CS Alya in short skirt?
Happy_Mummy
Posts: 1,504 Forum Member
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was a bit confused with this episode the other day. Being from a strict muslim family and all that. They are strict with who she dates but they don't say anything about her short mini skirt she was wearing other night. I'm with a Muslim man and I know they feel very strong about what woman wear. They like them to at least dress respectfully in trousers etc. short skirts are a no no. Just thought it's silly of Corrie! They made them come into the show as Muslims feeling strongly about things, e.g Kal and Leanne and now Alya and Gary, but they allow her to dress in this way when in real life they would be telling her to cover with trousers and not show legs etc. 0
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Where have you got the idea they're a strict Muslim family? There's never been any indication of it. Zeedan and Yasmeen were against Leanne because they didn't think she was good enough to replace Kal's deceased wife Jamila (and Zeedan's mum). Yasmeen even named her beloved Community Centre after Jamila. It wasn't because Leanne wasn't a Muslim. Plus, the family was shown partaking in the festive spirit during that family day thing - if they were a strict Muslim family then they wouldn't have bothered with anything remotely Christmassy. As for Gary and Alya - well, I wouldn't want any daughter of mine to go out with a scratter like him either - would you? I can sort of see the family's viewpoint on their relationship.
Having said all that... I find the Nazirs absolutely bloody BOOORRRIIINNG and I wish the writers would either give them some proper depth or get rid. Hell, they'd be more watchable if they were strict with religion and morals!
I've also never once thought they were strict Muslims
And we also saw Yasmeen giving dating advice to Sean. There's no way a conservative Muslim grandmother would be OK with and actively encouraging homosexuality,
On screen, they have been very careful to emphasis that the Nazirs' objections are more to do with his character - violent history, criminal record, poor prospects, recently split from his partner with whom he has a child. We are also meant to assume that Kal knows him from the army and whilst he might have called him a friend, presumably he saw behaviour that he wouldn't want from his daughter's partner.
It's a tricky line that they are taking as we all assume that the real problem is that Gary isn't Muslim but we also see that the Nazirs are clearly not that strict in their practice of their religion.
Too be honest, my family would have been horrified if I'd brought Gary home as my boyfriend! That said, it is hard to sympathise with the Nazirs because they are all incredibly dull - although Sharif has potential I think.
Since all writers and EP's of all the soaps are Christians or do not beleive in any religion then getting the details and beliefs of a particular religion accurate or showing them as many of the religions strict followers do is not going to be a priority.
Which is a shame really because issues such as rape, alcoholism, homosexuality, depression, bullying, child abuse all get a lot of research done before they are shown on soap yet in Eastenders the Masoods are suppose to be a strict muslim family get they are no. Religion just does not get the same emphasisand research put into it in soaps as other stories do that do with other issues.
Someone's religion should not be used as a get-out clause - he did not take into acocunt what his daughter thought whatsoever. It is Alya's life and she should be allowed to make her own decisions (wrong or otherwise) with advice (not instructions) from her family.
If Stuart Blackburn or whoever it was, wanted to bring in the Nazirs for some diversity in soaps, then why couldn't we have had a more conservative muslim family....it would have been a lot more interesting and more topical as well.
But yet, once again, (and it happened with the Ferreiras on EE), they bring in muslim actors, who then proceed to take on white personas, so what actually is the point?
I'd love to watch scenes with the Mother informing the daughter she can't go out with Gary because he isn't a muslim, but Corrie won't do this, as it'll probably be too "risky" for them!
Why are most muslim families in soap usually westernised?
I agree they are Westernized Muslims. They follow the basic principles of their faith (no alcohol, Ramadan) but are not 'slaves' to it - ie they are tolerant and even join in other religious festivals, adopt Western dress etc. They probably would prefer that Alya and Zeedan marry within the faith - people with similar backgrounds to them (ie liberal, Westernized Muslims) but it isn't the be all and end all. A young man that wasn't Muslim they would probably come to terms with (Alys certainly seemed to think they'ds accept Gary if they approached the situation right) but it is more Fary's background (history of violence, criminal record, recently split from last partner with young child, no real career prospects, non professional) that bothers them.
That fact alone would make. Me nervous of her getting involved with my son who i considered vulnerable regardless of race or religion.
So should we excuse people for behaving like this just because they are Muslims?
But if producers actually want to being in "diversity" so much in soaps, then they should do it wholeheartedly instead of only showing one side to muslims, and that is where they're always westernised, relaxed in their religión, wear what they want etc. Why don't they show the other side to them?
My complaint is that they're written basically as white characters. So what actually is the point of bringing them in to the soap in the first place?
BIB Exactly. That's basically the problem.
I agree that the family's opposition to Gary does seem to be as much class-based as race or religion. (I'd like to suggest a white family equivalent but they're possibly the first vaguely middle class family since the Ramsdens.) That said, I do think there is that aspect to it. I imagine they'd expect Alya to have a Muslim wedding and can't see Gary as part of that, there's an ethos of "He's not marriage material so why bother?" Part of me would like to see Gary try and do that, another part would like them to just elope and have done with it.
They don't seem particularly integrated with other members of the Pakistani / Muslim community. You would expect most of their friends to be from a similar background : Kal's friendship with Dev was about the most plausible thing.