SBS doco last night

[Heaven]

Cutting Edge: Embedded with Sheik Hilaly


A young man decides to move in with Australia?s most controversial Muslim figure, Sheik Taj El Hilaly, in order to learn more about the cleric, Islam and the Australian-Muslim community.


Dave Zwolenski is 26 years old and likes girls and drinking beer. Raised a Catholic, these days he prefers to stay away from religion altogether. Sheik Hilaly is 66, born in Egypt and a devote Muslim. He likes praying and drinking ?man tea? (his own special blend). Together, Dave and the Sheik form an odd couple, but for the next few weeks they are going to be inseparable.

Arriving at Sheik Hilaly?s house in the Sydney suburb of Lakemba, Dave is a little apprehensive about what the next few weeks may have in store. Sheik Taj El Hilaly is after all, the ex-Mufti of Australia who made national headlines for his comments regarding scantily dressed woman. But Dave is determined to uncover the man behind the controversy, and attempt to better understand Islam and the Australian-Muslim culture in the process.

As part of Dave?s experience, the Sheik insists that he observe all Muslim practices, which includes praying 5 times a day, attending mosque and no bacon! Dave also discovers a few surprises when it comes to the Sheiks rules concerning hygiene?

To gain a better understanding of the Islamic community in Australia, Dave speaks to the Sheik?s good friend, boxer Anthony Mundine about his conversion, a newly-wed couple on relationships and a young woman about freedom of choice.

In a bid to find out why some Australians are so afraid of Islam, Dave travels to Camden in south west Sydney where earlier this year, locals rejected a plan to build a Muslim school in the area. There, Dave meets with anti-Islamic activist Katie McCullough, a woman who caused a bit of a stir of her own when she voiced her strong opposition to Muslims living in her community.

Back in Lakemba, Dave and the Sheik?s unconventional relationship blossoms and it seems the pair is becoming unlikely friends. But all this could end when, over a cup of ?man tea?, Dave decides to confront the Sheik about the comments that made him infamous to the Australian public.

Embedded with Sheik Hilaly uses comical observational moments, created by a clash of cultures, in order to examine some of the bigger issues that have, and continue to, divide the community.

Did anyone watch this last night?? Would love to know what you thought about it and if you thought it represented Islam correctly??

[Kitt3n]

I thought it was great - first time I havent fallen asleep watching tv in a while!

To be presented with such an unbiased, open view was like a breath of fresh air. The Sheik had such a humble home! He was presented as a humble, loving man - his personality seemed nothing like what was reported in the mainstream news (yay go murdoch).

I thought it was cute the way he loves Lakemba so much, made me want to squeeze his cheeks.

[Aimz]

I thought it was cute the way he loves Lakemba so much, made me want to squeeze his cheeks.

Hehe

I thought it was good as well - DH and I were glued to the TV for the whole thing - which is very unlike him.

[Heaven]

I thought it was great too, it was so interesting.

But I have a question (of course, you know me, )
It's about the hijab (I think that's the right word). Anyway, lots of non-muslims have the idea that women are made to wear the hijab, etc, etc. But from being on BB we know from the lovely muslim ladies on here that this is not the case and it is the womans choice if she wants to wear it or not and completely her decision.

But on this program what was with the couple who just got married? Dave was asking them about the wife wearing the hijab (which she wasn't at the time). And the husband was saying he would like her to put it on in the future (which she agreed with) and Dave asked what would happen if she decided she didn't want to wear it. And the husband said that he would want her to wear it and would tell her to wear it and he said something like 'if I asked her 3 times to put it on and she didn't then I would leave her'. They were saying that it's his duty to get her to wear it because otherwise she is causing him to sin??
Now I am confused because from the way they were speaking I thought it came across that he would pressure her into wearing it (this wasn't happening tho b/c she wanted to). Did they just not explain it very well? What is going on? Can someone explain better for me? I was worried after seeing this bit that it would also perpetuate the view that some people have that muslim women are 'opressed'. Anyways, it just totally confused me as you can tell, would be good if someone could explain!

Also, we saw the couple have a sort of 'arranged' marriage? That's not quite the right word though...I don't know how to explain. Is this how is usually happens or were we seeing a more 'strict' group of the muslim community? And is is true that a muslim woman can not marry a non-muslim man but a muslim man can marry a non-muslim woman?

[Heaven]

lol, that song at the end was funny

[Girl-23]

SaraJane,

I only watched the last 10 minutes of the program. Firstly, I would like to discuss the topic of arranged marriages. Sara, you need to understand that arrange marriages takes place in cultures where dating is not prevalent. In some cultures, it is tradition handed down through many generations. Yes, some Muslims practice it. Why? Because of cultural influences or simply the parents wanting the best for their child/ren. Arrange marriages is a form of costume, respect to the family, not a religious obligation. Arrange marriages are not always practiced by strict Muslims or moderate Muslims. Surely, you cannot be that ignorant and believe only Muslims practice it when Hindus are notorious for the practice of arranged marriages. Japanese, Chinese and Indians also have this practice. Statistically, arrange marriages last longer than love marriages. In Islam, arrange marriages are allowed, only when both parties agree. If the Muslim sister refuses, the marriage is invalid.

Yes, it is true, SaraJane. A Muslim man is able to marry a non-Muslim woman however a Muslim woman cannot marry a non-believer. However a Muslim man can only marry, people of the book, meaning Jews and Christians. He cannot marry a Hindi or Buddhist.

I will be back to reply to the topic of Hijab. I have to go shopping now.

[Visitor3]

SaraJane,

Surely, you cannot be that ignorant and believe only Muslims practice it when Hindus are notorious for the practice of arranged marriages.

Bit harsh Girl22 I don't think SaraJane was asking the question to be ignorant. Infact Ignorance is from the word to ignore (to refuse to take notice of) the condition of knowing something but refusing to take notice of it. I'm pretty sure SaraJane was asking to gain understanding about the topics discussed in the doco?