Dubai The spectacular Arabic drama series based on the life of Omar Bin Al Khattab, who is one of the most important figures in history, particularly in Islam, is going to be shown during Ramadan.
Omar depicts the life of the second of the four Caliphs who ruled after Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) passed away. Al Khattab is considered one of the most influential Muslim rulers in history.
The drama series, which is a joint production of Qatar Television and Middle East Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), is scheduled to be shown during Ramadan. And for the first time in the history of Arabic drama and Arabic television production, it will be watched by people from Indonesia in the Far East to the UK in the west.
“Omar is the biggest drama production ever in the history of the Arabic television,” said Mazen Hayek, MBC group’s official spokesperson.
Also, “it is the first drama series to be dubbed to other languages and shown outside the Arab region,” he told Gulf News.
Already, an agreement has been reached with the privately-owned media giant ATV Company to broadcast the series dubbed in the Turkish language.
Similar talks with Malaysian, Indonesian, French and English companies to show the drama are achieving noticeable progress, Hayek noted.
The drama series is already a topic for discussion on the internet , though not too much were revealed about it.
Several factors are behind the growing popularity of the drama, said officials from both MBC and Qatar TV.
Great impact
“Surely, the drama will have a great impact and attract lots of attention because it revolves around the distinguished character of Omar, may Allah be pleased with him,” said Mohammad Abdul Rahman Al Kawari, Director of Qatar Television. “Since the promo started to appear on television and the different websites started discussing the series,” Al Kawari told Gulf News.
Al Khattab was best known for his justice, which earned him the title “Al Farouq” – the one who distinguishes between right and wrong. Under his rule, the Islamic empire expanded at an unprecedented rate in the east and west.
“The weight of the character and what it symbolises, as well as the noble values it carried” are among the attraction factors to the drama, Hayek said.
Other factors include the cooperation of the two big production television channels and the huge number of audience from Muslims and non-Muslims who are interested in watching such a production, he added.
