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CAIRO,
February 21, 2006 (IslamOnline.net) � When world renowned American
talk show host Oprah Winfrey announced a hero voting competition, she
asked people to send true stories about a teacher, a firefighter, a
parent or a relative, who has done something extraordinary for them.
But
many Muslims are voting in the longest-running daytime television talk
show in the United States for Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be
upon him).
"This
is an opportune moment to vote in droves for our prophet on Oprah's
Web site to draw the world attention to our religion and the prophet
of Islam," a young lady using the name Hadeel said in a
contribution to IslamOnline.net Discussion Forum.
She
exhorted other participants in the forum to vote for the prophet in
the world's leading talk show.
Twelve
cartoons, one showing the Prophet with a bomb-shaped turban, were
first published in September by Denmark's mass-circulation daily Jyllands-Posten,
and later reprinted by newspapers in many countries on the ground of
freedom of expression.
The
caricatures, considered blasphemous under Islam, have triggered
massive and sometimes violent demonstrations across the Muslim world,
with no sign of abating.
But
the controversy has also prompted many Muslim minorities worldwide to
launch local campaigns to introduce the prophet to fellow compatriots
and wash away any misconceptions or stereotyped image.
IslamOnline.net
decided earlier in February to launch a multi-lingual Web site to
acquaint non-Muslims with the prophet.
Immediate
Response
Hadeel's
appeal received immediate response from many Muslims.
"It
is a great idea," said a Muslim male who used the name Gogi 48.
"I
visited the Web site and voted for my hero Muhammmad.
"Instead
of voting in Star Academy, go and vote in Oprah's show," he urged
fellow Muslims, referring to one of the hottest incarnations of
reality TV in the Arab world, which was harshly criticized amid cries
of immorality.
None
of the Oprah Winfrey Show could be immediately reached to comment on
the volume of such voting and whether the votes would be disqualified
if they were seen unfitted.
IOL
sent an e-mail to the show through the mail posted on its Web site and
waited for 24 hours for a feedback.
IOL
only received an automated thank-you reply from the Web site,
apologizing for not guaranteeing a personal response due to the volume
of e-mail messages they receive every day.
The
show has asked people to send stories of people who did something
extraordinarily heroic for others, like a neighbor who risked his or
her own life to rescue you from a dangerous situation or perhaps he or
she witnessed an accident and were able to help keep the victims alive
until help arrived.
The
Oprah Winfrey Show (September 6, 1986 - present) is the
longest-running daytime television talk show in the United States, and
is hosted, produced and owned by Oprah Winfrey.
Winfrey
is currently ranked as the most powerful celebrity by Forbes magazine
as well as the ninth most powerful woman in the world.
https://www.oprah.com/plugger/templates/BeOnTheShow.jhtml?ac tion=respond&plugId=198700001
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