Mon, Jan 8, 2007
Yasir has rented space in the local church under the guise of using it as an office for his construction business, but really is using it as an Islamic mosque for the local Muslim community in addition. This act coincides with the arrival from Toronto of Amaar, who Yasir hired as the new Imam to replace Baber, deemed too orthodox in his views. Amaar's arrival also coincides with the start of Ramadan, a celebration on which there is much community dissent both concerning how to calculate when it begins, and what food should be served after the fast: Fatima wants a traditional goat feast, whereas Sarah, going back to her western roots, wants a lighter meal of cucumber sandwiches. But bigger problems ensue when Reverend Magee and the town finds out about the mosque. Amaar, the new spokesperson for the Islamic faith in Mercy, isn't very proficient in his public relations attempt, in part due to his Toronto background, and makes matters worse after appearing on Fred's radio show. Perhaps Amaar isn't cut out to be an Imam, and he contemplates heading back to Toronto, that is if he can get a one-way ticket back after his supposed terrorist remark on his flight from Toronto. But all is well for Amaar in Mercy when Reverend Magee supports the mosque, just as long the Muslim community is on the up and up with him about their goings-on in the church. Realistically, Reverend Magee does exactly the opposite of Fred's editorials.
Tue, Feb 27, 2007
Yasir's overbearing mother comes to town, wanting Yasir to take a second wife, specifically a widowed woman back in Lebanon. Obviously, Sarah is outraged, not only with her mother-in-law's request, but also with the way that Yasir kowtows to his mother's every wish. Since Yasir, Sarah and Mother Hamoudi can't resolve their problem, Sarah moves out and ends up sleeping in Ann's office. Based on an off the cuff comment by ex-lawyer Amaar, Yasir thinks his solution is to show Mother Hamoudi a fake pre-nuptial agreement between himself and Sarah stating that he can't take another wife. The ruse works on both Mother Hamoudi and Sarah, who moves home. Meanwhile, Reverend Magee is facing a marriage issue of another kind. Johnny and his partner want to get married at the church, which the reverend sanctions. But a gay marriage sparks debate amongst the townsfolk. The Muslim community has its own issues with this marriage. Baber can't and won't pray in a mosque that shares the building with church that welcomes, in Baber's words, drag queers. But finding another building as the mosque proves to be a challenge for him. And as much as Fatima doesn't approve of homosexuality, she agrees to cater the wedding since good food is more important than improper sexual behaviour. Ultimately Johnny and his partner close the issue when they decide to hold their wedding elsewhere, namely in a church in Toronto with a spa that gives free massages. Thus, there won't be any weddings this week in the Mercy Mosque / Mercy Anglican.
Tue, Jan 30, 2007
To reach out to the non-Muslim residents of Mercy, Amaar wants the mosque to hold an open house. First he needs Yasir, through one of his electrician subcontractors, to fix the problem wiring in the mosque. Businessman Yasir doesn't have the time to participate since it's his busy season, but changes his tune once he learns he can hand out business cards at the open house. Trying to cut corners, non-electrician Yasir decides to fix the wiring himself. The mayor loves the idea of the open house, especially since she sees it as a good photo op and can push her tax plan to the attendees. The open house looks to be moving forward and well attended if only because Fatima is catering and despite Fred's anti-Muslim rantings on his radio show. However Fatima, Rayyan and Baber threaten to boycott the event unless each is allowed to make presentations, to which Amaar ultimately but reluctantly agrees. The big event arrives and everything seems to be going smoothly, that is until Yasir's wiring repair job short-circuits and causes a small smoke fire which brings in the fire department and ruins the open house. It's just another bump in the road for the Mercy Mosque.
Sun, Jan 10, 2010
With Yasir away in Lebanon to take care of Mother Hamoudi, Sarah is running Yasir's business, most specifically the church contract, which is already four weeks behind schedule. As the reverend is threatening not to pay because of the delay, Sarah has to crack the whip with the subcontractors. Cracking the whip isn't Sarah's style, but it is Rayyan's. With the church and mosque shut down for the weekend because of the necessary electrical rewiring, Nate suggests to Amaar that he go camping. Despite not being a camping person, Amaar ultimately thinks it is a good idea as it will allow him to be alone and reflect quietly. But he will have to reflect in a noisy environment when Nate, Baber, Faisal and Fred tag along. But in their collective haste, they forget many of the necessary essentials for camping, such as food and shelter. And without transportation (as Joe, their driver, decided to not stay), the fivesome have to decide how to survive the weekend, not only without food and shelter, but also with each other. The fivesome becomes a sixsome when Amaar runs into another Mercyite communing with nature.
Sun, Nov 29, 2009
Amaar inadvertently agrees to an exhibition fund-raising boxing match with Reverend Thorne, who has a boxing background. Reverend Thorne does whatever he can to provoke Amaar, and is so sure of his victory that he makes a wager on the match. Amaar, seeing the boxing match as a metaphor of the battle between the Muslims and Christians, doesn't want to partake. As he progresses in his training, he admits to his trainer, Rayyan, what he really fears. Rayyan, trying to be supportive but still wanting Amaar to go through with the match, comes up with a plan. Will Amaar still go through with it? Meanwhile, Yasir is getting exasperated by Reverend Thorne's constant changes in the church renovations. The last straw for Yasir is after the reverend requests a change after Yasir has already completed that certain aspect of the job. When Yasir finds out that Sarah failed to give him a message beforehand from the reverend about that change, Yasir has to grovel for his job back.
Sun, Mar 14, 2010
Reverend Thorne has finally got his wish: he's managed to kick the Muslims out of Mercy Anglican without looking like the bad guy. The next step is to get Hamoudi Contracting out as well. Amaar goes looking for another space in Mercy for a mosque, and comes up with what looks to be the only solution: the soon to be demolished Mercy Arena. Back at the church, Sarah tries to make life difficult for Reverend Thorne. But Reverend Thorne's life may be difficult enough without Sarah's help as what may be Reverend Thorne's wish is not that of Archbishop Tom Edmonds, who sees Mercy Anglican as the Anglican diocese's jewel in the prairies due to its vision of tolerance. Unaware of what Reverend Thorne has done, the Archbishop is coming for a visit expecting to see the mosque in the church. Before the Archbishop's arrival, Reverend Thorne has to figure a way to get the Muslims back without letting them know he needs them back. Will there be a fairy-tale ending?
Tue, Sep 30, 2008
Rayyan has decided to accept J.J.'s marriage proposal. The Hamoudi household is ecstatic, except for Sarah, if only because she feels that it is the right of the mother of the prospective bride to tell the world that her daughter is getting married. But Yasir has beat her to the punch when he - off the cuff - mentions this fact to the mayor who in turn tells the rest of the townsfolk of Mercy. The only way that Yasir feels he can make it up to Sarah is to find someone - anyone - in Mercy who doesn't know the news so that Sarah can tell him/her. The only other person who is not ecstatic is Amaar, who is in love with Rayyan himself. But he is also confused. As Imam and Rayyan's friend, he feels he has a duty to support his friend both professionally and personally. What's worse is that J.J. needs a place to stay in Mercy and decides Amaar's the most appropriate place. However because of this close contact, Amaar gets some inside information to use against his new roommate: J.J. is a closet smoker, this probably against the wants of his future wife, the doctor. Amaar has to think long and hard about what he should do.
Tue, Feb 6, 2007
Fatima and Rayyan are on a crusade to get a female lifeguard at the pool. Rayyan has suggested to Fatima, who has sprained her knee, that taking the women's aquafit class would help recovery, but as Muslims they cannot appear in their bathing suits in front men. They feel they can't take the class as the lifeguard/aquafit instructor is male Johnny, despite the fact that Johnny is gay and has no interest in Fatima, Rayyan or any woman. The mayor agrees to hire a female lifeguard/aquafit instructor if they can find the money in the city's budget and if Rayyan and Fatima can get 150 signatures on a petition. As Rayyan and Fatima proceed on their mission, Sarah tries to thwart her daughter's task as the money in the budget is coming from a business trip she has planned to China. As such, she tricks Fred into supporting her view, Fred who causes a media maelstrom around the issue of kowtowing to the Muslim community. Rayyan finds out and is angry with her mother. Ultimately, the pool pump breaks and both Sarah's trip to China and the female lifeguard are nixed in order to fix the pump. That means that Fatima will just have to cover up to attend Johnny's aquafit class. Meanwhile, it's Halloween and Fatima's son, Jamal, and Baber's daughter, Layla, want to partake in the western ritual. Fatima allows Jamal to but Baber thinks it's an evil practice. Amaar, wanting to support the youth, allows them to partake under the guise of calling it Halaloween, and they must dress up as items from the Koran. Jamal and Layla's costumes as a fig and olive don't go over well in general, but their escort Baber, wearing his own clothes, becomes the hit of Halloween dressed as "the terrorist".
Sun, Jan 18, 2009
Ann offers Yasir a job as the town's building inspector, a job he accepts if only to approve his own renovations for Rayyan and J.J.'s house. But Ann buries him under a pile of past paperwork, which primarily consists of building infractions around town reported by one, Baber Siddiqui. But also in the overdue file is an actual building inspection. The building ends up not being to code, but what will Yasir do with the bribe he's already unknowingly accepted to approve the building? Ann, who knows about the historic process of bribes within the building inspection department, unwittingly provides Yasir with a wild idea to get out of this situation. Meanwhile, Nate has another buddy outing planned with Amaar: a double date. Amaar has trouble telling his date Jill - who continues to call him "Aimer" - or Nate that dating in the western sense is not allowed in Muslim culture. But Amaar has a change of focus on the situation when he learns that Jill didn't like him.