutions emerge. His articles can be found at www.WorldMuslimCongress.com , www.FoundationforPluralism.com , http://mikeghouse.blogspot.com/ and he can be reached at MikeGhouse@gmail.com.
© Copyright 2007 by Mike Ghouse