NEWS

History of Theater in Islam
Poetry, Drama, Eulogies
Modern and Ancient
See Below  

History of Theatre

American Muslim Theater has often been very political in scope and used as a Dawah tool.  The earliest expressions were part of the black nationalist and civil rights movements.  These plays were often hard hitting,satirical and critical of the descrepancies is society.  Early playwrights played to large audiences usually on the East coast in New York or West coast in California.

Famous American Muslim Playwrights
  • Imanu Amiri Baraka
  • Aisha Rahman
  • Kalamu ya Salaam
  • Yusef Komunyakaa
  • Sonia Sanchez
  • Marvin X -A Self proclaimed Father of American Muslim Theater

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Theaterical attempts have exploded in the American Muslim Community

Often new attempts at theater reflect the need to tell a story - either a moral story for a  history of a people or place.

In addition American Muslim Theater now includes some elements of the story from Muslim immigrants and their experiences integrating and assimilating their culture in the fabric of  America.  Thus the voice of American Muslim theater has a new militancy and political cry.

Plays performed before uniquely Muslim audiences can vary from being intensely religious to satirical.  Plays performed for the public tend to have some Dawah effort involved.

Although it must be noted: 
  • Islamic Theater are plays that are specifically Islamic in theme and scope
  • Muslims may perform in a play but their presence alone does not make the play Islamic
  • A play with a Muslim character does not automatically qualify as an "Islamic" play
  • Plays written by a Muslims are not automatically classified as "Islamic"
  • Plays written by non-Muslims with their understanding of Islamic concepts, themes, beliefs and principles also does not qualify as Islamic
  • Plays that tell the specific conditions, history or experiences of a particular Muslim ethnic group 'may' be islamic depending on whether Islamic concepts are presented or themed within the play.

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History of Arabian and Middle Eastern Theater

Although Arab theatre - in the sense of stage plays - did not develop until the 19th century, the region has other dramatic traditions  dating back hundreds of years. These include puppetry, storytelling and Ta'ziyah - a type of religious passion play performed in Shi'a communities.

For a variety of reasons, including censorship, theatre has never become an especially popular art form in the Arab countries and the limited number of theatres has led to the development of theatrical troupes who travel in search of audiences.

But this trend is changing.  Although theatrical attempts are varied and uncisciplined, even in Saudi Arabia performances are erupting.  In this conservative region plays for Muslim women for children may be performed in the capital of Riyadh as part of the Eid celebration.  In other parts of the Arab world we see the same.  Many of these plays have a distinct message.  Increasingly Arabs in the diaspora are using theatrical expression to explain and describe the conditions of their homeland and its people.

Probably the best on-line history of Arab theatre is by Roger Allen, extracted from "An Introduction to Arabic Literature" (Cambridge University Press, 2000).

One thing to note however is that for many in the Arab world there is a belief that Islamic Theater and Arab Theater are interchangeable or even one and the same thing.  This is by no means true, but understandable since when one is an Arab, the world automatically assumes that person is also a Muslim.  Naturally a difficulty in distinguishing between a cultural and religious reality that is so intertwined would be difficult, even more so when most of the Arab world is made up of Second and Third World countries.  The Arab culture has had a profound influence on Islamic thought and practice for sure, but many aspects of the Arab culture are not on the continuum of Quranic thought or intention.  Many refer to the propensity in the Arab culture to villanize women in their literature and proverbs, whereas the Quran raises women to a high status of Servants seeking to please their Lord responsible and thinking creatures.

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Ah ....the Poetry

Poetry was one of the first dramatic expressions in the Muslim World.  Even during the prophet age, skilled poets performed.

In Africa, poetic laments were the norm, poets like Nanu Asma told the story of the plight and successes of the Muslims in this region

Islamic poets have long been a part of the dramatic presentation in Islam and range from the poetic wailings and musings of Rumi to the modern poets of Brother Dash
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Puppets
Khayal al-zill ( "shadows of the imagination" or "shadows of fancy") was a popular form of puppetry in medieval Cairo. The plays could be simple or elaborate, serious or farcical, and were appreciated by all classes.

Khayal al-zill was probably similar to the Turkish shadow puppetry known as karagoz (see Karagoz, the traditional shadow theatre of Turkey; Turkish shadow theatre and karagoz.net).
One of the key figures in shadow puppetry was the Iraqi-born poet/playwright Ibn Daniyal (died 1311), three of whose plays survive.
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Storytelling
Widespread illiteracy led to the development of oral folk literature throughout the Middle East in which professional storytellers recounted popular tales - often adding individual touches in the hope of collecting more money from their audience. Some story-tellers would accompany themselves on musical instruments or make dramatic gestures at appropriate points in the tale.

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Ta'ziyah
Ta'ziyah (or Ta'ziyeh) is usually described as a passion play. It is performed in Shi'a communities during the month of Muharram to commemorate the death of the Prophet Muhammad's grandson, Hussain, at the battle of Karbala in AD 680.
"During the first nine days, religious notables recite, with great emotion, details from Hussain's life, while groups of men dance wildly in the streets inflicting wounds upon themselves with chains. On the tenth day, a symbolic coffin is carried in procession, followed by horses, bloodied men, and a steed representing Hussain's war-horse. The long performance, consisting of some forty to fifty scenes, is introduced by lamentations chanted by a male choir, answered by the mourning wail of a female choir." 

Ta'ziyah has not always been regarded favourably by the authorities, since Hussain ccan be regarded as the spiritual leader of the dispossessed.
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For books on the subject we recommend:
The Islamic Drama: Taziyah
by Jamshid Malikpur. Order from amazon.com or amazon.co.uk

Modern Arabic Drama: An Anthology
by Salma Khadra Jayyusi and Roger Allen (editors). or
Short Arabic Plays: An Anthology
by Salma Khadra Jayyusi (editor). Order both from amazon.com or amazon.co.uk

Ibn Daniyal: The Arabic Medieval Shadow Plays 
by Paule Kahle and Derek Hopwood (editors).
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New Arab Playwrights

Arab and Middle Eastern theater in modern times has moved largely away from the spiritually inspiring messages to often political satires of the ills in society and culture. 

This is often because these plays are produced in Europe and America, and or are written by poltical activitist from a particular county.. 

There is also the definition of Islamic plays and writing in general.  There are plays that are Muslim 'authored' but are not inherently religious in nature.  An Islamic play is by definition meant to be religious by design.  An Arab play is at its basic level a play written by an Arab with  themes consistent with this society. 

The vastness of theater in the Middle East really must be explored on an individual level.