Khat Pit needs your help (update)
- September 2nd, 2009
- Posted in Electric Spaghetti
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Please email messages of your support to info@ciinetwork.net
As some of you may know, myself and the other Saaleha Bhamjee are co-writers on a drama series that’s currently broadcast on Channel Islam International (CII) every weekday after 7pm during the month of Ramadaan.
“Khatpat” is a look into the fictional lives of Amina Bulbulia and Khayroonissa Asmal, two gossipy housewives with a word on everyone’s mis-steps and mishaps, until events in their own lives force them to re-evaluate their actions. The series follows the Bulbulia and Asmal families as they encounter massive challenges and serious damaal*.
From the feedback I’ve received from contacts on Twitter and Facebook, the reception has been fairly positive. However, there’s been an uproar from certain sectors of the community who believe this drama series advocates bad behaviour and has the potential of being a bad influence on young listeners.
As co-writer on this production, I can assure you that in no way do we glamourise the themes of drug abuse, materialism and teen misbehaviour. The purpose of the show is to spread a positive message by spotlighting the ills that we know to exist only too well, and to provide a resolution that leads to constructive societal change.
Saaleha was telling me that one of the concerning points raised was that the colloquial language used would encourage the use of slang among young listeners. Have you seen the way teenagers interact on social networks? Have you listened to kids chatting among themselves? It’s already their language and that argument holds as much substance as when I was told that reading comics would “spoil my English”.
Another concern has its basis in the following hadith:
“Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Allah will cover up on the Day of Resurrection the defects (faults) of the one who covers up the faults of the others in this world”.
[Muslim].”
We can understand how this would be relevant if we were writing about living, breathing, gossiping human beings, but these characters are fictional, they exist only in our minds. This drama series is a means to an end. A small edutainment effort that we hope makes a little difference. If we do not say, “This is it and this is wrong”, how will anything ever be made right?
Thank you for reading this far.
This is how you can help.
Email your messages of support to info@ciinetwork.net
Today (2 September) on CII on Zahid Asmal’s show (the surname is purely coincidental) from 4pm onwards, the station will conduct a snap call-in survey on whether the show should continue or not.
You can listen to CII via the following media:
- FM 98.95,
- DSTV Audio Channel 165
- WorldSpace Satellite Receiver
- live streaming on this link (may not work in Chrome)
If you don’t want this series to die in mid-air, please show your support by calling in when the beginning of the snap survey is announced.
Click here to listen to podcasts of previous episodes of Khat Pit.
We’re trying to galvanise a massive yay for the show to complete it’s run, please pass this on to people who may interested.
*guji for “trouble”
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ive just listened to one of the shows now !!! i see absolutely no problem listening to this as this just adss humour in ones life!! but islamically i doubt the Ulammah really allow this as this could have noe real impact to improve ones Islamic faith! its funny and makes you laugh but also shows people how Indian people are which can lead to certain problems. but i feel its fine to have !!
good luck Saleeha
saaleha , wat does mufti have to say on this whole issue ????
although all ths is prime in our coumunity , teach and advice with wisdom ,ask the alims to assist .
I enjoyed kit pit but it def has to be edited .
dissapointed , my kids were enjoying it , they are 7 10 yrs, they were learing new words ,words were not in our vocab like itcy bums,mxit , chicks,,dagga,drugs etc….. the slangs etc, all youth speak that way , we cant change the youth , so lets start changing our personality our character. to suite the times.
before times were the good times but now times have changed and we muslims need to change as well !!!!! its a nu century yaaaar
please we want kut put on !!!!
Yeah I agree with you all especially Ebrahim, lets change everything there is to change about Islam, lets change Islam, come people lets do it TOGETHER .
Let’s keep comments beneficial and constructive.
i love kit pit , the way the the youth talk is portrayed in the script, i was just getting the hang of de lingo , lol and now in madresssa we do mxit under our burkhas learnt a nu trick moulana will never find out , thanks kit pit
ebrahim u go guy !!!
Pardon me if I come across as somewhat crass in this analogy, but if you were to watch a programme on tv that spoke about condom use and how it prevented pregnancies and STD’s, would you be so persuaded by that message that you would go out and have as much sex as you wanted without fear of repercussion? Or would your actions be determined by the values you learnt from lessons dispensed by your parents and teachers?
But that’s just the thing, the show was an attempt at a lesson.
i think just the times should change , there are lil ones also listning to the show.
“When women gossip and dont show respect at funerals, when racist comments are made about black Muslims etc. – then it’s hushed, ignored, and worse – indulged.”
when women gossip etc , it does not make it perissible , everybody knows this happens in funerals etc … and we are gulity at times too . instead of highlighting the bad , and making it a form of entertainment , we should rather find a solution to help the ummat.
If only the uproar over the airing of the shows on the radio station was as loud-and-clear and full of protest when the actual moments of fitnah and wrong are being done!
When women gossip and dont show respect at funerals, when racist comments are made about black Muslims etc. – then it’s hushed, ignored, and worse – indulged.
We’re all guilty of listening, encouraging by engaging and even ignoring these scenarios that Khut Put magnifies….. why not channel the protest when these scenarios come up vociferously, rather than toward the show? Dont shoot the messenger, methinks!
we dont want to teach our children lies , gossip ,disrespect to parents, disrespect to teachers,drugs ,vulger language,bulling, etc we know all this prevelint in our society . y dont cii broadcast the good that the youth are up to ????
again we want to instill good character , good akhlaaq that of our beloved nbi(saw) withn our masoom kids … but with shows like this the child def wont benefit !!!!
no offence , its just my opinion !!
I maintain – who is teaching your children about the world if not you. Teaching our children from our own community initiatives far outweighs learning from the outside with no solid background.
I think the show is brilliant,its so real-this is exactly wat happens in our society…its entertaining and educational…its the highlight of my day
You can email messages of support to info@ciinetwork.net
Hi Everyone,
Despite the overwhelming support, it seems this battle is far from won. Will keep you all posted.
I’m listening online. It’s quite interesting. The two lady’s were so real.Unfortunately, I can’t make out a word of what the two young men are saying for the accent! It sounds nice enough in any case. Good work.
Thanks for the backup on this people, it looks like the drama will complete its run:)
too late to vote?
i hope you guys succeed in continuing this “jihad”*
* Hope that doesnt offend the conservatives
the cast of kat pat are good,we all are aware of the reality of life , we know how teenagers talk , we know about drugs etc etc …. wat are we learning from it ???? gossip , lies, to deceive , mixit,slang,
about our youngsters who listion >???? i have kids who are 7 , 11 yrs of age , cii is family radio staion but sadly ….
listion to radio islm drama programe every week end , they use stories of the sahaba , y cant cii do the sme ????
btw , were is the MUFTI AK ????????
swept*
What is ‘Khat Pit’? I love the proper desi saffan accent. you guys say chuckin instead of chicken.
And in regards to Salma and Fuz’s post, it’s exactly the same here, same old BS and it’s all sweeped under the carpet.
I couldn’t get through but there was an overwhelming support:) mabroek
I’ll try now as well. This is so ridiculous Saaleha. I cant believe they are doing this to you.They are stifling the voices of the creative!!
am i too late?
i’l start listening now
Saaleha – amazing talent once again. So proud of you being a part of this brilliant production!
I hope the show completes it running!!! Is it being aired in the morning? 4am repeats? We tried streaming it this morning but it wasn’t on ;/
7pm – we’re off for Taraweeh so miss it!
Online poll? Can then definitely voice my opinion on retaining the show!
SO proud of you guys. Love the satire!
Killa : They didn’t use everything that was in your post – i.e. they chose to leave out the more ‘controversial’ lines.
This is so typical and upsetting.
I hate how everyone wants to sweep this under the mat.
I hope it comes right Saaleha, I really do.
Are u using the gaan maar issues as well..
Thats the same station that used some of my material last week..
Talk about double standards
I wonder how come the readers didnt complain then..
A bit at a tangent here – but when I read Khat Pit I assumed you were referring to the dens where a narcotic herb is chewed by Yemeni and Somali guys (yet to come across a report of women chewing any) to get high.
Perhaps a story idea; the goings on at such a ‘pit’ may be quite hilarious, though possibly below the belt for CII and our good community because we just dont do such things!
More humour please
cii is known to be more on the conservative side – they demonised us when we brought the American comedians down two years ago. But they are slowly changing, as are their listeners – perhaps get other scholars to back you guys up:)
See here for some tips:) http://bilalsblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/jokes-at-mosque-this-friday.html
p.s we funny people need to stick together
That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. This just another part of the Muslim community’s “delusion of grandeur”. As youngsters we’re brainwashed into believing that Muslims are the best of people, the most moral. And then you grow up and you realize actually, this man is beating his wife, that husband is calling on prostitutes, this uncle is sexually abusing that one’s child, that one’s son is influencing mine to take tik and dagga, and this one’s husband can’t go a day without his Heineken. Let’s not get into the wife-swapping stories. Shockingly, these are all *real stories* of Muslim people I know.
When one woman, a devout Muslimah, told me about her whoring husband she said “Nobody told me how to deal with this! I didn’t think Muslim men did this!”. Her aunties told her to suck it up. Nobody said anything to the husband. That is the reality of life in the Muslim community. We have a veneer of piety and all the horrible problems just simmer because people fear it will taint others.
So tell the idiots trying to cancel your show, that rather than letting their children get a massive surprise when they become adults, to confront the *real problems* that young Muslim adults have to deal with each day, and help them learn how to deal with it.
fuz, let me strat off by saying that I agree with you that the stuff you mentioned in your comment is a reality in the Muslim Community.
But;
Muslims are the best of People and we are the Most moral. The fact that some do some crazy stuff does not qualify a statement like the one you made. You must be proud to be a Muslim.