Our modern culture has embraced mockery of anything and everything to the extent that nothing is off limits, as the idea of the sacred, has by and large been discarded. The elders, parents, teachers, religion have all become regulars on comedy sketches on television and many comedy acts. Mockery has become so much the norm, that when an individual or a group of people has an adverse reaction to it, they’re viewed as uptight, too serious, and lacking a sense of humour or bashers. After all, these are just words – so, take it easy. Right?

MOCKERY refers to an insulting or contemptuous action or speech; a subject of laughter, derision, or sport; a counterfeit appearance; an insincere, contemptible, or impertinent imitation; or something ridiculously or impudently unsuitable.

On 29th October 2012, a serial name “QUBOOL HAI“ went on air and within months it was on top of the charts. When qubool hai started, makers claimed they will break the stereotypes of a Muslim drama and clear misconceptions about Islam. After almost 300+ episodes, do we see any misconception being cleared, infact viewer is now more confused about marriage, divorce & rights of women in Islam. Makers made a mockery of marriage/nikkah just for sake of trp/tvt. I am extremely disappointed about how they are projecting Muslim families specially showing women in bad light and promoting violence to the core. Previously BCCC/IBF warned them in June 2013 and makers ran an apology scroll for a week but I think that was not enough for them because they are continuously showing different ways of violence and showing the wrong side of Islam.

I am enumerating some important points below to support my letter:

1. Qubool Hai, aired on February 14, 2014 On Zee Tv At 9.30 pm showed a Muslim Nikah where the rules of muslim marriage were not met with and they were declared as a married couple.They showed bride’s wali was groom’s mother. In a muslim marriage, bride’s wali has to be a male only, no female can act as wali to the bride. Wali of the bride should not be related to the groom.The bride was not even divorced and she signed two different divorced papers without her knowledge.

2. They showed this Nikah solemnized at a Mausoleum which is also against Muslim Traditions (Episode 341, Feb 14, 2014).

3. They showed that a Qazi solemnized an accidental Nikah between two people who were not aware of their surroundings and were talking on their respective phones to somebody else in a community marriage. It didn’t stop here, afterwards they showed how a group of Islamic leaders forced a girl to sign a nikkah naama against her will without any wali and forced her to share a room with a man who was not her husband because nikkah was not jayaaz. They not only made fun of nikkah but of community marriage as well. (Episode 232 – September 16, 2013)

4.They showed alcohol consumption by Muslims whereas it’s haram for them and they promoted bachelor party which is not a norm in Muslim culture (Episode 333- Feb 04, 2014).

5. Muslim traditions are portrayed in bad light by showing males getting married a second time without informing their first wife. A male who is almost 65 years old married a woman of her daughter’s age who is already pregnant with someone else’s child and a pregnant woman cannot perform Nikah until 3 months after delivery so again nikkah was NAJAYAAZ (Episode 334, Feb 05, 2014).

6. This show also promotes that dark skinned girls are not proper marriage material and they can’t marry without giving dowry and hence their ultimate fate is to attempt suicide (Episode 201, Aug 05, 20137.

7. Recently they showed how badly a dark skinned woman was treated by her in-laws and was finally sent to mental asylum by her mother in-law.

8. Sameera, another character shown in bad light. She has been tortured and abused by her mother in-law and kept behind wall without food and proper treatment.

9. They are promoting premarital sex. A character called Tanveer is pregnant without nikkah. They all come under a condition called ZINNAH ,which is GUNNAH e KABIRA. Agreed tanveer is a negative character but as a woman how can some one stoop so low.

10. In Feb 2014, the male lead tore a card with the name of ALLAH n QURANIC verse written on it and threw it on the floor NAUZUBILLAH. This is highly unacceptable.

11. They are promoting different ways of violence and murder continuously. On Feb 18, 2014 They showed how a man with his first wife and mother tried to kill his second wife only because she has a dark complexion.

12. Offensive behaviour is not limited to onscreen.one of the recent replacement on show address huge fandom as juvenile,blind,question our upbringing and understanding of English .openly gave curse to all the viewers of Hindi tellywood in the name of karma, which is very unethical .Because its not about bashing ,its about accepting criticism.

Only an idle mind and a diseased heart can ever engage in mockery or enjoy it. For only an idle mind not engaged in beneficial work can produce and receive mockery, and only a diseased heart lacking reverence for the Sacred can accept it. I strongly condemn all such violence, abuse, ridicule and mockery of beliefs ,customs and religion on the name of entertainment. Thousands of viewers are hurt by such projection of regressive ideas. Mocking Religion is Immoral Because it Violates Religious Dogma. Mocking Religion is Immoral Because Offending People is Immoral. Mocking Religion is Immoral Because Gratuitously Offending People is Immoral. Mocking Religion in Particular is Immoral Because Religion is Special. Mocking Religion is Immoral Because it Leads to Violence.

Religion is Central to Human Existence, Everyone Is Religious. My sentiments are hurt and I was left with a bad taste in my mouth. This is my appeal to the BCC/IBF to take strong action against the makers and shut this show down as soon as possible. Yes apology is much needed and will be well appreciated.
Makers are giving us poison in the name of entertainment. Please shut this utter crap as soon as possible. On behalf of a large Muslim community, I would urge Zee TV and Gul Khan to take corrective actions to restore the misconceptions about Islam in this serial. This serial is also watched in many Islamic countries and I am sure 4Lions and Zee TV would not want to be remembered for making a mockery of this beautiful religion of the world. A number of us have stopped watching it and I am sure they don’t want lose more viewers from all over the world.

Dr. Sadaf Afzaal
(An avid viewer of Hindi serials and representative of Asian community in UNITED KINGDOM)