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Episodes: All (57)

Season: 1  |  2  |  3  |  4
Year: 2007  |  2008  |  2009

Season 1

Season 1, Episode 1: Little Mosque

Original Air Date—9 January 2007
Yasir has rented space in the local church under the guise of using it as an office for his construction business, but really is using it as an Islamic mosque for the local Muslim community in addition. This act coincides with the arrival from Toronto of Amaar, who Yasir hired as the new Imam to replace Baber, deemed too orthodox in his views. Amaar's arrival also coincides with the start of Ramadan, a celebration on which there is much community dissent both concerning how to calculate when it begins, and what food should be served after the fast: Fatima wants a traditional goat feast, whereas Sarah, going back to her western roots, wants a lighter meal of cucumber sandwiches. But bigger problems ensue when Reverend Magee and the town finds out about the mosque. Amaar, the new spokesperson for the Islamic faith in Mercy, isn't very proficient in his public relations attempt, in part due to his Toronto background, and makes matters worse after appearing on Fred's radio show. Perhaps Amaar isn't cut out to be an Imam, and he contemplates heading back to Toronto, that is if he can get a one-way ticket back after his supposed terrorist remark on his flight from Toronto. But all is well for Amaar in Mercy when Reverend Magee supports the mosque, just as long the Muslim community is on the up and up with him about their goings-on in the church. Realistically, Reverend Magee does exactly the opposite of Fred's editorials.

Season 1, Episode 2: The Barrier

Original Air Date—17 January 2007
Baber is facing a battle of the generations and a battle of the sexes. His daughter Layla, participating in a fund-raising run, is irking her dad with her choice of running attire. She also experiences her first period, which she hides from Baber since that transition into womanhood means that she must now wear a shawl over her head. Rather than face the battle with her right now, he decides to wait until at least next month. At the mosque, his battle of the sexes concerns his want to erect a barrier between the men and women prayer areas. The feminist Rayyan thinks this medieval thinking. Fred even comes to the rally cry for the women of Mercy. However, the situation is not that cut and dry as traditional Muslim Fatima wants the barrier. Finally, Amaar as the Imam, makes his decision: half the mosque will have the barrier, half the mosque will not, so that each person can make up his and her own mind where he/she wants to pray. No one is happy, but as Amaar says, unhappiness is the Muslim way.

Season 1, Episode 3: The Open House

Original Air Date—31 January 2007
To reach out to the non-Muslim residents of Mercy, Amaar wants the mosque to hold an open house. First he needs Yasir, through one of his electrician subcontractors, to fix the problem wiring in the mosque. Businessman Yasir doesn't have the time to participate since it's his busy season, but changes his tune once he learns he can hand out business cards at the open house. Trying to cut corners, non-electrician Yasir decides to fix the wiring himself. The mayor loves the idea of the open house, especially since she sees it as a good photo op and can push her tax plan to the attendees. The open house looks to be moving forward and well attended if only because Fatima is catering and despite Fred's anti-Muslim rantings on his radio show. However Fatima, Rayyan and Baber threaten to boycott the event unless each is allowed to make presentations, to which Amaar ultimately but reluctantly agrees. The big event arrives and everything seems to be going smoothly, that is until Yasir's wiring repair job short-circuits and causes a small smoke fire which brings in the fire department and ruins the open house. It's just another bump in the road for the Mercy Mosque.

Season 1, Episode 4: Swimming Up Stream

Original Air Date—7 February 2007
Fatima and Rayyan are on a crusade to get a female lifeguard at the pool. Rayyan has suggested to Fatima, who has sprained her knee, that taking the women's aquafit class would help recovery, but as Muslims they cannot appear in their bathing suits in front men. They feel they can't take the class as the lifeguard/aquafit instructor is male Johnny, despite the fact that Johnny is gay and has no interest in Fatima, Rayyan or any woman. The mayor agrees to hire a female lifeguard/aquafit instructor if they can find the money in the city's budget and if Rayyan and Fatima can get 150 signatures on a petition. As Rayyan and Fatima proceed on their mission, Sarah tries to thwart her daughter's task as the money in the budget is coming from a business trip she has planned to China. As such, she tricks Fred into supporting her view, Fred who causes a media maelstrom around the issue of kowtowing to the Muslim community. Rayyan finds out and is angry with her mother. Ultimately, the pool pump breaks and both Sarah's trip to China and the female lifeguard are nixed in order to fix the pump. That means that Fatima will just have to cover up to attend Johnny's aquafit class. Meanwhile, it's Halloween and Fatima's son, Jamal, and Baber's daughter, Layla, want to partake in the western ritual. Fatima allows Jamal to but Baber thinks it's an evil practice. Amaar, wanting to support the youth, allows them to partake under the guise of calling it Halaloween, and they must dress up as items from the Koran. Jamal and Layla's costumes as a fig and olive don't go over well in general, but their escort Baber, wearing his own clothes, becomes the hit of Halloween dressed as "the terrorist".

Season 1, Episode 5: The Convert

Original Air Date—14 February 2007
The mosque gains a new convert, a young man who turns out to be an obnoxious religious hardliner who tries even Baber's patience.

Season 1, Episode 6: The Archdeacon Cometh

Original Air Date—21 February 2007
Reverend Magee isn't looking forward to the Archdeacon Gladwin's upcoming visit. The reverend is worried about the increasing money issues due to declining attendance, and he can't let the very strict archdeacon know that what little money is coming in is coming from Muslim rent. Yasir suggests that a full congregation for the archdeacon's sermon would be a good idea, those people being the Muslims. They get a crash course in Christianity from ex-Anglican Sarah, who was as devout a Christian as she is a Muslim. But what's worse is the fact that the archdeacon arrives a few days early. The archdeacon sees the obvious Muslim faces in the congregation but only thinks that the reverend has done a good conversion job. The plan goes awry when Baber, who was not told of the plan, erects a new larger and audio-ized Mercy Mosque sign above the church door just as the archdeacon has finished his service inside. But the archdeacon isn't upset. Rather he extorts the Muslims rent money - he wants to make sure that the archdiocese gets its fair share of the rent money. Utimately it's Yasir who pays the price. Meanwhile, Fred is having lower back problems. He goes to both Fatima and Rayyan for a mixture of traditional Nigerian and western medicine to ease his ailment.

Season 1, Episode 7: Mother-in-Law

Original Air Date—28 February 2007
Yasir's overbearing mother comes to town, wanting Yasir to take a second wife, specifically a widowed woman back in Lebanon. Obviously, Sarah is outraged, not only with her mother-in-law's request, but also with the way that Yasir kowtows to his mother's every wish. Since Yasir, Sarah and Mother Hamoudi can't resolve their problem, Sarah moves out and ends up sleeping in Ann's office. Based on an off the cuff comment by ex-lawyer Amaar, Yasir thinks his solution is to show Mother Hamoudi a fake pre-nuptial agreement between himself and Sarah stating that he can't take another wife. The ruse works on both Mother Hamoudi and Sarah, who moves home. Meanwhile, Reverend Magee is facing a marriage issue of another kind. Johnny and his partner want to get married at the church, which the reverend sanctions. But a gay marriage sparks debate amongst the townsfolk. The Muslim community has its own issues with this marriage. Baber can't and won't pray in a mosque that shares the building with church that welcomes, in Baber's words, drag queers. But finding another building as the mosque proves to be a challenge for him. And as much as Fatima doesn't approve of homosexuality, she agrees to cater the wedding since good food is more important than improper sexual behaviour. Ultimately Johnny and his partner close the issue when they decide to hold their wedding elsewhere, namely in a church in Toronto with a spa that gives free massages. Thus, there won't be any weddings this week in the Mercy Mosque / Mercy Anglican.

Season 1, Episode 8: Playing with Fire

Original Air Date—7 March 2007
Jeff, a non-Muslim fireman, is attracted sexually to Rayyan. All the women of Mercy are attracted to Jeff, but Rayyan, the good Muslim, keeps her distance. However, the whole town is talking about Rayyan and Jeff, even though they're not even dating. Sarah, Layla, the mayor and Rayyan's nurse are excited. Yasir is concerned and decides to meet Jeff under false pretenses. Baber thinks Rayyan is setting a bad example and as such threatens to send Layla away to an Islamic boarding school to get her away from Rayyan's bad example. But Amaar, who reprimands Rayyan - perhaps as a display of jealousy - makes Rayyan reconsider Jeff's date proposal. After Jeff tries to kiss Rayyan on their date, Rayyan realizes that she is just using Jeff and decides that Islam is too important to her to risk dating a non-Muslim.

Season 2

Season 2, Episode 1: Grave Concern

Original Air Date—3 October 2007
Yasir and Baber decide to set up a Muslim cemetery.

Season 2, Episode 2: Public Access

Original Air Date—10 October 2007
Mercy's local public access TV station asks Amaar to host an Islamic-themed program. But when he brings Rayyan on as a guest she steals the show. Meanwhile, Layla faces the wrath of her father after a hair dye job goes wrong.

Season 2, Episode 3: Ban the Burka

Original Air Date—17 October 2007
A veil-wearing newcomer arouses controversy and romance in the town of Mercy.

Season 2, Episode 4: Lucky Day

Original Air Date—24 October 2007
A bored Rayyan, who is on a break from work, has a double effect on Amaar. First, she agrees to help him with his youth fair, which he has coined Islamapalooza. And second, she comments on his cough, which starts a cycle of other off the cuff medical advice to him, resulting in him having a case of what she suspects is hypochondria. However when no one shows up to Islamapalooza, Rayyan changes her medical diagnosis of Amaar. She nows suspects that Amaar had the flu, which he unsuspectingly passed on to all the Muslim children in Mercy. Rayyan also has an effect on her mother. Gambling is considered a sin in Islam, and as such, Rayyan tries to convince her mother to stop buying lottery tickets. However Sarah can't resist the urge, and she ends up winning $5,000 on her latest buy. She unsuccessfully tries to hide this fact from Rayyan. Ann advises Sarah to guilt Rayyan into accepting the lottery win by lavishing gifts on her. However, good Muslim Sarah decides to be more philanthropic with her winnings. Meanwhile, Yasir is supposed to build a gazebo for the city. However, the construction site turns into a archaeological dig site when an aboriginal artifact is found. Although Yasir is irked in that he can't do his work, Professor Krackle, the head of the dig, is irked even more by the consistent disruptions by his college colleague, Baber, the archaeologist wannabe.

Season 2, Episode 5: Mercy Beet

Original Air Date—7 November 2007
When a local beet company's stock goes through the roof, everyone in town jumps on the "beet train".

Season 2, Episode 6: Rival Imam

Original Air Date—14 November 2007
Amaar's ego is bruised when his old friend and now-nemesis, Ali, comes to town.

Season 2, Episode 7: Spy Something or Get Out

Original Air Date—20 November 2007
A Canadian Security Intelligence Service agent visits town, arousing suspicions around the mosque. Guest starring The Daily Show's Samantha Bee. Suspicions are aroused when CSIS agent Nancy Layton (The Daily Show's Samantha Bee) comes to visit Mercy. She says she's here to fish, but Fatima thinks she's up to no good. Amaar argues for common sense: of course the government wouldn't spy on Mercy mosque... would it? Meanwhile, Amaar opens a store in the mosque to sell Islamic merchandise. He enlists Rayyan and Baber to run the store, unleashing Rayyan's competitive nature.

Season 2, Episode 8: Best Intentions

Original Air Date—28 November 2007
Baber's life is turned upside down when Amaar inadvertently gives him the "Evil Eye".

Season 2, Episode 9: No Fly List

Original Air Date—5 December 2007
Amaar and Rayyan take Baber to the U.S. Consulate to get him off the No-Fly list.

Season 2, Episode 10: Eid's a Wonderful Life

Original Air Date—12 December 2007
Rayyan adds a few yuletide touches to the Muslim festival of Eid al-hada to help cure Sarah's nostalgia for Christmas.

Season 2, Episode 11: Five Year Plan

Original Air Date—12 December 2007
New Year's Eve sparks reminiscences of where Amaar, Baber, and Rayyan were five years earlier.

Season 2, Episode 12: Jihad on Ice

Original Air Date—9 January 2008
Amaar challenges Fred Tupper to a curling grudge match.

Season 2, Episode 13: Crush

Original Air Date—16 January 2008
Amaar panics when he thinks Layla has a crush on him.

Season 2, Episode 14: Welcome to Mercy

Original Air Date—23 January 2008
When the "Welcome to Mercy" sign at town limits is destroyed, Sarah replaces it with a multi-lingual sign in Arabic, Ukrainian, and Chinese...but forgets the English.

Season 2, Episode 15: Wheat Week

Original Air Date—30 January 2008
Sarah's in trouble when a plan to cancel "Wheat Week" backfires.

Season 2, Episode 16: Ear for Trouble

Original Air Date—6 February 2008
During Ramadan, Amaar challenges the congregation not to lie, gossip or get angry.

Season 2, Episode 17: Meet J.J.

Original Air Date—13 February 2008
On Baber's directive, Layla gets an internship. What he doesn't count on is that she gets an internship at the radio station with Fred as her boss. Layla likes the job, but doesn't like Fred's manipulation of their personal relationship, which he uses on air to further denigrate Muslims. But Fred starts to change his tune after seeing Layla as a real person and not just an unknown Muslim. Ultimately, Layla decides to sacrifice her professional aspirations to do a Fred a business favor. Meanwhile, Yasir is in the running to get a government contract building a pumping substation in Mercy. The problem is that he knows nothing about pumping substations. He enlists the help of J.J., the son of his former business partner, J.J. who happens to be an engineer. J.J. is also Rayyan's geeky childhood friend. But J.J. has grown up into a successful, handsome man. With J.J.'s help, Yasir gets the contract, but what's better for Yasir is that there seems to be a spark between J.J. and Rayyan. Yasir suggests setting up Rayyan and J.J. in an arranged marriage. Both Sarah and Rayyan are initially offended by the thought, but Rayyan internally has other thoughts. Because of the known sexual tension that has always existed between herself and Amaar, she instead turns to Reverend Magee for advice.

Season 2, Episode 18: Security Alert

Original Air Date—20 February 2008
Yasir approaches J.J. with the idea of an arranged marriage with Rayyan. J.J. is slightly taken aback until he finds out that Rayyan has agreed to this, which means she likes him. J.J. agrees. The concept of chaperoned dates is awkward for Rayyan, J.J., Yasir and Sarah. The other person taken slightly aback is Amaar. Amaar ends up staying with the Hamoudis after a break in at the mosque, the apartment above where Amaar lives, Amaar arriving at the Hamoudis just in time for Rayyan and J.J.'s date at the house. But what's worse is that in the close quarters, Amaar sees Rayyan in the Muslim equivalent of being naked. Rayyan feels she and J.J. need to get away from Amaar, and thus go on a daytime hike date with Baber as chaperon. The date goes awry as Baber takes his role as hiker a little more seriously than that of chaperon. Meanwhile, Amaar is obviously bothered, but he attributes it to the break-in. Others assume otherwise.

Season 2, Episode 19: Islam on Tap

Original Air Date—27 February 2008
Things are going well in J.J. and Rayyan's courtship, that is until J.J. learns that Rayyan has had a couple of traditional western dates in her life, which is not traditional in Muslim culture. These past dates scare J.J. since he never has dated in any sense. What's worse for J.J. is that Rayyan has mementos of these past "indiscretions" that she keeps in a shoe box. This shoe box may be the end of J.J. and Rayyan's relationship. Amaar inadvertently helps them over this hurdle. Meanwhile, Sarah agrees to participate in a fund raising talent show. Having taken lessons as a child, she decides to do a tap dance routine. Both Rayyan but especially Baber think she shouldn't because dancing in front of the opposite sex is considered lewd and thus un-Muslim. Baber further believes Sarah is setting a bad example for Layla. However Layla uncovers some evidence that makes Baber change his tune. Baber does change his tune - he thinks Sarah shouldn't do the dance because he finds out she's an awful tap dancer. Now all Baber needs to do is convince Layla how bad Sarah really is and not to expose the secret she lords over him. Elsewhere, Yasir is off to Dubai for a couple of weeks to work on a project with J.J.'s father. While Yasir strives to pack the perfect carry-on luggage, Amaar arranges for a bon voyage card to be signed by all Yasir's friends. The card signing process ends up being more difficult than Amaar could have ever imagined. Duncan has an especially difficult time with this task. Yasir's packing is more successful but it is all for not when he reaches the airport. Yasir's resulting problems at the airport he can thank Duncan for.

Season 2, Episode 20: Marriage Minded

Original Air Date—5 March 2008
Baber gets into a physical altercation, the frustration from which causes him to get into a car accident with the parked car of his nemesis. The accident results in Baber getting a back injury. He'd go to the town's only chiropractor to get his back looked at, but the chiropractor happens to be his nemesis. Instead, Rayyan prescribes him a painkiller which has unintended and unwanted results. Meanwhile, Yasir has returned from Dubai. He's in the doghouse with Sarah as he forgot to buy her a gift. But Yasir comes back to some other news: J.J. wants to marry Rayyan. But first, J.J.'s father, as is Muslim custom, has to speak to Yasir to arrange for the marriage to happen. Before this discussion, news slowly leaks of J.J.'s intentions, resulting in mixed reactions. Yasir is excited and preoccupied about J.J.'s father's impending telephone call from Dubai. Sarah is mad as she feels a wedding should be all about the mother, which this doesn't seem to be. Amaar is brooding as he feels he let Rayyan slip away. And Rayyan thinks long and hard about what she still considers to be ultimately her decision. Baber finally convinces Amaar that he has to tell Rayyan his true feelings. Will he be too late?

Season 3

Season 3, Episode 1: Amaar at the Bat

Original Air Date—1 October 2008
Rayyan has decided to accept J.J.'s marriage proposal. The Hamoudi household is ecstatic, except for Sarah, if only because she feels that it is the right of the mother of the prospective bride to tell the world that her daughter is getting married. But Yasir has beat her to the punch when he - off the cuff - mentions this fact to the mayor who in turn tells the rest of the townsfolk of Mercy. The only way that Yasir feels he can make it up to Sarah is to find someone - anyone - in Mercy who doesn't know the news so that Sarah can tell him/her. The only other person who is not ecstatic is Amaar, who is in love with Rayyan himself. But he is also confused. As Imam and Rayyan's friend, he feels he has a duty to support his friend both professionally and personally. What's worse is that J.J. needs a place to stay in Mercy and decides Amaar's the most appropriate place. However because of this close contact, Amaar gets some inside information to use against his new roommate: J.J. is a closet smoker, this probably against the wants of his future wife, the doctor. Amaar has to think long and hard about what he should do.

Season 3, Episode 2: Lord of the Ring

Original Air Date—8 October 2008
Confused with his own feelings about Rayyan and J.J.'s impending marriage, Amaar decides to go back to Toronto to his old life. There, his parents express their concerns about his life in Mercy. He treats all his encounters, even dates and his law clients, like he was counseling as an Imam. Back in Mercy, Baber is happy in his new old role as acting Imam, but no one else is happy. Yasir decides to go to Toronto to see if he can talk Amaar into coming back to Mercy. With Rayyan and J.J.'s engagement, J.J. finally gives Rayyan an engagement ring, the ring which is a family heirloom. It is a large ostentatious ring which Rayyan hates. She doesn't know whether to tell J.J. her feelings. But Rayyan also sees the ring as a symbol that J.J. does not really know her as a person, and she's not too sure if she wants to marry a man that doesn't know her deepest thoughts and feelings.

Season 3, Episode 3: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Mercy

Original Air Date—15 October 2008
Before returning to Mercy, Amaar decides to make a pilgrimage to Mecca to re-energize his faith in Islam. Arriving in Mercy, he claims he is a humbler man. To make him prove this fact, Baber, who is still a bit angry that his own tenure as Acting Imam was not well received, makes Amaar reapply for his old job as Imam. Trying to be humble, Amaar does accept needing to reapply. Not making the process easy, Baber, as one of the stipulations, make Amaar memorize the second chapter of the Koran, something according to Baber that all good Imams should know by heart. Meanwhile, J.J.'s parents are swinging through Mercy while they are in Canada on other business. The Hamoudi's think their visit is an opportune time to hold an engagement party for Rayyan and J.J. Rayyan does not want an elaborate party but rather an informal small tea. What starts out as good intentions on Sarah and Yasir's parts to honor their daughter's wishes turns out to be a huge party out of circumstance. And Rayyan and Amaar are still tying to figure out what they mean to each other. Rayyan suspects her engagement to J.J. was the reason Amaar left Mercy in the first place. She also admits she has some feelings for him, an issue which she skirts around in some telephone messages she's left for him. Regretting the telephone messages, she tries unsuccessfully to retrieve them. She tells Amaar that he is free to listen or delete the messages as he sees fit. But in accessing the messages, Amaar reveals that he still does have feelings for his friend.

Season 3, Episode 4: The Ties That Blind

Original Air Date—22 October 2008
As usual, Baber and Fatima are arguing about everything. Layla and Jamal, witnessing the bad behavior of the respective parent, gets Reverend Magee's take on the situation: each is lonely and needs a companion. Layla and Jamal simultaneously agree the only place for people to meet nowadays is through cyberspace. Layla registers Baber on a Muslim dating site. Although initially suspect, Baber is intrigued that there seems to be a perfect match. Not wanting to get to know his match on cyberspace, he instead wants to meet her in person. Layla helps him through the process of setting up a real date. But Layla learns later through Jamal that Baber's date and dream woman is Fatima herself. Layla thinks it's not a good idea for Baber to keep his date, until Baber himself admits what he sees as his failures as a man and husband material. To help his self esteem, she encourages him to keep his date. Meanwhile, Sarah schedules a photo op for the Mayor, thinking it good publicity, but not thinking the Mayor, in her forthrightness, would come across as 'un-Mayoral'. Fred, in an unsolicited editorial directly to the mayor, says that one cannot have a Muslim i.e. Sarah as a PR person as Muslims are not supposed to lie. Who in Mercy is the best liar: he is. The mayor hires Fred on the spot. Sarah thinks that Fred is trying to muscle her out of her position, but Fred later admits that he has other professional sights. Sarah does whatever she can to neutralize Fred's plans. In his first sermon back as Imam, Amaar tells of the basic goodness of the Muslim people. He makes this statement before he realizes someone has stolen his shoes. Rayyan offers to search the sidewalks of Mercy to find who is wearing his shoes. Once he finds who took his shoes, Amaar's not sure how to get them back.

Season 3, Episode 5: Rules R Rules

Original Air Date—29 October 2008
Amaar is complaining about the fact that he never has much money. Sarah and Rayyan convince Yasir to hire him to help with his contractor business despite Amaar's lack of knowledge about construction. But Yasir figures Amaar's extra pair of hands couldn't hurt in speeding up completing a relatively simple home deck project. Yasir's new assistant is initially more of a burden, but ultimately helps in ways Yasir could not even have imagined. Meanwhile, based partly on Fatima's refusal to serve breakfast for lunch (she does not believe in a concept called brunch), Rayyan and J.J. kid with Fred about what they consider are obvious jokes about Muslim rituals and beliefs. Fred takes these stories as reality as he tells the world through his radio editorials. Or does Fred really know what's going on and is using Rayyan and J.J.'s stories for his own benefit?

Season 3, Episode 6: Let Prairie Dogs Lie

Original Air Date—5 November 2008
Yasir decides to join the Prairie Dog Lodge, a men's group based around hunting. Amaar and Baber can't understand his rationale for joining as Islam frowns upon killing. But Yasir sees dollar signs from joining from all the networking he can do to drum up clients for his construction business. But he has to get accepted first, no easy task as the lodge chief is Fred, who is suspicious of Muslims. But Fred also has ulterior motives in accepting Yasir as the lodge itself is in need of major repairs, and none of the existing members have the expertise to do the work. Once a member, will Yasir and his new lodge brothers be able to live in harmony, especially when Yasir is required to go on a hunting trip. Meanwhile, Rayyan is disappointed when - purely hypothetically - Sarah would not choose her to be her partner is a reality travel game show. Although Sarah does not use the word, others all have the same sentiment in not choosing Rayyan: she's too bossy. Rayyan tries to curb her bossiness to show her mother that they would make a good reality game show team.

Season 3, Episode 7: Sweet Sixteen

Original Air Date—19 November 2008
For Layla's birthdays, Baber has a tradition: breakfast, a game of cricket and a movie - in that order - with his daughter. This year, Layla is turning sixteen and wants to break tradition by having a party with her friends, which upsets Baber. On advice from Rayyan and Amaar, Baber decides to throw Layla a surprise party. Layla, on the other hand, coerces her friend Jane into throwing her a party. Rayyan and Amaar find out about Jane's alternative party. Ultimately, Rayyan and Amaar and Layla are all surprised at Layla's sweet sixteen parties. Meanwhile, Fred is in the doghouse when he cheats on Fatima by eating at Tracy's Truck Stop.

Season 3, Episode 8: Mercy Dot Com

Original Air Date—26 November 2008
Yasir buys a fixer-upper for Rayyan and J.J. to live in. Rayyan hates the house because it's a long way up from becoming a fixer-upper. But what's worse, Fred lives next door, and likes to suntan in his backyard. Fred does whatever he can to stop Rayyan from moving in, not so much because of her being a Muslim, but because of the probable massive renovations that Yasir would do which may obscure his access to tanning sun's rays. Fred's plan may backfire when Rayyan finds out something that would stop Yasir from renovating. Ultimately, the facts needs to be straightened out before Rayyan or Fred will be happy. Meanwhile, computer technology has taken over Mercy. Layla talks Fatima into advertising the free Wifi access from a source down the street to attract new customers to the café. And Amaar is offended when Layla consults the Internet about a spiritual matter instead of consulting with him. So he decides to give spiritual advice on-line.

Season 3, Episode 9: A Hard Day's Fight

Original Air Date—3 December 2008
When J.J. tells Rayyan that he has been asked by his father to go back to Dubai to work on a short term project, does Rayyan mean it when she tells him to go if he wants to? Will J.J. go regardless if he wants to or not? Regardless, Rayyan and J.J. discover that they may have problems in their relationship - not so much based on this issue but how they deal with it. Meanwhile, Baber, who is taking a sabbatical from his university position, has been asked by Mr. Bowman, the principal at Layla's high school, if he would substitute for the math teacher while the regular teacher is on maternity leave. Much to Layla's horror, Baber accepts. But how will all Layla's classmates feel about being taught by Layla's father?

Season 3, Episode 10: Baber Is from Mars, Vegans Are from Vegus

Original Air Date—5 January 2009
Sarah needs to find a runner to join her in a two-person team for a 10 km fun run, her team representing the mayor's office. She asks in order Rayyan then Yasir, mentioning to both that each is her only choice since she wants to spend quality time with each. Both turn her down. However, after reconsidering - in Yasir's case, with a little prodding by Amaar and Duncan - both Rayyan and Yasir agree. Sarah's problem then becomes who she will choose and how to tell the other that he/she was not her only choice. A further problem may arise for Sarah if either Rayyan and/or Yasir find out about her lie. Meanwhile, a new vegan store has opened in Mercy, Layla who has been frequenting it. Baber initially supports Layla's new shopping locale since Layla has been purchasing halal approved foods. However when Baber sees the interaction between Layla and the store's clerk Rivertree, Baber thinks that Layla is interested in this non-Muslim boy. He then forbids her to shop there since he doesn't trust her. Regardless if she is interested in Rivertree or not, perhaps Baber should place a little more faith in his daughter's judgment.

Season 3, Episode 11: True Bro-mance

Original Air Date—12 January 2009
At the Mercy Small Business Awards, what's worse than Fatima losing the Small Businesswoman of the Year award to a dog groomer is that Small Businessman of the Year Yasir inadvertently refers to Sarah as Susan in his thank you speech. And what's even worse than that is that Yasir let's it slip to his wife that he was once engaged to a woman named Susan, a fact she never knew beforehand. Meanwhile, Amaar meets new Mercy Chronicle editor/reporter/newspaper-Jack-of-All-Trades Nate Shore when Amaar wants some publicity for the Mercy Mosque's new venture with the Mercy Meals program. Spending the day with Nate, who has non-Muslim sensibilities, proves to be a little too much for Amaar to handle, especially as Nate sees Amaar as his new best buddy. However, Amaar ends up defending Nate to his Muslim friends. Amaar ultimately has to make a decision on what to do with his new best friend.

Season 3, Episode 12: Double Troubles

Original Air Date—19 January 2009
Ann offers Yasir a job as the town's building inspector, a job he accepts if only to approve his own renovations for Rayyan and J.J.'s house. But Ann buries him under a pile of past paperwork, which primarily consists of building infractions around town reported by one, Baber Siddiqui. But also in the overdue file is an actual building inspection. The building ends up not being to code, but what will Yasir do with the bribe he's already unknowingly accepted to approve the building? Ann, who knows about the historic process of bribes within the building inspection department, unwittingly provides Yasir with a wild idea to get out of this situation. Meanwhile, Nate has another buddy outing planned with Amaar: a double date. Amaar has trouble telling his date Jill - who continues to call him "Aimer" - or Nate that dating in the western sense is not allowed in Muslim culture. But Amaar has a change of focus on the situation when he learns that Jill didn't like him.

Season 3, Episode 13: The Week of Dying Dangerously

Original Air Date—26 January 2009
After Rayyan, Fred's doctor, tells him that there is an abnormality on his chest x-ray but that he has nothing to worry about, Fred still thinks that he's dying. To make his transition to the afterlife as positive as possible, Fred decides he needs to makes amends to the Muslim community, a 180 degree turn from his regular anti-Muslim rants. When Fred finds out that he is indeed not dying, he takes drastic measures to get his angry life back. Meanwhile, Baber is giving Layla driving lessons. The lessons are going badly, both for Layla but more so for Baber. Their problems may be due to something besides Baber's bad driving skills.

Season 3, Episode 14: Raised Expectations

Original Air Date—9 February 2009
A couple of people in Mercy are trying to get noticed. One is Sarah, who seems to be the only person in Mercy who has not been featured in the newspaper segment Nate's Notables. She'll do whatever it takes to get quoted in the feature. The other is Amaar, who after two years on the job, has never had a raise from his starting salary. Hard nosed Baber, the mosque treasurer, refuses to grant Amaar's demand. In fact, Baber would like Amaar to take a pay cut. Coming to Amaar's rescue is Fred, who appoints himself Amaar's negotiator. Fred suggests Amaar take drastic measures. One person who is trying to get a little less attention is Rayyan. J.J. has returned to Mercy and he and Rayyan have made up from the argument they had prior to him leaving. In their renewed close state, J.J. admits he wants to see Rayyan without her hijab. What's worse for J.J. is that he finds out Amaar has seen her hair before him.

Season 3, Episode 15: Colour Me Excited

Original Air Date—16 February 2009
Yasir has finished the renovations on the house that he and Sarah bought as Rayyan and J.J.'s wedding gift. Sarah and Yasir even personalized it by painstakingly choosing the interior color scheme. But Rayyan and J.J. may never live in the house as J.J.'s parents, for a wedding present for their son and future daughter-in-law, bought them a luxurious island. Rayyan is having trouble telling her parents of the Jaffer's gift, not only because it is in direct competition with theirs, but because it also means that she and J.J. may be moving to the island away from Mercy. Meanwhile, Amaar holds an Islam quiz night. The winner, the recipient of the lucrative grand prize of car mats, is an unlikely person: Reverend Magee. This fact irks know-it-all Muslim, Baber, who wants a rematch.

Season 3, Episode 16: Recipe for Disaster

Original Air Date—23 February 2009
Fatima is depressed because of the lack of success in her life. To cheer her up, Layla and Fred send in her Lamb Fatima recipe to Bon Appetit magazine for possible publication, Lamb Fatima being probably the most popular item at the café. The recipe does get published, but will Fatima appreciate the gesture? Meanwhile, Amaar holds a series of group couples counseling sessions. Sarah wants to attend, but Yasir, who doesn't, tells a white lie that he has a renovation job and can't make it. His renovation job is assisting Baber in setting up his home entertainment system, Yasir in part doing it so that he himself can watch Baber's new satellite TV. In Yasir's place, Sarah takes Duncan to the sessions. The counseling sessions are illuminating both when Sarah finds out about Yasir's white lie, and when Sarah and Duncan seem to be the perfect married couple.

Season 3, Episode 17: My Shariah

Original Air Date—2 March 2009
Advice is running rampant in Mercy. Amaar feels he's getting too much advice from Reverend Magee and wants to break off his dependency. Many in town, including Sarah, Yasir and Fatima, start getting Muslim approved financial advice from economist Baber. It's not so much the advice to which they're looking to Baber for but solely for Baber to put together an investment portfolio that is making money without all the financial "gobbledy-gook" as Sarah calls it. And Rayyan, J.J. and Amaar are looking for advice on what to do with a certain gift. From J.J.'s cousin, it was a wedding gift to Rayyan and J.J., who inadvertently gave it to Amaar. All three want it but none of the three can figure out what it is even after opening the gift. Their solution?: whoever can figure out what the contraption is used for gets to keep the gift.

Season 3, Episode 18: Baber Makes an Entrance

Original Air Date—9 March 2009
After being complimented on her ability to make small talk, Sarah begins to over-think her small talk resulting in her small talk truly becomes just that: small. Meanwhile, under pressure from Faisal and after seeing Layla talk to a boy at the mosque, Baber makes a recommendation to Amaar that the women be made to use a different entrance to the mosque from the men. The men would use the front door and the women would use the back door. The women do not like this change, especially since the back door is currently solely used as the door to the garbage area. Amaar, using reverse psychology, lets Baber implement this plan thinking that he will do the exact opposite. But waiting for Baber to change his mind may be inconsequential if there are no women attending the mosque.

Season 3, Episode 19: Meet the Jaffers

Original Air Date—16 March 2009
Kareem and Noora Jaffer, J.J.'s parents, have arrived in Mercy for J.J. and Rayyan's wedding, deemed the Mercy social event of the year. Everybody wants everything to be perfect, but things don't seem to be heading in that direction. First, Baber and Faisal are the direct cause of the mosque being invaded by mice. Second, Kareem insists that Yasir name the amount of the Mahr, the monetary gift J.J. and his family are to provide to Rayyan. Yasir and Sarah are in a quandary as they don't want the amount to be either considered too high or too low, naming an amount that isn't just right which may result in a strain between old friends Kareem and Yasir. And third, Noora seems to have a problem with Rayyan marrying J.J. When Rayyan finds out the reason, Rayyan promises Noora that she will not tell J.J. the reason, which may be a problem since Rayyan tells J.J. everything.

Season 3, Episode 20: Can I Get a Witness?

Original Air Date—23 March 2009
Rayyan and J.J.'s wedding day has arrived. More issues have arisen this day beyond the previous problems of J.J.'s parents impending divorce, as well as the mosque being fumigated - leaving nowhere to hold the wedding. Noora, who was in charge of picking up Rayyan's wedding dress, has other things on her mind. Although Amaar is able to find an alternative location for the wedding, it happens to be the Prairie Dog Lodge, which is filled with iconic images offensive to the Muslim culture. And Fred has ulterior motives in offering the lodge in the first place. Will everything turn out well for Rayyan and J.J. by the end of the day?

Season 4

Season 4, Episode 1: Love Thy Neighbour

Original Air Date—28 September 2009
With Reverend Magee's departure from Mercy comes his replacement, Reverend William Thorne. Reverend Thorne is dismayed with his new assignment in many ways: that Mercy is not exactly a bustling metropolis, that the size of the Anglican congregation is small, but most specifically the fact that the Mercy Mosque is located in the church. He can't do anything about the size of Mercy, but he can work on the latter two issues. He does his best to make sure that Amaar is not only aware that he and the mosque are unwelcome in the church, but that he considers Muslims as enemies. Reverend Thorne's wish of getting the mosque to vacate the church may be easier to accomplish than he imagined. Meanwhile, Rayyan, despite still dreaming of J.J. in bad ways, feels that she is over the fact of him leaving her at the altar. However, no one will let her forget as rumors abound in town that Rayyan is still devastated, crying and walking around in her wedding dress. But as she returns wedding gifts, Rayyan comes across one that makes her think that perhaps she should try to reconcile with J.J.

Season 4, Episode 2: Big Boys Don't Cry

Original Air Date—5 October 2009
It's time for the annual Mercy Mixer to take place, an event which was in the past co-hosted by Amaar and Reverend Magee to bring together the Muslim and Christian communities. It's aim was high on the education, medium on the social and low on the fun. Reverend Thorne wants nothing to do with it, instead wanting to hold his own Fun Fair solely for the Anglican community in hopes of bringing them back to the church. Reverend Thorne changes his mind after he makes a trip to the bank and sees the depleted savings of the church. He then devises a way to have the mixer, get the mosque to pay for it, and have it more of an Anglican Fun Fair. Will Amaar catch on? Meanwhile, Yasir thinks that Rayyan should start dating again. He believes the perfect person for her to date is his new foreman named Yousef, who is a recent immigrant to Canada. Rayyan, seeing what her father is doing, decides to have a little fun with him. Sarah also can't help but get in on the family games. But Yousef may have other thoughts, even if he can't articulate them properly to Rayyan, Yasir or Sarah.

Season 4, Episode 3: What's Yours Is Mine

Original Air Date—12 October 2009
Amaar is having yet another issue with Reverend Thorne. Thorne tricked Amaar into improvising a sermon, while Thorne used the one that Amaar was originally going to deliver. Not only does Amaar's improvisation bomb while Reverend Thorne's sermon receives much praise, Thorne's sermon is reprinted in the newspaper crediting Thorne for the inspirational words. Amaar devises a plan to get back at Thorne by purposely writing a bad sermon for Thorne to steal, but will Thorne take the bait? Meanwhile, Rayyan figures that with the house that Yasir and Sarah bought as a wedding gift for her and J.J. sitting empty, it is time for her to move out on her own. But Yasir, not wanting his daughter to move out until she is married, decides to sell the house from under her. Although Rayyan can no longer move into that house, this move by Yasir may place a permanent wedge between father and daughter.

Season 4, Episode 4: Break and Enter

Original Air Date—19 October 2009
Rayyan is relishing the fact of living on her own, if only her parents would leave her alone. Yasir and Sarah, with a key to her house to be used only for emergencies, have been over every day since Rayyan moved out and have even let themselves into the house using that key. Sarah and Yasir, wanting to respect Rayyan's adult wants, propose not to visit for one week uninvited or else they will give back the key. Yasir and Sarah try their best at respecting Rayyan's wishes, but one thing or another always brings them back to her house. Not wanting Rayyan to take away they key, they continually need to break into the house without her knowledge. Meanwhile, others, in Yasir and Sarah's supposed absence, have been coming over to visit Rayyan, despite the fact that she sometimes wants some time alone. Two of her visitors are Amaar and their chaperon Reverend Thorne, who agrees to this role if only as a ruse to continue his hard conversion sell of anyone non-Anglican to his church. And Rayyan's next door neighbor Fred, hearing prowlers (who in reality are Yasir and Sarah) forms a mob watch of the Prairie Dogs to protect the neighborhood.

Season 4, Episode 5: Death by Chocolate

Original Air Date—26 October 2009
Fred and his radio show are hosting a car giveaway contest, the winner being the person who can keep his/her hands on the car the longest. Sarah thinks the contest will be a good opportunity for her and Yasir to spend some quality time together, since Yasir has been busy with work of late. Yasir, on the other hand, sees other things more important than participating in the contest, and by association - in Sarah's mind - spending time with her. The contest gives Amaar the idea that a fund raiser - a 30-hour famine - is a good and quick way to raise the rent for the mosque, as Reverend Thorne won't give them an extension. The Reverend makes an underhanded measure to ensure the fund raiser is a failure. Amaar has to devise a way to combat Reverend Thorne's tactic.

Season 4, Episode 6: The Bid

Original Air Date—2 November 2009
Neighbors Rayyan and Fred go through a myriad of emotions in their relationship as neighbors. Fred rants on air that a mishap that occurred on Rayyan's property is some sort of Muslim conspiracy. Things change when Rayyan saves Fred's life by performing the Heimlich maneuver on him. After that, Fred will do whatever he can to please Rayyan. But Rayyan finds that a little gratitude from Fred may be too much to take. Meanwhile, Reverend Thorne is planning on making major renovations to the church. Despite working on six other contracts, Yasir is desperate to get this one as he sees it as the most lucrative. He may have a tough challenge seeing as to the reverend's view on his Muslim neighbors, but also because not being Christian, Yasir doesn't know the first thing about church architecture. Yasir figures he can overcome this issue with help from ex-Anglican Sarah. But when Reverend Thorne implies that he won't get the contract because he's too busy, Yasir tries to get out of his other six contracts, even without the guarantee of winning the church contract.

Season 4, Episode 7: Handle with Care

Original Air Date—9 November 2009
Yasir breaks a delivery sent to Reverend Thorne. Yasir is reluctant to confess to this error. On Sarah's advice, Yasir decides the easiest thing to do is order another to replace the broken one. Luckily, the replacement can be shipped in 24 hours, meaning that Yasir and Sarah only have to hide the fact that Yasir broke the first one for a day. However, when the replacement arrives, it's not exactly like the original. Meanwhile, Reverend Thorne learns that Yasir broke something, and when the reverend learns what it is, he is not angry but decides to use this knowledge to put Yasir and Muslims in general in a bad light. But Yasir unexpectedly does a positive thing with the replacement. Meanwhile, Baber and Layla are continuing their difficult father/daughter relationship. On a whim, Baber thinks it would be a good idea if Layla went to live with Rayyan for a while, as Rayyan is under the belief that she knows what it takes to be a good parent. However, will Rayyan and Layla get along as guardian/child any better than Baber and Layla do?

Season 4, Episode 8: Saving Sarah Hamoudi

Original Air Date—23 November 2009
Both Amaar and Reverend Thorne want to mount some sort of advertising campaign to attract new people to the mosque and church respectively. With some extra time on her hands, Sarah, who does public relations work for a living, volunteers to help whomever wants. Since Reverend Thorne asks her first, she decides to help him instead of Amaar, despite the fact that she is a Muslim herself. As she goes through this process with Reverend Thorne to great success, Sarah has to reconcile the "PR whiz" side of herself with the "Muslim" side of herself. One step to accomplish that is to convince Reverend Thorne to erect a new sign for the mosque in front of the church, to which he agrees. The actual sign, however, is not quite what Amaar would have had in mind. Sarah and Amaar have to come up with a plan to get Reverend Thorne to remove the sign, as he won't do so on his own. Meanwhile, Layla is still living with Rayyan. Baber wants her to move home. Rayyan wants her to move home. But Layla is content where she is. The only way Layla may consider moving back with Baber is if he apologizes to her, which may be impossible as he's just terrible at apologizing to anyone. Baber and Rayyan have to get the help of a true schemer in the form of Yasir to help. But perhaps a little honesty might go much further in accomplishing their mission.

Season 4, Episode 9: Gloves Will Keep Us Together

Original Air Date—30 November 2009
Amaar inadvertently agrees to an exhibition fund-raising boxing match with Reverend Thorne, who has a boxing background. Reverend Thorne does whatever he can to provoke Amaar, and is so sure of his victory that he makes a wager on the match. Amaar, seeing the boxing match as a metaphor of the battle between the Muslims and Christians, doesn't want to partake. As he progresses in his training, he admits to his trainer, Rayyan, what he really fears. Rayyan, trying to be supportive but still wanting Amaar to go through with the match, comes up with a plan. Will Amaar still go through with it? Meanwhile, Yasir is getting exasperated by Reverend Thorne's constant changes in the church renovations. The last straw for Yasir is after the reverend requests a change after Yasir has already completed that certain aspect of the job. When Yasir finds out that Sarah failed to give him a message beforehand from the reverend about that change, Yasir has to grovel for his job back.

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