Religion and Image: A Visual Analysis of "Samte Khoda" TV program

This paper is trying to answer the question of whether Islam, which is formed based on "word" and "speech" can establish connection with a medium like television which is of visual/pictorial nature. To answer this question, different parts of religion and their relationship with vision was theoretically explained. Here, it was determined that "morals" such as "perceptions" are accounted for in Islamic philosophy. Therefore, to achieve results, "TV picture" must create positive emotional figure out of a "moral act". However in case "beliefs" is the main axis of a religious program, then the program is successful if it can provide viewers with different thoughts and visions so they can pick the right vision from among those provided. To evaluate this theoretical framework through the criticism of the existing experiences, "Samte Khoda" which is a famous talk show was considered. Conducted using typology method, this qualitative research specifies that "Samte Khoda", in terms of color and light ،decoration and eyeful visual effects attempts to create a positive emotional atmosphere for a religious dialogue about morals, although it is unsuccessful in terms of the motion picture, changing camera angles, and picture combinations and hence, creating a program fitted with TV's nature of motion picture and remains only a dialogue based talk show. Besides, since it provides religious beliefs unilaterally and only from one point of view, it cannot be useful enough in the realm of faith and beliefs, and only the "question and answer" part of the show can partially compensate for this short coming.