Islamic Idol: Music spreading message of faith

Cairo: Flames burst from the stage for a grand entrance, and fake fog swirls around a young man in a white robe.
He clutches the microphone, gazes seriously into the camera and then, accompanied only by drums, he sings.
"I accept Allah as my God, His religion as my religion, and His Messenger as my Messenger," he intones, as the audience, divided into men's and women's sections, claps along with the rhythm.
The singer is a contestant on a new Islamic version of "American Idol," launched to find and promote talent for the Arab world's first Islamic pop music video channel.
The satellite station, 4shbab, Arabic for "For the Youth", is the brainchild of an Egyptian media worker, Ahmad Abu Heiba, who says his mission is to spread the message that observant Muslims can also be modern and in touch with today's world.
"We have failed to deliver this message," Abu Heiba said. "What I am trying to do is to use the universal language of music to show what Islam looks like."
The channel, which was launched in February and can be seen across the Arab world, is a bid to capitalise on a generation of young Muslims who have become more observant but are also raised on Western pop influences.
But it is hard to hit the right balance between conservative and liberal.
So what does Islam look like on 4shbab? There's rock and hip-hop from American and British Muslim bands, singing about the struggles of keeping up with daily prayers or dressing modestly.

The Arab singers tend toward a more romantic pop style: young men with smouldering eyes and flowing shirts sing in the rain about leading a virtuous life, going to mosque and supporting their families, from helping their sisters with homework to taking out the garbage.
Abu Heiba said 4shbab is an antidote to the "lewd" music videos that mainstream channels show.
"We give our kids the shadow of holiness because this is basic in our culture and religion," said Abu Heiba. "But when our kids are exposed to this (un-Islamic) media, it is totally different, they don't feel like they belong to this culture anymore ... their passions are divided."
For the past two months, listeners called in to 4shbab to sing a song on the air, and a panel of experts judged them.
The 12 best, from around the Arab world, won the chance to compete in the finals in front of a live audience of about 300 people in an open air theater at Cairo's historic Citadel.
Reference by:http://www.gulfnews.com/region

A.Q Khan for religious education to students

ATTOCK: Renowned nuclear scientist, Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan has called upon the government to impart religious education to students throughout the country especially FATA along with English and Mathematics.
"Due to poor education system, children are creating law and order situation in the country after falling into the hands of terrorists", he said while addressing a ceremony held at Tameer-e-Millat School in Dhok Haji here on Tuesday.
Dr. Qadeer said that he was a poor man and reached to this position after long struggle and efforts, adding, he made Pakistan a nuclear power and served the government of Pakistan by working sincerely.
"I did the work which I could never think about it", he added.
He advised the students to concentrate on their studies and it is not necessary to become scientists by following in his steps but choose subjects of their own choice.
Dr. Qadeer stressed the parents to educate their children according to their choice and he educated his children according to their choice.
He said good education is not being given to our students due to which they fall in to the hands of terrorists and create law and order situation in the country.
He urged the government to make arrangements for imparting religious education to students throughout the country especially in FATA along with English and Mathematics, it is important to make them technical.