For eleven years now, Tash Ma Tash has been a part of Ramadan in Saudi Arabia. Broadcast after Maghreb prayers on Saudi Arabian Television Channel 1, it is the show that family members like to sit together and watch. On the surface, it is ‘comedy’ but in reality, it is more of a social satire. I like to think of it as a barometer and just as a barometer indicates weather conditions, Tash Ma Tash indicates how we Saudis tolerate and accept self-criticism. Over the years, a number of topics have been dealt with on the show; some of them include poor public services, problems in public and private hospitals, the use of wasta (influence) to get things done, bad roads, unemployment, STC’s monopoly, the failings of bureaucracy and so on. The show has dealt with Saudi problems which needed to be brought to public attention; our tendency is always to ignore and overlook the negative aspects but Tash Ma Tash addressed them head-on — and it did so in an amusing and humorous way. The show’s success can be measured by its popularity and by public anticipation of each new season.
The past four years, however, have been critical for the show as producers have struggled to keep the show going. Problems began when a fatwa – a religious edict — was issued by senior sheikhs in the Kingdom who said it was sinful for anyone to watch the show. The sheikhs said it made a mockery of sheikhs and insulted religious figures, failing to accord them due prestige and importance. This particular fatwa followed an episode about judges in Saudi courts — who are all sheikhs. According to the episode, the sheikhs work only 2 or 3 hours a day, even though official working hours are from 8 to 2. Unpleasant as it may be, it was the truth; many sheikhs work far less than is required. Thousands of people requiring signatures or coming with witnesses to courts all over the Kingdom depend on the judges’ presence in order to finish their business. The judges’ absences caused great public inconvenience. Though judges and sheikhs are human and thus should be subject to criticism, for some in the Kingdom, it was too much. The fatwa was issued and the message was clear: criticizing judges is a ‘no-no.’
Despite the fatwa, the show survived. Last year, however, the ultraconservatives were once again displeased. One episode dealt with the hardships women face because of restaurants with signs reading “Entry Forbidden for Women Without Mahram” (a mahram is a legal male guardian — usually a woman’s husband, father or brother.) In other words, an unmarried girl, a divorcee, a widow or a group of women wanting to enjoy a meal together would not be allowed in the restaurant. In Islam, a mahram is required only when a woman performs Haj or Umrah. No other conditions are specified and yet, the religious authorities in Riyadh forced restaurants to accept their ideas which created hardships for a number of Saudi and non-Saudi women. A few days after the episode was broadcast, the scolding began. The local press was flooded with articles, by both conservatives and ultraconservatives, criticizing the Tash Ma Tash team and accusing them of being corrupt, secular and trying to tarnish the Kingdom’s Islamic culture. Once again, however, the show weathered the storm.
Last week, Tash Ma Tash team aired an episode about religious extremism in Saudi public schools. It showed both sides of the coin: A religion teacher in a public school following the prescribed text and preaching tolerance and acceptance of other faiths while another religion teacher in the school preached tafkeer — accusing others of being infidels. He taught his students that they must hate non-Muslims — infidels — and harm them whenever possible. The school principal knew about the religion teacher’s beliefs and his brainwashing of students; because he approved, he said nothing and allowed the teacher to continue. When news reached the principal that the other religion teacher was espousing a tolerant Islam, advising kindness and respect for non-Muslims who do not harm Muslims or fight against them, he went berserk. He summoned supervisors from the Ministry of Education whom he knew shared his beliefs and called the teacher in for interrogation. After being questioned, the religion teacher decided to go to the ministry and complain about extremism. Upon arriving at the ministry, he was shocked to find the official board consisted of the same supervisors who had interrogated him, the principal and the radical religion teacher.
The episode ended there but the message was clear: Students are brainwashed by radical religion teachers in our public schools and the ministry is doing nothing about it. It was also made clear that there are extremists in the ministry itself. So far, feedback has been mild. The ultraconservatives have not criticized the episode even though it has stirred up a great deal of debate. Storms are surely ahead for Tash Ma Tash but the show has proven one thing: We do not like self-criticism. And that is neither healthy nor good.
