UK Channel 4 to broadcast Ramadan call to prayer daily

In an unprecedented and brazenly provocative move, UK Channel 4 has announced that it will broadcast a three-minute call to prayer each day during Ramadan. This will be aired live at 3 a.m. for the full 30-day period of Ramadan which begins on 9th July. The station's website will carry the remaining 4 calls to prayer each day.

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On its launch in 1982, Channel 4 committed itself to providing an alternative to the existing channels, an agenda in part set out by its remit which required the provision of programming to minority groups. It is now owned by a public body established in 1990, coming into operation in 1993. Subsequently its commitment to some alternative programming legally keeps it near the top of the TV guides and channel listings right after BBC 1&2 and ITV1 (channel 3). However it is self funding, so its objectives must be principally commercial. Ralph Lee, head of factual programming for the station said: “Observing the adhan [Islamic call to prayer] on Channel 4 will act as a nationwide tannoy system, a deliberate 'provocation' to all our viewers in the very real sense of the word. The calls to prayer prompt Muslims to carry out quiet moments of worship, but hopefully they'll also make other viewers sit up and notice that this event is taking place.” Prominent religious blogger Archbishop Cranmer (‘his grace’) had a rather different take on things. “Let us be clear about what is going on here: this is Channel 4 simply facilitating Islamic worship. By sounding the adhan, they are fulfilling the function of a muezzin in a mosque. The objective is clear: it is proselytism.”

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A UKIP spokesman agreed with ‘his grace’ saying “This is a priceless piece of attention-seeking. I cannot believe that the majority of mainstream Muslims want to see this. It will inflame community tension.” There is no doubt that Channel 4 intends to grant free air time for the advancement of a religious position. Lee’s argument made in the Radio Times asserts that the “mainstream moderate majority” will be given a voice. Mr. Lee is apparently unaware that Ramadan is practiced in many parts of the world and that specific Islamic media sources in the UK will already carry this programming and more. The broadcaster has a history of showing controversial programming to spark viewer and media reaction, based on what they think needs to be debated, considered etc. In 2008 the president of Iran, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, was asked to give an alternative Christmas Queen’s speech. It lasted seven minutes and sparked almost 300 complaints to OFCOM, the broadcast regulator. OFCOM has passed judgments on stations for significantly lesser offences, such as when a Christian broadcaster had their knuckles wrapped for stating that Westminster was full of devils. But in this case they cleared Channel 4 of any wrong doing. Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society, tried to justify Channel 4’s decision for them by saying: “It seems reasonable that there should be some acknowledgment on TV of the needs of the growing Muslim population in Britain, although one can’t help wondering whether this is just another of Channel Four’s publicity-seeking stunts. Given that the BBC devotes hundreds of hours a year to Christianity, with two or three church services every day on its radio stations, and hardly any mention of minority religions, a few minutes devoted to Islam doesn’t seem unreasonable.” Except that it is unreasonable because the church services televised are deliberately palatable and are from the Anglican Church of which the Queen is head. Broadcasting the adhan, as Cranmer puts it, is akin to “proclaiming the inviolable truth of the Trinity and the Lordship of Christ.” And that’s something the BBC will steer clear of. In fact, ‘his grace’ translates the adhan into Christian-ese and claims it would go something like this: ‘Jesus is Lord and Her Majesty the Queen is the only Supreme Governor on earth of the Church in England and the English Crown shall enjoy all honours, dignities, preeminences, jurisdictions, privileges, authorities, immunities, profits, and commodities to the said dignity.’ Claiming that 5% of Britain will be involved in Ramadan (how many by fear or force we don’t know), Channel 4 is also preparing a short film of two to three minutes, Ramadan Reflections, which will run ahead of each morning's call to prayer. Made by production company Watershed, each showing will "feature a range of voices, from imams to architects, feminists to a former rock chick, each providing some serious Ramadan food for thought". That kind of moderate sacrilege could get the station targeted by Al-Qaeda. Clearly they are on a socio-political agenda to force the acceptance of secularized & westernized Islam. What is not understood by station bosses is that Islam is a political ideology that will not tolerate compromise and will not be forgiving once the useful idiots at the station are no longer, well, useful. Islam is on the march in the UK. Abu Zakariyya, of the radical Islamic Emergency Defence group, said: “We want to see Sharia law in the UK and only God knows if this could be a step towards it.” Groups like Zakariyva’s are only too happy to let Channel 4 move things in the right direction, bowing to political correctness and tip-toeing gently so as not to offend anyone. But they will only use them as long as they are subservient. These people are like the Borg on Star Trek. They will assimilate everybody they come across and convert them to their singular way of thinking. One day, the managers at Channel 4 may be surprised to learn that they will not be receiving any special favours from the cause they’ve helped to promote; only instructions to do more or else.

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