Ramadan is synonymous with kindness and charity. Zakat—one of the pillars of Islam, and a vital practice during the holy month—is the oldest form of compassion, practiced long before the concept charities really became mainstream.
For that reason, some Ramadan shows have been dedicated to pushing social change through spirituality as a form of union between Islam and activism. With the aim of healing the rupture between religion and real life, these shows look to educate the new generations by implementing Islamic values from love and kindness to respect and perseverance.
Here, we’ve rounded up our favourites for you to binge post-iftar.
Khawater
If you haven’t watched Saudi activist Ahmad Al Shugairi’s Khawater, you’re missing out. The 8-season educational show is directed at Arab and Muslim youth with a practical and simple approach to social and cultural change. It looks at societal behaviours from an Islamic perspective and encourages young Arabs to invest more time in education, innovation and creativity to help push their communities forward.
Al Iman Wal Aasr
The show bridges between Islam and real life issues, looking at social change from a spiritual perspective. It comes to the conclusion that the role of religion in life is to solve certain needs of society and answer to some of the challenges of the modern world. It builds on values like patience, resilience and hard work.
Law Kana Bainana
Based on the book The Guidance Of The Prophet’s Biography in Social Change, the show is dedicated to implementing the moral values of Prophet Muhammad (like generosity and honesty) in everyday life. A segment focuses a hidden camera on people in real life situations, with the attempt to discuss what the prophet would do in the same situation and how we can approach everyday problems with a mindset rooted in kindness, charity and love.
Qomrah
Stemming from the idea of ihsan (which means kindness in Arabic and an important value in Islam), the show welcomes participations from people across the globe in the form of short videos that tackle issues from human rights and migrant workers’ rights to Muslims in the west and refugees.
Manazel Al Rouh
Egyptian activist and preacher Amr Kahled goes on a spiritual journey with a group of young Muslim Arabs to contemplate the role of religion in making one’s life happier and easier. The show aims to help young muslims overcome mental issues like anxiety, frustration, hopelessness and depression through spirituality.
