Saudi Arabia makes first music video
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - The first clip to be fully produced in Saudi Arabia has a message of a different kind: You can be cool and devout.
The video is unusual because it was made in a country where the religious establishment considers music un-Islamic and bans it in public places. And the main cast includes a Saudi woman, something rare in a work produced inside the kingdom.
But in a sign of Saudi impatience with the restrictions, "Malak Ghair Allah" or "You Only Have God to Count On" was a hit when it was launched at a popular mall in the western seaport of Jiddah last week. Hundreds of people showed up to watch it on a giant screen in the mall's main hall.
"You Only Have God to Count On" uses upbeat music to tell the story of a successful man who had strayed from the path of true Islam. He smokes, flirts with women even though he's engaged and doesn't join his colleagues at work in performing the five daily Muslim prayers.
Things slowly start to go bad: He has a flat tire and problems at work and his fiancee leaves him when she sees him talking to another woman. He then has a serious accident while recklessly driving his motorcycle. After he recovers, the man starts to pray, stops smoking, wins back his fiancee and excels at work.
"I wanted the youths to understand that it's not the looks that count. It's what inside that matters," al-Khatib said.
"The video also has this message: Don't give up and think, 'I sinned, therefore I'm going to hell,'" the director added. "Think that there's a God and he is always there to help you."
Monday, August 13, 2007
Saudi Arabia makes first music video
A Saudi production company is attempting to address youth through a music video that offers the message, "Being pious is not uncool." I don't fully understand the implications of this new pop culture phenomenon in Saudi Arabia, but I find it interesting that they are trying to reach youth through new media. Do they have other options, considering the prevalence and ease of access to Internet and satellite TV?
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3 comments:
its sad but i feel like the people who actually blog on this blog are the ones that comment and its not a good sign to only get people who blog here sharing their thoughts all the time. Alas, i have to comment on this. I watched the video, for a production coming out of the middle east, this was quite nice. I expected something pretty lame. To be honest, I am not even a fan of nasheeds, i prefer other music if i have to listen to music, this however, seemed to be going beyond the normal Nasheed genre, in that it was not just telling the story of the Prophet or being religious, or praises- rather it was addressing a community ill, and what was ironic was that the protagonist in the video was wearing a "progressive" shirt which he turned in for a Thobe- the sunnah style straight up.
But nicely put together. Kudos!
the video is available here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zotWQdYCRIM
may be we can share something
here is my url
http://islamic-music.blogspot.com
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