For some reason, Amr Khaled has always reminded me of Tyler Durden. Or at least what would have happened to Tyler Durden had he been less anarchist and more religious. Perhaps Khaled is a bizarro version of Durden but with the same goals to change the world to something better than what it is now.
Though in the same manner Amr Khaled’s Life Makers program has spread from country to country, and young men and women everywhere are setting up little franchises in their own cities. And obviously the first rule of Life Makers is to talk to everyone about it.
I have been watching the videos of his show for well over a year now. I watch it because in the glamour of plastic “singers” and Arabian pop idols and disgruntled youths of the Arab world, Khaled’s program gives me hope. When I watch Life Makers I find myself constantly thinking, hey, maybe everything in the Arab world has not gone entirely down the tube.
I interviewed a few Jordanians last summer for a feature I wrote in JO Magazine on the Life Makers franchise in Jordan, which has become quite the thing with many university students.
I think it’s also refreshing to see someone, anyone, just getting on TV and saying to young Arabs stop complaining, get off your rears and do something about it. And people have. I know there are also plenty of people who hate him, their reasons ranging from the fact that he’s religious or that he’s not religious enough (depending on who you ask), but I look around and see no one doing anything. Not one Arab leader is supportive of the Arab youth and their conditions, in fact most (if not all) Arab leaders are scared of the Arab youth, and that is reason enough to be scared of Amr Khaled.
When I look around and see that everyone has left the room and only Khaled has stuck around, I can’t help but admire the guy.
A recent example is the launching of a reality TV show through Life Makers which centered on following Hajj pilgrims and their lives 24 hours a day. Sadly I could not see it but when I read about it I was blown away. Is it possible that the Arab world is now offering an alternative to the absurdity that is the likes of Star Academy? I feel like we’ve all been on a junk food high and this is someone saying, hey, here’s a vitamin.
Recently Life Makers established Life Makers Union, an international NGO whose purpose is to raise money to fund Life Makers projects which started out 2 years ago with 1 or 2 and now are about 12,000. These are all projects based on contributions from viewers of Life Makers who submitted ideas to the website and by mail.
Projects like funding little businesses for young people or making use of those empty rooftops by creating gardens. It’s endless.
During 5 days of Hajj Life Makers raised $1.5 million dollars. I think that may be the biggest fundraising record in the history of the Arab world, especially in such a small period of time.
There are just not enough moderate voices in the Muslim world. Khaled does not pretend to be a preacher and repeatedly says he does not go on TV to make things haram or halal (sins or not). He does not have credentials as a mufti but you really don’t need any to tell people what’s written in a history book, you simply need to be able to read and comprehend. Compare this to people who actually do have the credintials and say the stupidest things just to stir up controversy and get themselves on TV or in the papers.
He’s not a politicians, he’s not a mufti, he’s not an actor, and he’s not a lawyer.
He’s just a guy, talking to other guys and telling them to do something with their lives.
Maybe that’s what makes him so appealing to some and so unlikable to others.
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Unlike anyone else who talks in spiritual and religious stuff, this guy is a master. Some times down to earth, some times hard to predict, but all time convincing and smart.
Do one have to be rough looking, talking and looking like an ancient mummy to prove that he knows what he is talking about? And what do these guys talk about other than issues covered by dust? If you go and ask the mummies a controversial issue, they will just push you away and tell you “don’t even think that way, otherwise you will go to hell.” Hell, then why did God give us brain for?
Amr came and walked the talk. Unlike all preceding, he approached those who need someone to listen to them.
We need more like him everywhere. Not only in religious issues, but we need people like him in politics, culture, economy, etc…
He is so convincing, if he claims that he is the Messiah, I’ll give it a thought š
PS. I’m not a religious man in anyway. I just respect the man, his style and approach.
I personally think he is a master BUSINESS MAN.I used to think he was such a great moderate religous personality until I saw and heard about some of his business endeavours marketed all in the name of religion such as his highly expensive summer camp trips and I realized..wow that’s one smart business man..everything goes down to money eventually!
I think Amr Khaled is an amazing person. I hate people who like to complicate things and make a million things out of nothing. Amr Khaled is just a person with a passion for his religion. If you understand Islam and read about it then talk about it it shows. Any true muslim can tell who’s faking it or who’s just acting.
I LOVE AMR KAHLED
i think amr khaled is a great figure for he is so endowed with clever soft skills and he is honest , smart , righteous and his aims are all reformaratory as he aspires and wishes that god may grant to the world a universal renaissance in religion , politics , economy and global welfare for all the needy, the poor.he sees that human beings are all equal before god . he is like any ordinary man who aspires for a better world . concerning his program life makers it is based on universal ideals like positiveness , tolerance, activity , altruism , humanism .