InfoAnda - Malaysia 'Imam Idol' seeks to put friendly face on Islam

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Yahoo! My Yahoo! Mail More Yahoo! Services Account Options New User? Sign Up Sign In Help Yahoo! Search web search Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Australia China India Indonesia Japan Malaysia Philippines Thailand Vietnam Malaysia 'Imam Idol' seeks to put friendly face on Islam AFP - Sunday, August 1 Send IM Story Print Malaysia 'Imam Idol' seeks to put friendly face on Islam KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - – Malaysia's top "Young Imam" has vowed to soften the stern image of clerics and energise young Muslims after winning a hugely popular TV talent show search for a top young Islamic leader. The show, which attracted worldwide attention, saw 10 finalists tackle tasks such as reciting verses from the Koran, washing corpses and slaughtering sheep according to Islamic rules. Following the reality TV formula of shows such as "American Idol" and "The X Factor," one contestant was eliminated each week until the series drew to a close on Friday night. Religious scholar Muhammad Asyraf Mohammad Ridzuan, who saw off nine rivals to win the "Young Imam" title, said he wanted to reach out to youngsters to spark their interest in the religion. "I want to be an imam who is friendly to the youth, cool, relaxed, able to play with children and engage the elderly," the 26-year-old said after the finale, as he hailed the show as a "victory of Islam". "I want to play football with the kids in my neighbourhood and still be a spiritual leader among them," said the soft-spoken Asyraf, clad in a black long robe over a suit and wearing a white Islamic skullcap. Religious authorities in Malaysia, where more than 60 percent of its 28 million population are Muslim, regularly make headlines with morality raids on hotels and nightclubs, looking for illicit drinking and sex. In a development that alarmed rights activists, three women were caned in February for having sex out of wedlock -- the first time the punishment under Islamic law had been carried out on women in Malaysia. But there is a debate even among Muslim leaders over whether the punishment-based approach is appropriate, or whether they should instead seek to persuade and inspire. The shows' creators said a main reason for the success of the programme was that it has sought to make Islam more appealing to young people. "I think it's because it's breaking a lot of traditions and a lot of stigma about the religion partly because of the title itself, 'Young Imam'," said Zainir Aminullah, editor of pay-TV operator Astro which airs the show. "There is a certain image of an imam, but these boys are handsome, they are well-groomed, they speak well, they are extremely articulate," added Zainir, who said he would consider continuing the show next year. Imams play a broad role in Muslim society, including leading prayers at the mosque and counselling troubled individuals. The 10 finalists, who were chosen from 1,000 candidates, faced written and practical tests on religion each week. They were quarantined in a mosque dormitory and banned from using phones, the Internet and television. They also had to persuade youngsters away from sex and drugs. Even as the show ended, the popularity of the programme continues to rise. Its official Facebook page added 7,500 fans overnight to nearly 60,000 after Friday's finale. "People always tend to associate Islam with terrorism, jihad (holy war) or something very rigid, but look at these young imams and you will realise that perception is wrong," said Fadhilah Salleh, a 25-year-old student. "This is a new phenomenon and it is taking us to somewhere positive," she told AFP. For winner Asyraf, whose immediate plan is to set up a "Young Imam" club to engage the youth through arts and motivational classes, also promised to ditch the traditional, stern image that youths often shy away from. "We represent the first generation of young imams. We want to attract the young, we want to be more open, flexible and approachable as young imams," he said. "All of these are now my new objectives," Asyraf added with a smile. 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