Australian Islamic leaders have urged parents to embrace religious cartoons, including an alternative to Peppa Pig set in a “predominately Muslim town”, to avoid youth being corrupted by mainstream children’s shows.
Sheik Shady Alsuleiman, the head of the Australian National Imams Council, has urged followers to favour programs espousing Islamic “principles, ethics and values”.
The council has thrown its support behind One4Kids, a western Sydney company producing children’s shows with Islamic themes. A fundraising campaign has been launched to fund Barakah Hills — an Islamic show pitched as an “alternative” so Muslim children don’t have to watch Peppa Pig.
Barakah Hills tells the story of the Abdullah family in a small town with a predominantly Muslim population. “The masjid (mosque) is the central hub of the town, with Imam Nouradeen as the community leader and role model,” One4Kids says on a fundraising website.
Episodes of the proposed show would include “Daddy gives his first Khutbah” and “Counting in Arabic”. Peppa Pig and brother George are replaced with Muslim children Omar and Laylah.
One4Kids, which has more than 417,000 followers, produces a range of popular Islamic cartoons, using Muslim characters and focusing on prayer, stories of prophets, Ramadan and learning Arabic.
In a forum about Peppa Pig hosted on One4Kids’ Zaky & Friends social page, followers attacked the British program’s “moral values”.
“Peppa Pig is very rude. Please create a cartoon that teaches kids good moral values i.e. sharing, neighbour rights, when it is time for prayer, they should stop everything and go n pray 5 times. No lying, no hitting, no shouting, getting dressed, obey parents, fasting,” Zinat Joosub said.
Nacera Kefil Burekovic suggested a sheep be used for an Islamic version of the show, while other parents conceded their children watched the program.
Subhi Alshaik, a director and producer with One4Kids, told The Australian the Islamic-themed shows provided an alternative to some “rubbish” on television, “things that just don’t really teach children the best things that they need to learn”.
Mr Alshaik said Peppa Pig was “a great show” but there were reports about its themes being “not good” for children, including “teaching kids to be snobs”.
The producer said Barakah Hills would have “simple themes”, such as how cheese is made and children going to their grandparents’ farm.
He said the criticism about Peppa Pig was not because “we hate pigs”. “We just don’t eat them, that’s all, like the Jews and the rest. I’ve patted pigs, I’ve watched Babe, we just don’t eat them,” he said.
Sheik Alsuleiman, who was embroiled in controversy after appearing at a dinner hosted by Malcolm Turnbull despite his strong anti-homosexual views, told supporters to donate to the production of more Islamic cartoons. “These days, in this modern age, our children have been embedded and very well occupied watching different cartoons on TV and it’s our responsibility not to stop them from watching but give them another alternative,” he said.