Al Hayba

Al Hayba (Arabic: الهيبة‎) is a Syrian-Lebanese drama television series directed by Samer Barqawi and starring Taim Hasan, Nadine Nassib Njeim in Season 1.[1] The series first aired on Middle East Broadcasting Center (MBC) to the Arab world on 27 May 2017. As an Arab Ramadan series, the drama is released during the month of Ramadan. Season 2 was released on MBC in May 2018. Netflix picked up season 1 and provided English, Chinese, Hebrew, French, Spanish, Turkish and Greek subtitles.

Al Hayba
GenreDrama
Created by
  • Sabbah Brothers
  • Cedars Art Production
Developed bySamer Barqawi
Written by
  • Hozan Akko
  • Basem Al Salka
Starring
Country of originLebanon - Syria
Original languagesArabic (Lebanese standard, Lebanese Baalbeki, and Syrian dialects)
No. of seasons4
No. of episodes120 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producerAli and Sadek Sabbah
ProducerSabbah Brothers
Production locationLebanese village near the Lebanese Mountain
Running time45 minutes
Release
Original networkMBC and MTV Lebanon
Original release27 May 2017 (2017-05-27) –
present
External links
Website

The series is set in a fictional Lebanese village of "Al Hayba" near the Lebanese-Syrian border, and is centered around the prominent Lebanese "Sheikh Al Jabal" clan.

Plot

The story follows members of a fictional Lebanese clan, Sheikh Al-Jabal, near the Syrian border. The family is part of a larger tribe that has an ongoing historic feud with the Lebanese Al Said clan in the village of Al Hayba. The two families constantly struggle against one another, along with internal strife. The series is in Lebanese standard dialect, Lebanese Baalbek dialect, and the Syrian dialect of Arabic.

Cast

The cast includes a number of well known and novice Lebanese and Syrian actors and actresses.

Character Actor Actor's name in Arabic script Actor's country of origin
Jabal Taim Hasan تيم حسن  Syria
Alia (Season 1) Nadine Nassib Njeim نادين نسيب نجيم  Lebanon
Nour Rahma (Season 3) Cyrine Abdelnour سيرين عبد النور  Lebanon
Nahed Imran Muna Wassef منى واصف  Syria
Sakher Oweiss Mkhallalati أويس مخللاتي  Syria
Chahine Abdo Chahine عبدو شاهين  Lebanon
Mona Rozina Lazkani روزينا لاذقاني  Syria
Ali (Season 3) Said Serhan سعيد سرحان  Lebanon
Al Shayeb Mohamad Akil محمد عقيل  Lebanon
Majdi Michael Hourani ميشال حوراني  Lebanon
Dr. Ghada Carla Boutros كارلا بطرس  Lebanon
Em Chahine (Chahine's Mother) Kitam Alaham ختام اللحام  Lebanon
Rima Zeinab Hind Khadra زينب هند خضرة  Lebanon
Em Ali Layla Qamri ليلى قمري  Lebanon
Maternal Uncle of Jabal (Nahed's Brother) Najah Safkouni نجاح سفكوني  Syria
Ghazi (Jabal's paternal uncle, & father of Chahine) Khalid Alsayed خالد السيد  Lebanon
Essa "the attorney" Patrick باتريك  Lebanon
Maryam (Season 2) Valerie Abou Chacra فاليري أبو شقرا  Lebanon
Marwa Walaa Alazzam ولاء العزام  Syria
Nimr (Season 4) Adel Karam عادل كرم  Lebanon

Criticism

Regional stereotypes

In 2018, a lawsuit was filed against the show, alleging that it promoted stereotypes of Baalbek as criminal, including widespread drug use and violence.[2] In response, Cedars Art Production referenced the show's disclaimer that all details are fictional. Viewers have linked the show's fictional setting to Baalbeck due to proximity to the Syrian border, use of regional dialect,[3] and history of familial conflicts.[2]

Representations of women and domestic violence

Lead actress Nadine Nassib Njeim turned down the season 2 contract due to lack of her role's prominence and described the show as a predominantly male story.[4]

Critics claim that an episode in which actor Taim Hasan's character beats his wife Sumaya, played by Nicole Saba, normalizes domestic violence.[5]

Season 1

The events of season 1 take place after the second season chronologically. Season 1 follows the story of Alia (played by Nadine Nassib Njeim), a Lebanese woman that lives in Canada with her son Joe (Jabal Jr), and her husband Adel. Adel was born to a Lebanese father Sultan Sheikh Al Jabal, and a Syrian mother Nahed (played by Muna Wassef). Adel passes away in Canada and based on his wishes is brought to Lebanon for burial. Adel's family are of the prominent Sheikh Al Jabal clan located in Al Hayba Lebanon. When Alia meets her deceased husband's family they want to keep her child with them. Her mother-in-law stipulates that she can only stay with her son if she marries her eldest son, Jabal Sr (played by Syrian actor Taim Hasan), Alia's deceased husband's brother. Alia lodges a complaint against the family at the Canadian embassy. Through a series of events, Alia falls in love with Jabal Senior who has many enemies that he, Alia, and his family must face. The season ends with Jabal publicly executing the eldest son of the rival family (Al Said) after causing trouble and leading the police to the village of Al Hayba, all leading up to the events of the third season.

Season 2

Season 2 was released on MBC and MTV Lebanon in May 2018, and included 30 episodes. Nadine Nassib Njeim (Alia) is not in season 2. This season is set 1 year before Season. Jabal's father (Sultan Sheikh Al Jabal) and his brother (Adel Sheikh Al Jabal - Alia's husband) are still alive. His paternal uncle Ghazi Sheikh Al Jabal (Chahine's father) is not imprisoned. The season provides context for the feudal and interfamilial strife.

Season 3

In September 2018, Season 3 (The Harvest) was announced to be another season of Al Hayba, which was eventually released in May 2019, starring Taim Hassan as Jabal Sheikh al Jabal and Cyrine Abdelnour as Nour Rahme. This season is set after season 1, after Chahine is shot, everyone thinks he is dead however Abu Ali realises he is alive and takes him to a hospital in Lebanon with Jabal in secrecy. Jabal then spends his time in Lebanon and he meets Nour, a well known presenter. They both live opposite each other in the building that they both live in. Season 3 also welcomes Ali (Said Serhan), who is the son of Abu Ali. Ali falls in love with the new maid, Marwa she arrives and she tells Jabal that her husband has died (as Marwa's husband was a worker of Jabal) and they fall in love. In the final episode of the series Jabal Sheikh Al Jabal is shot inside his car with Nour and his child, Sultan. This leaves a cliffhanger for the viewers to see if Jabal and his wife and child are alive.

Season 4

In 2019, Season 4 (The Response) was announced to be another season of Al Hayba, starring Taim Hassan as Jabal Sheikh al Jabal, Dima Kandalaft,[6] and Adel Karam.

Broadcast
Country Channel Series premiere Language Title Seasons released
 Middle East Middle East Broadcasting Center and MTV Lebanon May 2017 Arabic Al Hayba Season 1
 Middle East Middle East Broadcasting Center and MTV Lebanon May 2018 Arabic Al Hayba Season 2
 Middle East Middle East Broadcasting Center and MTV Lebanon May 2019 Arabic Al Hayba Season 3
 Middle East Middle East Broadcasting Center and MTV Lebanon November 2020 Arabic Al Hayba Season 4
 Iran MBC Persia June 2020 Persian اعتبار Season 1
 Iran MBC Persia July 2020 Persian اعتبار Season 2
Internationally Netflix September 2018 Arabic (English, French, Spanish, Chinese subtitles) Al Hayba Season 1

References
  1. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 14 October 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2018.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. "Lawyers seek to block popular TV show 'Al Hayba El Awda' - Annahar Staff". An-Nahar. 28 May 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  3. "The controversy over Al Hayba-El Awda: Why now? - Sally Farhat". An-Nahar. 30 May 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  4. "'Al Hayba' director Samer Al Barkawi says the third season is well under way with Cyrine Abdelnour in the lead". The National. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  5. Itani, Amani (12 June 2018). "This Ramadan series encourages domestic abuse, and people are furious". StepFeed. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  6. "هذا هو دور ديما قندلفت في "الهيبة 4"". annahar.com (in Arabic). 24 December 2019.
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