![](http://axisoflogic.com/artman/uploads/1/Nour_Matar_right_Sami_Matar_console.jpg) |
Nour Matar, right, has launched Irvine-based One Legacy Radio, a new online Muslim radio station. His brother, Sami Matar, at console, is the chief engineer. The station may be the only English-speaking Muslim radio station broadcasting online 24 hours a day in the Western World.
(H. Lorren Au Jr.) |
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Irvine, California- In light of the Fort Hood killings and recent arrests of suspected
radicalized Virginian youths in Pakistan, perceptions of American
Muslims have taken a beating lately.
Closer to home, recent vandalism at a Costa Mesa Muslim mosque and
an interfaith display in Mission Viejo delivered yet another blow to a
community still reeling from the aftermath of 9/11.
The American Muslim community has endured discrimination, mistrust and hostility, said Nour Matar, an Orange County businessman.
That's why he launched what could be the Western world's first
English-speaking online Muslim radio station from his studio in Irvine.
The 32-year-old hopes the station, carrying talk shows about almost
every aspect of daily life from a Muslim perspective, will not only
improve the well-being of his community but also foster understanding
among non-Muslims.
"As a community we feel very frustrated by the misconception and
misinformation portrayed by the media," Matar said. "We can understand
that there are a lot of bad actions done in the name of Islam. In order
for us to combat that we have to let our voice be heard as Muslims
Americans living in the U.S."
![](http://axisoflogic.com/artman/uploads/1/one_legacy_smart_phone_1.jpg) |
If a listener has a Smartphone, he can tune into One Legacy Radio anywhere including listening while in a car.
(H. Lorren Au Jr.) |
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OneLegacyradio.com can be downloaded as an application on an iPhone, Blackberry or Android,
providing listeners with a daily dose of Islamic teachings on
everything from weight loss to relationship advice at any time of the
day or even the contentious topic of radicalization of Muslim youth.
"We don't just talk about what the Koran says and that's it," Matar
said. "We talk about social issues, but from an Islamic perspective or
Islamic background. We're a place where people can come in and learn
about Islam and to communicate with the Muslim community."
Community leaders and experts say the station is yet another sign of the growing influence of the county's Muslim community.
"This shows the maturity of the American Muslim community (in Orange
County)," said Munira Syed, spokeswoman for the Council on
American-Islamic Relations' local office in Anaheim. "They're more
organized...they're coming of age.''
Orange County has an estimated 150,000 to 200,000 Muslims, Syed said. Many reside in Anaheim and Irvine.
On a recent afternoon, Matar, a Jordan immigrant, urged the radio
hosts to not use as many Arabic words in their greeting to ensure that
non-Arab listeners feel welcome.
That day's taping tackled the issue of how fathers can form a strong
relationship with their children via the teachings of Islam. Matar, a
father of three, listened as the hosts and visitor explained that Islam
urges an intimate and tender relationship between father and child.
On other days, the station hosts talk shows tackling what an older
generation of Muslims may consider taboo, such as pornography, alcohol
and drug abuse. All are forbidden in the teachings of Islam, but Matar
says ignoring the problem doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
That's why, he and his brother Sami Matar, the chief engineer, say they want to tackle the issues head on.
Akbar Ahmed, a leading expert on Islam in America, said it seems
natural that the station originated from the well-established and
well-to-do Muslim community in Irvine.
"I'm not surprised that Muslims are responding in this way, in light
of the area they are in," Ahmed said. "I'll put in the perspective of
what dominates in California, especially Los Angeles-area -- media with
film, radio or television."
Ahmed, chair of Islamic Studies at American University in
Washington, D.C., just completed a book called Journey in America,
about visits he and his team made to a variety of Muslim communities
throughout the country.
In New York, he said, he found Muslims were very nervous, somewhat
paranoid and fearful. Ahmed, who has advised U.S. Army Gen. David
Petraeus, Middle East diplomat Richard Holbrooke, and prominent U.S.
agencies on Islam and foreign policy, said he believes it's because of
that particular community's proximity to the 9/11 attacks.
Here, he discovered a different community.
"In Orange County we found the Muslim community confident, secure
and optimistic about the future," he said. "You could ask why. First
the reason is that they are far from the scene of 911."
Now is a critical time for Muslim Americans, Ahmed said, and the
radio station presents a perfect opportunity to create understanding
among non-Muslims.
"Muslims need to explain themselves and they need to explain Islam,"
he added. "They need to explain their traditions and customs and this
is what they're doing with this station. In that sense it becomes an
important tool."
The idea of a station of this kind had brewed in Matar's brain for
some time, but he hadn't seen it as a sustainable venture until the
advent of the smart phone.
"The idea of smart cell phones became more of an opportunity to
reach out ... We're not just focused to this area but anyone who wants
to listen - all over the world," Matar said about his station's global
reach. Matar's studio is next door to his technology business in Irvine.
While the station is closely followed by more of a young
professional demographic, Matar said he hopes to provide a bridge
between older and younger generations of Muslims. Most shows focus on
health and fitness, relationships and other social issues.
Still, the station doesn't shy away from controversial subjects.
Objection, a civil rights talk show that also offers news analysis,
recently tackled the subject of radicalization of Muslim youth in
America – something Matar calls an issue of concern in the community
and across America.
He said he wants to encourage a "dialogue," allowing people to submit questions by phone and online.
"The idea is to establish a voice for us in the Muslim community,"
Matar said. "Ultimately we want to be the Muslim media outlet in the
U.S. This is just the start."
Visit One Legacy Radio
Orange County Register