Along the Heated Trail of the Man Who Created Muslim Superheroes

[rug]

An image from “Wham! Bam! Islam!” to be shown on PBS's “Independent Lens” series beginning Thursday.

By GEORGE GENE GUSTINES
Published: October 12, 2011

Muslim children need new role models. That is the message at the heart of The 99, a comic book of superheroes who each exemplify one of the 99 qualities that Muslims believe Allah embodies, like generosity, strength and patience.

The man behind these figures is Naif Al-Mutawa, a Kuwaiti psychologist whose quest to develop, publish and promote them is the subject of “Wham! Bam! Islam!,” the season premiere of PBS’s “Independent Lens” series. (Broadcast nationally on Thursday and in New York on Sunday, it was shown at the New York Film Festival this month.)

The impetus for the comic book came in part from a story Dr. Mutawa heard about a sticker book developed for children in the West Bank. It championed suicide bombers and martyrdom while depicting bloody scenes of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.

“I wanted to reposition Islam for Muslims,” Dr. Mutawa said during a recent interview in New York. “My message was secular, not religious.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/13/arts/television/pbs-to-show-wham-bam-islam-on-independent-lens.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

[TexasProgresive]

1. Download the Origins of the 99 free!

http://www.the99.org/

[Sirveri]

2. heh, saw 99 and thought it was about OWS

[Silent3]

3. 99 qualities?

That list might start with qualities like "generosity, strength and patience", but where do you go from there? Honesty, integrity, intelligence, forgiveness... not too hard to add a few more.

But once you get into the 90s? Good sense of direction? Excellent table manners? Flosses regularly?

[rug]

4. Here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_God_in_Islam#List_of_99_Names_of_God_as_found_in_the_Qur.27an

[Silent3]

5. Hard to turn "The Heir, The Inheritor of All" into a comic book superhero.

Saves the world using his special trust fund powers?

[laconicsax]

6. !

:spray:

[Silent3]

7. Hmmm.... Ar-Rashid

الرشيد

"The Guide to the Right Path". I guess "good sense of direction" is there in the 90s after all. Came in at 98.

Sad there's nothing in the whole list about dancing or credit rating.