Saudi Arabia: Tash does it again, testing the limit of tolerance

Tash does it again, testing the limit of tolerance Hassna'a Mokhtar | Arab News

GETTING READY: Actors on the sets of Tash ma Tash. (AN photo)   JEDDAH: After a hiatus from broadcasting last Ramadan, the popular Saudi comedy series "Tash ma Tash" is back, once again pushing the buttons that trigger controversy about whether the show goes too far in its humorous sketches of Saudi life that keep millions glued to their television sets after sunset. The third episode of Tash, entitled "Development", boldly addressed the issue of how some officials resist educational development in Saudi Arabia under the pretext of defending the fundamentals of Islam against Western incursion. "The episode was on the barriers that stand in the way of development. It also shed light on some bureaucrats who are no less dangerous than religious extremists," said Yahya Al-Amir, a journalist who wrote the script for the episode. Naser Al-Qasabi, one of the show's stars, played the role of a project manager assigned by the education minister to develop the curriculum. During his meetings with the ministry staff, he was confronted with several arguments regarding the celebration of Saudi National Day. "We're talking about the country and you're talking about the nation. We're talking about Saudis and you're talking about Muslims," said Al-Qasabi in response to some of the conservatives depicted in the episode. Tash is no longer just a serial, says Al-Amir. "It has become an important cultural event as a result of ongoing discussions between Saudis," he said. Not everyone is happy about the message the show conveys, especially when conservatives are the target of satire. "These people are trying to play on religious themes just like they have done in the past," said Abdulaziz Qasim, editor in chief of Roaa, a women's magazine in the Kingdom. "Their attempts are not just naïve, but extremely childish." Past episodes of Tash ma Tash have lampooned subjects such as the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the segregation of the sexes, the male guardianship issue and even the judicial authorities. The show has also made fun of liberal-minded Saudis who live a double life of being good Muslims at home but engaging in forbidden activities when they travel abroad. But it's the satire that targets conservatives that raises the most ire. Speaking to a local newspaper, Abdulmajeed Al-Amri, manager of dawa (Islamic propagation) in Africa at the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Dawa and Guidance, described the team behind Tash Ma Tash as "racists" working to ridicule religion and divide the country. "We're used to the series every Ramadan mocking the Qur'an and Sunnah. The team behind Tash Ma Tash is against patriotism. These people are defaming everything the Kingdom is doing to correct the misconceptions the West has of Muslims and Islam," said Al-Amri. A Saudi professor, who requested anonymity, said the episode on educational development reflects the reality of life in Saudi Arabia that many refuse to accept. "The change some people have resisted so far in the name of religion is the reason for so much struggle Saudis undergo everyday. Education is the key to elevating our minds and characters. In order to serve Islam and our country, we ought to become better and more developed human beings," she said. Tash Ma Tash is back after it went off the air last year when Al-Qasabi and Abdullah Al-Sadhan, the two most recognized actors of the program, announced they were done with the show. Last Ramadan the two actors were seen on a comedy serial called "Children of the Village," which was not well received by the public. Tash Ma Tash, which aired for 13 years on Saudi Channel 1, moved to MBC in 2005.