Ahlulbayt TV
| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Ireland, United States, Africa, Middle East, Australia |
| Headquarters | London |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| History | |
| Launched | 17 August 2009 |
| Links | |
| Website | ahlulbayt |
| Availability | |
| Streaming media | |
| Web/Mobile Web | Watch live |
| Roku | ahlulbayt |
| Android App | Play Store |
| iOS App | iTunes |
| OnDemand | ahlulbayt |
Ahlulbayt Television Network is the first exclusively English-language Shia Islamic television channel.[1] The channel was launched with much fanfare on Sky in the UK on 17 August 2009 and two months later on the Galaxy 19 platform covering North America from its London headquarters. A few months into its operations it also expanded to Atlantic Bird 4A (Nilesat) which covers the Middle East and North Africa.[2] The channel now broadcasts by satellite only from Astra 2G at 28.2°E[3]
The nonprofit religious channel, whose name is Arabic for the 'Holy Household', referring to the progeny of the Islamic prophet, Muhammad, is staffed by British professionals from various backgrounds. In an interview in 2004 with a Kuwaiti magazine, Sayed Mahdi al-Modarresi had announced his hopes to launch the channel to "show the true, undistorted nature of Islam and Islamic civilization to the West".[4]
Ahlulbayt TV frequently features prominent Shia Muslims scholars and intellectuals including Sayed Fadhel Milani, Sayed Mahdi Modarresi, Sayed Mustafa Qazwini, Sayed Mohammad Rizvi, Sayed Mohammed Mousawi, Rebecca Masterton, Zahra Al Alawi, Amina Inloes, as well as others, and also broadcast live video feeds from the Holy City of Karbala.
The network's line-up includes several live call-in shows featuring guests who are invited to discuss religious and social matters. The channel, which seems to enjoy great popularity amongst Western-born Muslim youths, was also featured in Shelina Janmohamed's book Generation M: Young Muslims Changing the World.[5] The channel preaches moderation and has several shows dedicated to women, presented by females from various backgrounds. "Reverts World" is also a weekly show dedicated to highlighting the challenges faced by converts. Its stated aim is to "serve the new generation of Muslims living in the West, addressing contemporary issues through cutting-edge programming and world-class shows" [1]
In early 2010 the channel launched its on-screen news ticker which frequently condemned "terrorist attacks" and extremist statements. To refocus the channel towards its religious and cultural ethos, the news ticker has since been taken down.
The channel's financial backing comes from viewers' donations and frequently asks viewers to partner with it in addition to ads and sponsorships.
Programming
Current shows
| Program | Host(s) | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Carter | London | Behind the Headlines brings together experts, analysts and luminaries to examine the current week's biggest stories and invite phone calls to engage viewers. | |
| Various | London | An hour of fun-filled children's programming | |
| Various | London | A weekly youth show aimed at 14-19 year olds boys & girls, featuring educational tips, Islamic stories and more. | |
| Ali Ridha Jaffer | London | Eyewitness brings firsthand accounts and expert opinions on the events shaping our lives, from the big picture to the stories around your street. | |
| Rauf Shokoya | London | A show aimed at answering questions via live calls related to Islamic jurisprudence and social issues | |
| Thuha Jabbar | London | A show which discusses food, nutrition, skin, fitness and so much more as well as speaking weekly to healthcare professionals and experts on various health related topics | |
| Esra Al-Tamimi | London | A show which explores different issues from a female perspective. | |
| Various | Various Locations | Reborn speaks to those who have embraced Islam and how they came to where they are. | |
| Murtaza Jaffer | London | A weekly exclusive show about the Awaited Imam Mehdi (atf) with respected guests joins to enlighten the viewers with stories and facts about the Imam the time. | |
| Ali Ridha Jaffer | London | A debate based programme, bringing social and cultural issues to the edge in a no-holds barred interview with special guests. | |
| Zahra Al-Alawi | London | This 10-part documentary series investigates the most controversial issues from pre-marital relations to domestic violence, girls taking off hijab to fashion, marriage to motherhood. | |
| Ahmed Gokal | London | This show delves into the lives of prominent and influential members of our society, asking the questions we all want to ask. | |
| Zahra Al-Alawi, Fatemeh Jami, and Zahira Mamdani | London | A LIVE show that exists as a forum, a solace and a discussion space for the community displaying the Woman's View on some of the most pressing topics from religious to social. | |
| Various | London | An open Q&A forum for all queries related to health & well-being | |
| Various | London | A show providing you with a collection of video content from across the globe. The videos will cover a variety of themes ranging from inspirational to nature. |
References
- ^ a b "Ahlulbayt TV - the Holy Household for Every Household". Archived from the original on 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
- ^ "TV - Ahlulbayt TV - LyngSat Address". Archived from the original on 2010-02-22. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
- ^ Ahlulbayt TV Archived 2018-08-21 at the Wayback Machine www.lyngsat.com. Accessed August 21, 2018
- ^ "التبليغ في العالم الغربي والعالم المسيحي - لقاء مع سماحة السيد مهدي المدرسي". Archived from the original on 2011-07-14. Retrieved 2010-03-12.
- ^ Janmohamed, Shelina (2016-11-24). Generation M: Young Muslims Changing the World. I.B.Tauris. ISBN 9781780769097. Archived from the original on 2016-11-24. Retrieved 2016-11-24.
