Ahlulbayt TV

Ahlulbayt TV

Country	United Kingdom
Headquarters	London
Programming
Language(s)	English

Ahlulbayt Television Network is the first and on exclusively English-language Shia Islamic television channel. 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.

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 and American professionals from many different backgrounds. In an interview in 2004 with an online Kuwaiti magazine, Sayed Mahdi al-Modarresi, the channel's founder had announced plans to launch the channel to "show the true, undistorted nature of Islam and Islamic civilization to the West".

Ahlulbayt TV frequently features many prominent Shia Muslims scholars and speakers including Sayed Fadhel Milani, Sayed Mahdi Modarresi, Ummulbanin Merali, Sayed Mustafa Qazwini, the late Barrister Murtaza Lakha, Hajji Mohammed al-Hilli, Sayed Mohammad Razavi, Sayed Zafar Abbas, Sheikh Ali Massoumian, 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 a 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, the channel was also featured in Shelina Janmohamed's book Generation M: Young Muslims Changing the World. 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"

In early 2010 the channel launched its on-screen news ticker which frequently condemns "terrorist attacks" and extremist Wahhabi statements. The news ticker is focused more on Islamic cultural news than political matters but also features headlines about Muslim communities in the UK and USA.

In terms of financial backing Ahlulbayt TV relies on viewers' donations and frequently asks viewers to partner with it "to keep the mission forging ahead" and materialize its stated motto of "bringing the Holy Household into Every Household".

Programming

Current shows

Program	Host(s)	Location	Description
Behind The Headlines	Robert Carter	London	Behind the Headlines is the flagship program of the channel which brings together experts, analysts and luminaries to examine the current week's biggest stories and invite phone calls to make sense of the news and events surrounding your life.
C-ABTV	Various	London	An hour of fun filled facts in bitesize programs as exploring space, a science lab, kitchen and so much more
Elev8	Various	London	A weekly youth show aimed at 14-19 year olds, seeking to elevate youth. With advice for boys & girls, educational tips, Islamic stories and more.
Eyewitness	Ali Ridha Jaffer	London	Eyewitness brings first hand accounts and expert opinions on the events shaping our lives, from the big picture to the stories around your street.
General Q&A	Rauf Shokoya	London	A show aimed at answering questions via live calls related to Islamic Jurisprudence with Sayed Muhammad al Mousawi
Healthy Habits	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
Her Voice	Esra Al-Tamimi	London	A show which explores different avenues of life through a female perspective.
Reborn	Various	Various Locations	Reborn speaks to those among us who have returned to the eternal faith and how they came to where they are.
The Awaited	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.
The Big Question	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.
Troublesome World	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.
Upclose	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.
Woman's View	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.
Your Health Your Faith	Various	London	An open Q&A forum for all queries related to health & well-being
Your Lens	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.

The Team

• Amir Taki

Director

• Shaista Valji

Accounts & Finance

Production Team

• Amir Taki

Executive Producer

• Mustafa Masood

Head of Production & Producer

• Nouri Sardar

Producer

• Murtaza Jaffer

Producer

• Maryam Hilli

Producer

• Ali Al-Basri

Director of Photography

• Subhan Ali Hisbani

Producer & Technician

• Mohammad Zahedi

Technician

• Hussein Sa'ati

Technician

Post-Production Team

• Sayed M H Shahristani

Editor

• Mojtaba Al-Hoseine

Editor

• Mohammad Zahedi

Editor

Playout

• Abir Safa

Scheduling

• Bakar Al-Hassani

Playout

IT & Web

• Jawad Merchant

Systems Administrator

Sales & Marketing

• Hussein Sajjad Hussein

Events & PR Manager

• Sayed Ehsan Kazweni

Sales Account Manager

Research & Development

• Jawad Merchant

Project Manager

International Offices

• Sukeina Bhimji

North America Operations

Presenters

• Rebecca Masterton
• Zahra Al-Alawi
• Abd Al-Rauf Shokoya
• Ali Ridha Jaffer
• Fatemeh Jami
• Narjis Butt
• Sadeqa Jagani
• Raihana Mawjee
• Esra Al-Tamimi
• Thuha Jabbar
• Robert Carter
• Nouri Sardar

External links

• Official site
• Coverage
• The Team
• Council of European Jamaats Press Release
• World Federation of KSIAM Press Release