Noor (soap opera)
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Gümüş ("Silver") is a Turkish soap opera which was broadcast in Turkey by Kanal D from 2005 to 2007. It was released in the Arab world in 2008 as Noor (Arabic for "light") dubbed in Syrian Arabic. The series has also been shown in Romania on Kanal D Romania with the title Iubire de Argint. The show was unsuccessful in Turkey but became one of the most popular television dramas ever broadcast in Arab countries.¹ Gümüş follows the idealized lives of its "voluptuous, independent and vivacious" title character (Songül Öden) and her attractive, romantic, and supportive husband (known as Muhannad in Arab countries) (Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ).² The show's characters break various Islamic and Arab cultural strictures and it has been criticized by hard-line clerics in the Middle East as a result.¹ The show was dubbed into colloquial Arabic instead of formal Arabic; in the Arab world most foreign shows are subtitled.¹

Popularity

In Saudi Arabia alone, 3-4 million viewers admit to watching the program daily on the Saudi-owned MBC channel. The finale was watched by 85 million people, including more than half the Arab world's adult women.¹ Muhannad is a popular heartthrob.¹

Reception and influence

Noor and Muhannad observe Ramadan and their marriage was arranged by Muhannad's grandfather but the characters break with tradition in other ways. Characters are shown drinking wine with dinner, partying, and kissing onscreen.¹² Female characters don't wear headscarves, and none of the main characters are shown praying.³ Muhannad had sex (and an illegitimate child) before marrying Noor, and one of his cousins has an abortion.³¹ Perhaps most significantly, Noor and Muhannad's marriage is depicted (in an idealized way) as a modern partnership between equals, in which Muhannad supports his wife's career ambitions as a fashion designer.⁴¹ The AP reports that the show "seems particularly effective in changing attitudes because it offers new content in a familiar setting: Turkey is a Muslim country, inviting stronger viewer identification than Western TV imports."⁴

The most conservative of Muslim religionists argue the show is un-Islamic, even though some scenes are toned down for consumption in Arab countries.⁴ Saudi Arabia's leading cleric, Sheik Abdul Aziz al-Asheik, has instructed Muslims to avoid watching the show.¹ Hamed Bitawi, a Hamas legislator and preacher, has also spoken against it.⁴

On September 11th, 2008, Saudi Arabia's top judge Sheikh Saleh al-Luhaidan called for the owners of TV stations broadcasting what he called "immoral" TV programs to be killed. In what amounted to a fatwa, Luhaidan said, "It is lawful to kill... the apostles of depravation... if their evil cannot be easily removed through simple sanctions." The Sheikh, who heads the Kingdom's Supreme Judicial Council, made his remarks last Thursday on a radio program in response to a caller who asked about Islam's view on satellite TV channels that broadcast "bad programs" during Ramadan. The remarks were then rebroadcast by the Saudi-owned satellite TV station Al-Arabiya. "What does the owner of these networks think, when he provides seduction, obscenity and vulgarity?" said Luhaidan. "Those calling for corrupt beliefs, certainly it's permissible to kill them." />

Maternity wards report a rise in the baby names Noor and Mohannad.⁵

Clothing stores throughout the Middle East report brisk sales of blouses and dresses seen on the television series, albeit worn in more conservatives ways such as with leotard underclothing.⁵

The show encouraged Arabs to visit Turkey.⁶

The final episode

In the final episode of the series the time is moved forwards to 13 years later and the audience sees that everyone has grown up and are all living a happy life. The main female character is writing in her diaries about what has happened for the past 13 years and shows us how all the characters have grown up and changed.

References