How an MBC drama shed light on the Makkah attack
Reckoning with a hard-line past, ‘Al-Asoof’ explores the aftermath of one of Saudi Arabia’s most tumultuous events
past five decades, including some of the most controversial events in Saudi history. The series has drawn criticism mainly from conservatives, as veteran columnist Abdulrahman Al-Rashed pointed out in a 2018 column, entitled “Why the fight against Al-Asoof?” “Extremists are against it because they believe it is an attempt to destroy what they built during the following two decades, which they refer to as “the Awakening” — and they are right.”
University professor Fatma Zain told Arab News: “I’ve never been in the early 1980s. Though Jeddah was less conservative than the capital, we still felt it and saw hints of it. The religious police presence was more prominent than before and more women were covered up. After watching the show’s two seasons, I now know the story. I can make sense of it all. The mere name (Juhayman Al-Otaibi) was taboo, and with time it was forgotten. But questions surrounding the terrorist attack still lingered. ‘Al-Asoof ’ provided answers that my generation needed and that the next generation can learn from.” Saudi actor and producer Yagoub Al-Farrhan, who played AlOtaibi in the show’s second season, told Arab News that the series was relevant not only to his generation, but also to future generations.
“In an interview three years ago, I was asked about a character I wanted to play in a biography film. Funnily enough, I said Al-Otaibi,” said Al-Farrhan. “I gathered as much information as I could about his character and mindset, and tried to understand the mentality of someone prepared to commit such an act. That is something all extremists groups have in common, not to mention the narcissistic characteristics and similarities their leaders share.”
Al-Farrhan said that in his portrayal of Al-Otaibi he tried to show the fake religious charisma common among militants. He said that the absence of detailed information about the Makkah siege was a problem. But with help of memoirs written by Nasser Al-Hizaimi, a former member of the extremist group, along with videos and reports, he reached a point where he felt comfortable in the role. “Al-Asoof ” not only told the story of a major event that took place amid a difficult geopolitical climate, but also offered viewers an insight into the Kingdom’s changing society.
“It felt as if we were on a mission,” Al-Farrhan said. “We had many discussions along the way and ended up with all this love for those lost in this incident and other similar incidents, yet grateful for this amazing new era we live in now.”