Backer - From MTV to Mecca

From MTV to Mecca

In the name of God,

the most merciful,

the most compassionate.

KRISTIANE BACKER

From MTV to Mecca

HOW ISLAM INSPIRED MY LIFE

Contents

Title Page

Foreword by Tariq Ramadan

1. Journey to the East

2. How I Got the Job at MTV

3. Life as an MTV VJ

4. Higher Love

5. Adventure, Discovery and Realisation

6. Over

7. Becoming a Muslim

8. Learning for Life

9. Awakening

10. My Spiritual Path

11. Pledge of Allegiance

12. A New Beginning

13. Islam of the Heart

14. Journey to the Heart: The Hajj

15. Marriage

16. Coming Out as a European Muslim

17. The Journey Continues

Key Tenets of Islam

Glossary

Acknowledgements

Plates

About the Author

Copyright

Foreword by Tariq Ramadan

This book recalls the journey of a woman, Kristiane Backer, who encountered Islam when she was a presenter with MTV. Hers was a world that had no association with religion, was disconnected from Christianity and Islam, far from any kind of spirituality. A world of entertainment, music and pop videos, acting as distraction in our lives, sometimes making us forget the true meaning of life. Whilst Kristiane was working at MTV she began a personal quest, which she describes in her book: how during her travels across the globe, she came across different people who believed in God, and it is through these conversations and experiences that her own spiritual journey towards God gradually began to unfold.

Throughout the book three important dimensions become apparent in the development of Kristianes personal relationship with God. The first is when she moves her focus away from the entertainment industry, where it is easy to forget about ones self, and instead she begins to consider the true meaning of what it is to be a human being. Kristiane knew of physical and emotional love, however, when she discovered the very essence of spirituality, she found a higher love, something beyond human love the love of the Creator. Consequently she recognises the second dimension, the quest for and the real essence of life not only what it means to be a human being, but how each of us must deal with our own life, heart and mind. Kristiane began this journey asking questions, and along the way found new answers about how she might live a more fulfilled, contented and giving life. And finally the third dimension, whereby in returning to God, to the meaning, content and substance of life, and acknowledging the ethical teachings of our faith, one can experience a whole new beginning, start life again, with new love, new responsibility and new objectives.

All of these elements are drawn sensitively step-by-step through Kristianes experiences a very personal account of a conversion, a transformation of the heart, of the meaning of life and of the self.

Kristianes story is rather like the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca the very meaning of which is at first an initiation, where one returns from the periphery to the centre, to God. Kristiane begins to understand that God is the Light in our lives, the essence of love. This love and its light radiate over all other aspects of our lives marital, social, indeed everything relating to the human being, be it people of the same faith or of other backgrounds and religions. This new beginning is a return to the source and to the heart, and this, the very essence of Islamic spirituality, is reflected in Kristianes transformation without her judging or describing what she consciously chose to leave as something which itself is bad, but simply acknowledging that it is about choosing to have a different understanding, of living a new life in closer proximity to God.

On her way, Kristiane encountered limits in behaviour (prohibitions, commands and recommendations) and rituals (praying, fasting etc). From the outside these concepts could be perceived as rules and restrictions that inhibit freedom. Yet as Kristiane takes us through her awakening, we begin to understand that these limits and the discipline that she found in her commitment towards Islam were in fact a way for her to achieve another kind of freedom not freedom of entertainment but freedom of being. By being free as a human being one has an understanding of the dignity needed in other areas of life such as friendship, marriage, sister- and brotherhood and in serving other people. Kristiane explains that this sense helped her to achieve inner stability and gain a better understanding of who she really is and would like to be. This was reached through developing her relationship with God, her love towards God, and understanding that with

such love comes compassion the very essence of living with other human beings.

Kristianes memoir is interesting, indeed poignant. One often hears disturbing stories about Islam and Muslim women being discriminated against and oppressed; yet here is the journey of a woman who shows how converting to Islam gave her a sense of liberation. Liberation from appearances and superficiality towards the true and deep freedom that can be achieved through ones faith without rejecting entertainment per se but giving entertainment life and love, as well as serving and participitating as a human being among other human beings the essence of life and recognising that by serving people one serves God. Through this process of liberation one understands that true freedom is not being able to do whatever you want to do, but asking yourself what you really want and whether you really want what you think you want, if you really are where you want to be?

Kristiane tells the reader that her encounter with Islam changed her life as a human being, as a woman. She had always believed that she was free, yet in fact she realised that this was not the case, so she began her quest towards true freedom and a spiritual life. This is the deepest message of the spiritual dimension of Islam and Kristiane has thoughtfully translated this message through her own story.

From MTV to Mecca is an enlightening book for the Western reader, providing one individuals perspective of Islam. Its focus is not to highlight the problems that exist within our Western societies, rather it suggests that for Muslims, both converts or by birth, Islam can be a solution not a problem

it is freedom, not discrimination; it is participation, not isolation; it is to give not only to take and yes, it is about duties as much as rights. These concepts exist throughout all spiritual and religious traditions and this is where Islam can be understood from within the heart. Kristiane Backer a Westerner, a journalist, a woman converted to Islam and in writing about it she is able to bring the very essence of the Islamic message to the centre of Western societies. This book is not only a bridge, it is reconciliation.

Chapter 1

Journey to the East

River Deep M ountain High

Tina Turner

The stadium was full to bursting point. Miles of stretch limousines clogged the roads leading to the building on Westwood Plaza. Everybody who was anybody on the international music scene had turned up for what was one of the most important events of the year. And there I was, with a small group of colleagues from MTV in London and our Chief Executive, Brent Hansen. I found myself part of a massive audience surrounded by all the music industry greats: record company bosses, PR

people, agents and anyone who was considered important enough to be invited to the 1992 MTV

Video Music Awards in Los Angeles, known as the Oscars for youth.