ISLAMIC
FILM, MUSIC, FASHION AND INSURANCE: THE
GROWING INDUSTRIES
by
Syarif Hidayat
After
the Islamic banking (sharia banking) system has been wide gaining recognition in the
western world. Now the Islamic Film, Music and fashion as well as insurance
industries are entering the world arena confidently with significant progresses
here and there.
Omar
Shahid in his article titled “Halalywood: enter the Islamic entertainment
industry” published in www.aquila-style.com
writes
We’ve
all heard of Hollywood and Bollywood. Some of you may have even heard of
Lollywood (the Pakistani version) and Nollywood (the Nigerian version). But
what about Halalywood? No? Well, as of 2014, you probably will. American actor
and comedian Omar Regan, who has appeared in films such as Rush Hour 2, has set
out to create a halal-certified film industry for Muslims.
“There
are around 2 billion Muslims around the world and there is nobody catering for
us and our stories. So I left Hollywood and I’m going Halalywood!” Regan says
in a video encouraging people to donate to his Kickstarter project.
“Here
is our mission: we are going to provide halal entertainment, that’s
entertainment we [Muslims] can relate to. Secondly, we want to re-educate the
masses about Muslims and Islam. Thirdly, it will provide a platform for young
Muslim writers, actors and directors, where they can go and get their stories
made and they won’t be turned away,” he says.
Regan
is set to release his first movie American Sharia, a comedy/action film about
rogue government officials using Islamophobia to maintain power, later this
year. However, the up and coming Islamic Film Industry is just one of the many
new and emerging scenes being created.
Reacting
to the world they see around them, a new generation of young, modern Muslims
are carving out new ways to entertain themselves – yet remain loyal to their
faith. This new generation is showing that Islam and entertainment can go hand
in hand. Along the way, they are shattering stereotypes about what it means to
be Muslim in today’s world.
Alternative
to the mainstream music industry
Of
course, many of these emerging subcultures have been criticised by conservative
Muslims as “unIslamic” for swerving away from traditional and accepted forms of
entertainment. One such example is the Islamic Music Industry: launched ten
years ago and although growing in approval by many Muslims, it is still
attacked because of the use of musical instruments, which some see as haram.
Awakening
Records, a UK-based publishing house and record label founded in 2000, saw that
Muslims were craving an alternative to the mainstream music industry. Instead
of the sexually explicit, violent and misogynistic lyrics in many mainstream
songs, Awakening decided to provide a modern, faith-driven alternative.
Their
first signing was the British-Azeri singer Sami Yusuf, who in 2003 shot to
stardom with his debut album Al Mu’allim. Yusuf’s success was so extraordinary
and sudden, it caught Awakening by surprise – he was soon labelled “Islam’s
biggest rockstar” by Time magazine in 2006.
But
after a famous fallout with Awakening in 2008, Yusuf, 33, later left the record
label. Today, he is still among the most popular Islamic musicians in the world
as he continues to produce Muslim-friendly music. Yusuf’s departure, however,
gave rise to another star. Maher Zain, 32, coming from the mainstream music
scene and working with the likes of Lady Gaga, had a change of heart in 2007.
He fully embraced his Islamic faith and soon signed to Awakening.
Today,
with two multi-platinum albums under his belt, along with Yusuf he has
catapulted Islamic music into millions of Muslim houses worldwide.
As
Islamic music continues to grow, it is slowly being introduced to non-Muslims,
too. Yusuf has self-coined a genre called Spiritique, which he says is more
spiritual than religious and hopes for it to transcend race and religion.
Similarly, Saif Adam, an increasingly popular UK-born Muslim artist, aims to
produce music for Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
“Conscious
hip-hop”, or political hip-hop
Many
Muslims are also flocking to music that is often termed “conscious hip-hop”, or
political hip-hop. While this type of music is not Islamic per se, the fight
against oppression and the promotion of social justice is at its core. This
genre is also used as a medium to support and bring attention to certain
causes, whether Palestine or Syria. This, again, is seen as a better
alternative to “the mainstream”.
Comedy,
like music, also has the ability to transcend religion. In the US, the
American-Palestinian Muslim comedian Yousef Erakat, who launched the YouTube
channel FouseyTube in 2011, has well over 150 million views for his comedy
sketches. His videos range from light-hearted religious content such as funny
things Muslims do while praying, to playing pranks on the public, to tackling
serious social issues like homelessness and bullying.
Meanwhile
in the UK, 28-year-old Humza Arshad’s YouTube series Diary of a Badman, which
began in 2010, has also made him into something of an Internet celebrity.
Arshad’s videos satirise British Asian culture by chronicling a fictionalised
version of himself and his relationships with friends and family.
Hijab
fashionista trend
However,
one of the most interesting subcultures to have emerged recently is the makeup
and hijab fashionista trend. A cursory glance on YouTube typing in the words
“hijab tutorial” will expose a whole new world where many young Muslim women
will go to learn how to wear different styles of hijabs, apply make up and wear
fashion accessories. One of the most popular names in this scene is YazTheSpaz
– a hijab, fashion and makeup stylist – who is also set to appear in American
Sharia.
Last
year, we also saw female Islamic fashion reach new heights – whether it was the
Indonesia Islamic Fashion Fair or the Hijab Fashion Week in London. While this
April, Aquila Style will host the Pearl Daisy Asia Tour 2014, which will
celebrate the best in fashion and arts.
And
who could forget Mipsterz? The video, released late last year to a barrage of
controversy, showed a group of young Muslim women on skateboards, in high
heels, wearing the hijab to the beat of Jay Z’s Somewhere in America. However,
not all the feedback was negative. Noor, one of the women featured in the
video, said she received positive feedback from people who once thought the
hijab was “oppressive” and “disempowering”.
But
what are behind these trends? And why are Muslims now reasserting their faith
in new, innovative and creative ways?
The
obvious is the advent and widespread use of social media, which has made these
forms of entertainment possible. Then there’s 9/11 and the constant media
coverage that ensued – impacting the way Muslims are perceived and perceive
themselves. Many young Muslims across the world, growing up in a profoundly
different time to their parents, are interpreting and exerting their religion
in new ways. This perhaps explains why it’s young Muslims who are spearheading
most of these trends. You could even say a young Muslim revolt is taking shape.
As
many societies seemingly turn away from religious values, Muslims are doing all
they can to provide their co-religionists with their own niche – one that is
cool, modern and, for the most part, Islam-friendly.
The
upcoming “Islamic music industry”
On
another article titled “The upcoming “Islamic music industry”
published in http://m.aljazeera.com,
Omar Shahid writes Ten years ago, a young and unassuming British-Azerbaijani,
who’d recently had a spiritual awakening, released an album that catapulted him
to stardom. Sami Yusuf, now 33, is known throughout the Muslim world for his
spiritual songs about Islam. At the peak of his career, following the release
of his 2005 album “My Ummah”, he was heralded as “Islam’s biggest rockstar”.
For
many years, Muslims have been yearning for an alternative to the spiritually
devoid content of popular mainstream music. An inevitable outcome has ensued:
the beginning of the Islamic music industry.
The
industry, however, is still in its
infancy, with a small amount of artists competing and only one major record
label, Awakening Records.
Music,
however, is a controversial topic in Islamic jurisprudence, with many
conservative Muslims rejecting its permissibility. In 2006, for example,
journalist and former Taliban captive Yvonne Ridley (a convert to Islam)
lambasted Yusuf in an open letter that went viral. The hysteria Yusuf was
creating among his Muslim female fans was a step too far for Ridley.
This mania
“must be creeping around the globe and poisoning the masses”, Ridley said. Despite
this zeal to condemn Islamic music, it was the deeply nuanced and vast nature
of the Islamic tradition with its multitude of interpretations and applications
that has made its growing approval possible.
But
the staunch opposition to Islamic music is symptomatic of a deeper problem.
According to Dr Mohammed Fahim, a London-based imam, with the growth of Wahhabi
Islam in the 20th century, the movement began to fight art in all its forms.
Music is allowed in Islam, he says, providing there isn’t any vulgarity or
obscenity in the singing or dress – something many Muslims, see as a truism.
Muslim
artists are entering into new terrain
Now
is an exciting time for the Islamic music industry. Muslim artists are entering
into new terrain and have the power to dispel negative stereotypes about their
religion.
With
perhaps more fame and, indeed, inner happiness, than he would have found in the
US, Maher Zain, who came through the US music industry and worked with the
likes of Lady Gaga, is today the most well-known Islamic musician worldwide.
Boasting 10 million Facebook followers and more than 100 million views on
Youtube, his transition from secular music to religious, appears a worthwhile
move.
On
November 3, Zain, 32, performed to a packed hall at The Troxy in London. As he
walked onto the stage, wearing trendy attire, colour-coded in blue and black,
he was greeted by rapturous applause and screams by his female admirers.
Singing songs for an hour about peace, unity and God, the show was the final
stop in a 12-city concert tour of the UK and Ireland organised by the British
charity Human Appeal in aid of Syria.
Yes,
some girls screamed, and yes, light sticks were waved rhythmically in the air
while Zain performed. But there was an underlying feeling of warmth, positivity
and it was all carried out, in the most part, in a dignified manner. For those
few hours, Muslims of all ages, including renowned Islamic scholars who were
present, seemed to forget about their worries, they smiled and felt a sense of
shared community spirit.
The
12-city tour – which also featured Awakening’s artists Raef and Harris J - is
evidence of Islamic music being on an unstoppable upward curve. Indeed, as the
Islamic music industry grows, it is producing many new, exciting artists.
London-born Saif Adam, 28, has worked with the likes of Ed Sheeran and Tulisa
Contostavlos but is now rising to prominence among Muslims worldwide. He has
just released his debut album, Heart, inspired by the love he has for his
religion. Adam’s success is representative of change, with mainstream companies
beginning to recognise and endorse him.
Now
is an exciting time for the Islamic music industry. Muslim artists are entering
into new terrain and have the power to dispel negative stereotypes about their
religion. Whether it is American Muslim artist Mo Sabri’s viral song “I believe
in Jesus” or Zain’s songs about peace, never in Islamic history have Muslim
singers commanded the ears of their co-religionists worldwide, had devoted
fans, and sold multi-platinum albums, as is the case with the likes of Zain.
Until
recently, Islamic music, often referred to as nasheed - now a slightly outdated
term – was poorly made and badly marketed. Now we see an industry that is
growing, diversifying and experimenting to fit in with the times in which we
live. There is no problem with people being against Islamic music. Muslims have
the right to believe Islamic music is haram [forbidden] and differences of
opinion in religion are healthy. But Islamic music is here to stay.
Islamic
fashion industry
An
article titled “Islamic fashion industry – $322 billion by 2018” published
in www.albawaba.com says Muslim consumer
expenditure in the clothing / fashion sector will soar to $322 billion by 2018,
from an estimated $224 billion in 2012, said a report.
This
represents the potential Islamic values inspired ‘modest’ clothing market for
Muslims worldwide, said the State of the Global Islamic Economy 2013 Report.
The
report, commissioned by ‘Dubai Capital of the Islamic Economy’ and produced by
Thomson Reuters in collaboration with DinarStandard, was released as part of
the Global Islamic Economy Summit 2013.
There,
however, exists a wide diversity in interpretation and adoption of ‘modesty’
among Muslims across the world.
However,
a convergence of fashion styles for Muslim women is developing through niche
‘Hijab’ and other clothing brands, said the report.
Top
countries with Muslim consumers clothing consumption are Turkey at $25 billion,
followed by Iran at $21 billion, Indonesia at $17 billion, Egypt at $16
billion, Saudi Arabia at $15 billion and Pakistan at $14 billion, based on 2012
data.
Collectively,
the Muslim clothing consumer market is only second after the largest market in
the world – the US, with $494 billion in spending.
The
clothing industry focused on Muslim customers faces many challenges that
include not being able to achieve scale and efficiency, financing, fragmented
cultural preferences, and integrity in adhering to the spirit of ‘modest’
clothing based on Islamic principles.
Key
Opportunities
•
Islamic finance and Halal fashion SME’s:
With a focus on SME development and financing, this sector should be an
important one to consider given its fragmented but large volume activity both
for investors and clothing companies.
•
Developing branded global concepts with Halal integrity: With $200+ billion dollar consumer market, it
is surprising that no focussed global fashion brand based on modest clothing
exists today.
•
OIC exporters/ producers: Clothing
production is a major industry for many of the OIC countries (Bangladesh,
Turkey, Indonesia, Morocco, and Pakistan.)
•
Western Muslim fashion market: Muslims
in Western Europe (Germany, France, UK) and North America collectively spent an
estimated $21 billion on clothing and footwear in 2012. This is a large segment in itself with
relative homogenous clothing patterns.
Islamic
Insurance: a growing industry
Andrea
Felsted in an article titled “Islamic Insurance: a growing industry”
published in Financial Times, writes Islamic insurance has enjoyed strong
growth in recent years, although the period since the global financial crisis
has proved difficult for the rapidly developing industry.
Dominic
Moody, senior vice-president at insurance broker Marsh in the Middle East, says
the market for insurance products compliant with Islamic law – known as Takaful
– is “growing quite phenomenally”, in spite of the downturn.
Expansion
is being driven by two factors: Takaful is strongest in Muslim countries, where
the take-up of insurance has been low historically; and availability is
increasing, as more Takaful insurers are established.
Ernst
& Young says global Takaful contributions totalled $9.15bn in 2010, and are
on course to reach $12bn at the end of this year. The professional services
firm points out they represent only 1 per cent of the global insurance market,
even though Muslims make up 20 per cent of the world’s population. The global
market could reach $25bn by the end of 2015, it says.
But
most Gulf Co-operation Council markets have seen a slowdown in Takaful growth,
with only Saudi Arabia’s market staying strong because of the continued
roll-out of compulsory medical insurance.
According
to Ernst & Young, Saudi Arabia, with Takaful contributions totalling
$3.86bn in 2009, Malaysia with $1.15bn, and the United Arab Emirates with
$640m, were the top three markets.
Dagwood
Ahmedji, head of Islamic financial advisory services at Deloitte, says there is
plenty more potential in the Middle East, for example, from governments making
insurance lines compulsory.
Analysts
believe that for Takaful to reach its potential, it must make inroads into
Europe and the US, and into commercial insurance products. Many international
companies have moved into the market, but more development is needed.
Islamic
reinsurance
One
challenge is to extend the insurance available for commercial lines. Mohammad
Khan, a partner at PwC, and its Islamic finance leader, says that for this to
happen there needs to be well-rated Islamic reinsurance (the insurance that
insurers buy) as well as so-called retrocession reinsurance (reinsurance of
reinsurance).
Mr
Moody says Islamic finance is radiating out from the Middle East to other parts
of the world. However, this is not being matched by equivalent insurance
products. “Islamic finance is pretty much a global industry. There are
challenges when it comes to provide financing for a business in Europe or the
US, because there are limited insurance options, so they have to use regular
insurance. It is not a fully Islamic financing solution,” he says.
A
number of Islamic banks, he says, are setting up branches in Europe and plan to
offer complementary products, for example, a personal accident insurance policy
provided by the bank.
“Islamic
banks are working with insurers to try to create a bancassurance product that
is sharia-compliant,” says Mr Moody. In
the UK, Salaam Halal insurance, the first Islamic insurance company, launched
in 2008. Although it took off initially, it was operating in the ferociously
competitive motor insurance market and closed to new business a year later.
PwC’s
Mr Khan says the tipping-point for Takaful will come when it also appeals to
non-Muslims. “[Takaful] is ethical insurance, and that is the market to go for.
The market in the US, in western countries isn’t just Muslims, and shouldn’t be
restricted to Muslims,”he says.
Other
hurdles include making sure that insurance contracts comply with Islamic
principles and evolving regulations. The
Islamic finance industry has developed its own body, the Islamic Financial
Standards Board, which has tackled issues such as solvency.
Despite
the headwinds, analysts are still upbeat on prospects.
According
to Mr Ahmedji, while the global financial crisis has “damped confidence in
factors such as investment returns, “Takaful is a slow-burn industry. It was
never going to be an overnight phenomenon, because it is about introducing a
new product to the Muslim community.” (HSH)
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