MTA 1

MTA 1 Al Ula
Launched	January 1994
Owned by	Ahmadiyya Muslim Community
Picture format	SDTV 4:3
Slogan	Reaching the Corners of the Earth
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English, Urdu, Bengali
Broadcast area	Asia, Europe, North America, Central & South America
Headquarters	United Kingdom
Sister channel(s)	MTA 2 MTA 3
Website	www.mta.tv
Availability
Satellite
AMC-3	11736V 08.333 2/3
Eutelsat 28A	11661H 27500 2/3
AsiaSat 3S	3.760H 2600 7/8
HispaSat 1C	12172H 27.500 3/4
Sky (UK / Ireland)	Channel 787
Streaming media
MTA1 Online	Watch live

MTA 1 also known as MTA Al Ula (English: MTA One) is the first television channel of the MTA International satellite network. It was launched on 1 January 1994. Initially it was named AMP or Ahmadiyya Muslim Presentation. The name was afterwards changed to Muslim Television Ahmadiyya or MTA International. The channel was established by Mirza Tahir Ahmad. It became the First International Muslim channel to broadcast a host of Islamic programming. After the launch of sister channels, the channel was renamed as MTA1. However, it is still loosely referred to as MTA or MTA International. Its programmes are broadcast throughout Europe, North America, South America and Asia. It is also available for live streaming via the Internet. MTA1 is run and voluntarily funded by Ahmadis.

The purpose of the channel was primarily to broadcast the sermons of the Khalifa. It now broadcasts a variety of programs in various global languages for the benefit of the international Muslim Community. Programs include news, sermons, documentaries and even Arabic language learning for children. Programs are broadcast mainly in Urdu, but there are several programs in other languages such as English, Arabic, Bengali, Indonesian, French, Swahili and Hausa. MTA1 is on 24/7 commercial-free with programs for all ages.

Programs

Friday Sermon

See also Friday Sermon

Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, the Caliph and worldwide head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, delivers the Friday Sermon each Friday from the Baitul Futuh Mosuqe in London. MTA broadcasts the Friday Sermon Live with up to 8 simultaneous translations, and also provides an online stream. Through MTA therefore, the Imam is able to address not just the congregation, but also the entire world. It gives the Imam a chance to advise all Muslims at the same time on urgent matters that face them.^[1]

Question and Answer Session

The late fourth Caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hadhrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad in these programs answers questions from guests, in sessions that he held throughout the world. Some of the questions include, why do only women in Islam have to cover themselves? How can there be a prophet after the Prophet Muhammad? What is the future of western society? Are natural disasters a punishment from God? The Caliph’s style of blending deep intellectual knowledge with great humour allows for entertaining and thought provoking programmes, in which he often provides answers to common questions in an entirely new light.the dars e quran sessions are also broadcast many times on the channel. are^[2]

Bustan-e-Waqfe Nau and Gulshan-e-Waqfe Nau

Hadhrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, accompanies Waqfe Nau children in the class in a learning but welcoming environment. There are three types of classes with reference to Gulshan-e-Waqfe Nau.

• Bustan-e-Waqfe Nau: This is with boys and girls under the age of 12
• Gulshan-e-Waqfe Nau Atfal: This is with boys between the ages of 12 and 15
• Gulshan-e-Waqfe Nau Khuddam: This is with boys above the age of 15
• Gulshan-e-Waqfe Nau Nasirat: This is with girls above the age of 12

Intekhab-e-Sukhan

See also Intikhab-e-Sukhan

Intikhab-e-Sukhan is a television program hosted by Mubarak suiddique on MTA that features popular videos and music-free songs of poetry, known as ‘nazms’. The programme allows viewers the opportunity to interact with MTA by sending messages, which are read out live. The program plays the top most requested nazms of the week, as requested by viewers who can vote online, fax, email, or phone live during the programme. The programme begins with a ‘hamd’, beautiful poems to express love and devotion to God, followed by a ‘na’at’, poems written in praise of the Holy Founder of Islam, the Prophet Muhammad. Intikhab-e-Sukhan features poetry from some of the most exceptional poets of past and present. These include couplets from the poetry of the founder of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad and some of his successors. Other poets, such as the outstanding Obaidullah Aleem, also feature regularly.^[3]

Faith Matters

An Interactive program in English which allows viewers the opportunity to ask questions relating to faith in general. Questions asked vary widely in nature.

Rah-e-Huda

See also Rah-e-Huda

An Interactive program in Urdu which allows viewers the opportunity to ask questions relating to specifically Ahmadiyyat. Some of the questions asked include, concerning the second coming of the Messiah in the latter days, the prophecies, the death of Jesus and the Finality of Prophethood. The questions can be asked live via phone, fax, text or email.

Shotter Shondane

An Interactive program in Bengali which allowers viewers the opportunity to ask questions mainly relating to Ahmadiyyat. The questions can be asked via phone or fax.