My focus is on Islamic da’wa recitations either on cassete tapes, CD”s or television shows like Mustafa Hosny.
People working in stores will close their shops and walk across the street to pray, while others bring to an end their conversations at home and perform ‘wadu’ before prayer. In the small coffee shops in the ‘haras’ of the colloquial neighborhoods of Cairo, men play cards and drink tea while listening to Abd al-Hamid Kishk, one of the leading imams of the da’wa movement. This is every day life for many Muslim, and the interwoven relationship people share with Islam. It’s truly incredible listening to the sermons on cassette tapes, CD’s or even on television. Although there are distinct differences between listening to someone give a du’wa on television compared to listening to it in a taxi cab.
The differences are the mode of consumption. On television, the person is presented in a certain manner to either invoke similiarity and connection, or to project the person as more noble, wise and pious. There is also an emphasis on the set the show is taking place in. How it is presented, decorated and consumed by the audience:;is it creating a sense of peace and harmony or fun and playfil with loud colors that might attract young children or teens. On the other hand, cassette tapes and CD versions of these da’was are distinctly different. The mode of consumption is merely listening to the words of the Imam or Sheikh. In both however, it is a personal setting as well as a collective environment. One is meant to analyze and listen to the words of the Quran, Hadith or the Imam and create discussion and dialouge with others.