Islam has its own star turn

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Bright studio spotlights illuminated the faces of four nervous young men, arms linked as they anxiously awaited their fate. Cameramen stood poised, ready to capture the climactic moment. Finally, the chief judge broke the suspense.

Two of the contestants had been eliminated. The other two had taken a step closer to their dream. Winners and losers, each clad in crisp, dark suits and formal black hats, took turns hugging each other.

The competition is called "Imam Muda," or "Young Leader" - a Malaysian venture into religious-themed reality TV.

The basic premise may replicate that of reality shows, but here, inside an auditorium at one of Kuala Lumpur's largest mosques, are notable variations on the successful formula.

Before each episode, the contestants have gathered to recite a prayer, while the challenges they are judged on have included washing corpses in preparation for burial and ensuring that animals are slaughtered according to Islamic principles.

The prize pool, too, offers a clear indication of the detour the show takes from the usual reality show script. Cash and a new car are up for grabs, but the winner, Asyraf bin Mohammad Ridzuan, 26, was also offered a job as an imam, or religious leader, a scholarship to study in Saudi Arabia and an all-expenses-paid pilgrimage to Mecca, Islam's holiest city.

The show, which debuted in May with 10 contestants - whittled down from more than a thousand applicants with backgrounds ranging from banking to farming - built an impressive following among young Malaysians, becoming the most-watched show ever on Astro Oasis, a Muslim lifestyle cable channel.

Some political commentators say the show's popularity reflects the increasing Islamization of this Muslim-majority nation of 28 million. The program's creators are already planning a second season.

Izelan Basar, the show's creator and Astro Oasis's manager, said his aim was to make Islam more appealing to young people.

"In every religion, the toughest challenge is to attract the youth," he said, noting that most of the country's imams were older men.

In preparation for the show, producers surveyed young people about the type of imam they wanted to see in their mosques.

"They said, 'We want someone who can talk on the same wavelength, who can be one of us, an imam who can play football, can talk about the World Cup, can talk about the environment and U.F.O.'s, for example,' " Mr. Izelan said.

Mr. Asyraf, who defeated Hizbur Rahman bin Omar Zuhdi, 27, in the finals in late July, had already worked as an imam for four months. He said he joined the show because he wanted to reach more people and improve his knowledge of Islam.

"I feel so happy and blessed," he said before the finals.

The New York Times