This report analyzes the online video material named “The Adhan. Call to Prayer,” which tells about the Ramadhan month of Muslim people by Channel 4, British TV stream channel (The Adhan (spoken); Call to Prayer). In the given short film, Hassen Rasool, who is believed to be one of the best muezzins in the UK, starred for the delivery of Muslim Call to Prayer. The online visit raises awareness of the culture of the community that is important for more than 1.6 billion people around the world (The United Nations, p. 5). The video includes the feelings of the Muslims in London showing the city from their point of view and giving the idea of their perception. The Muslim population takes up to 3.3 million people (“Muslim population in the UK”).
The thing that interested me the most in the video was the fact that Ramadhan month is different each year. The matter is that in winter the Muslim people fast for a shorter time, while in summer they experience the most challenging time. This fact was impressive for me, because of this inequality, and as I know, Muslim people can choose whether to fast or not depending on their health conditions and situations in life. It means that some people can choose the easy way to pray by fasting only in those Ramadhan months, which are in winter.
The first thing which I have learned is that apart from fasting, people are supposed to build empathy and give charity. Even though it is not astonishing, it affected me as hungry people tend to become angry, and Muslims fight their nature to accomplish their devoir. They need to be firm in their beliefs in order to bear a whole day without any pleasure of eating, drinking, or satisfying their desires. Generally, people believing Islam are rejecting any kind of joy during the daytime in Ramadhan month.
Secondly, I have discovered the unique diversity in London, which cannot be experienced somewhere else. The actor in this short film freely performed Call to Prayer without any pressure from the social institutes. Neither police (which was shown in one of the episodes) nor the members of the society expressed negativity towards the actor. The Muslim community in London are free to recognize and expand their culture in the city where other religion historically dominated. Although respect and inclusiveness can be encountered in every country in the world now, London has its unique representation. These two facts positively affected and impressed me.
Personally speaking, this online visit had a serious impact on my personality, my views, and my moral aims. In the first stage, I am deliberate to fight my weakness of being dependent on the motives and feelings. The instance of Muslims being empathic and generous when they feel hungry and thirsty forced me to reconsider my values and beliefs on the necessity to satisfy my instant desires.
Moreover, I believe that being religious does not ensure the accomplishment of all the rituals. For example, one of the women, who voiced the short film, shared her experience of delight to do something Islamic at least once a year. This woman suggests that it is not obligatory to perform all religious ceremonies to believe in a common faith. Frankly speaking, the values of most of the cults around the world are mainly similar. As a result, I can claim that roughly taking everybody has a collective value with a seemingly align anybody. This statement can be used to make the world nations more united.
At last, this short film by the British streaming company raises awareness and the feeling of inclusiveness among internet users. It makes people desire peace around the world. This mission is essential, given the level of tense international relationships nowadays. Despite the United Nations organizing peacekeeping measures frequently, the conflicts and disorders still arise. And the major part of the Muslim community teaches us to treat each other respectfully, patiently, and give space to pluralism. As I see it, the meaning of fasting and refusing from the desire satisfaction is in the understanding of the importance of well-being and the value of the perks we enjoy every day. This conclusion is to be perceived by all people around the world.
To conclude, the short film is informative about the ritual, or better said, a month of tribute, Ramadhan month. The message that the acting and voice performers convey is profound and worth thinking about thoroughly. As many other cultural phenomena do, Ramadhan month emphasizes the particular values. As for me, this message implied the need for being merciful, considerate, and understanding. While Islam dominates only over part of the world, its values can be abided by an enormous number of people.
Works Cited
- “The Adhan (spoken) | Call to Prayer | Channel 4.” YouTube, uploaded by Channel 4, 2013. Web.
- “Muslim population in the UK.” Office for National Statistics, 2018. Web.
- The United Nations. World Population Prospects 2019 Volume II: Demographic Profiles. Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division, 2019. Web.