oops! you're right Aqdas Miyan! Subscription not prescription... although some of these pirs and maulvis could do with an annual prescription of sodium pentothal and take it before coming on TV!!
they're both wrong imho! if they are clearly saying--'this fundraiser is to raise funds to help our channel keep running' and then someone donates that is fine but saying, 'give me 1000 bucks and i will do a khasoosi dua for you' is not! btw i've noticed that pir siddiqi sahib is now no longer 'shaykh al alam' anymore simply 'pir sahib'
What is the difference between this and some channels that ask for donations so that viewers who watch their shows accrue thawab?
it's sad. i think the saddest comment in the article was not about prayers but the point that money donated for people was not going to the intended recipients. btw, i respect pir siddiqi sahib and he has done a lot of good work but i don't think this kind of fundraising for tv channels is a good method [ummah and takbeer also do it]. why not have an annual prescription fee of say £150 per year? i mean if people want to watch it they will pay up. after all we pay for sky sports and other premium channels. or a monthly fee instead.
Media regulator fines Noor TV £75,000 for encouraging audience members to donate money in return for prayers http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/sep/28/islamic-tv-channel-fined
