Ahlulbayt TV
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]
 | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | UK, Ireland, US, East Africa, Middle East, Australia |
| Slogan | The Holy Household for Every Household |
| Headquarters | London |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Ownership | |
| Key people | Mahdi Al Modarrasi Amir Taki |
| History | |
| Launched | 17 August 2009 |
| Links | |
| Website | ahlulbayt |
| Availability | |
| Cable | |
| CTV DAR | Channel 69 |
| CTN MSA | Channel 45 |
| Zuku Cable | Channel 82 |
| Satellite | |
| Sky (UK & Ireland) | Channel 787 |
| Astra 2G (28.2°E) | 11.082 H 22000 5/6 |
| IPTV | |
| Shava TV | Channel 1247 |
| Zaap TV | Channel 544 |
| Jadoo TV | Unknown |
| Streaming media | |
| Web/Mobile Web | Watch live |
| Roku | ahlulbayt |
| Android App | Play Store |
| iOS App | iTunes |
| OnDemand | ahlulbayt |
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".[4]
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, Sheikh 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 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.[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" [6]
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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. | |
| Various | London | An hour of fun filled facts in bitesize programs as exploring space, a science lab, kitchen and so much more | |
| 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. | |
| 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. | |
| Rauf Shokoya | London | A show aimed at answering questions via live calls related to Islamic Jurisprudence with Sayed Muhammad al Mousawi | |
| 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 avenues of life through a female perspective. | |
| Various | Various Locations | Reborn speaks to those among us who have returned to the eternal faith 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. |
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
References
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-10-26. Retrieved 2010-03-12.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-02-22. Retrieved 2010-03-12.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- Ahlulbayt TV Archived 2018-08-21 at the Wayback Machine www.lyngsat.com. Accessed August 21, 2018
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-14. Retrieved 2010-03-12.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- 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.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-25. Retrieved 2010-03-12.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)