ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Launched as a comic-book series in theMiddle East by Kuwaiti-born psychologist, Naif Al-Mutawa, ‘THE 99’ series aims to promote values such as cooperation and unity throughout the Muslim world.

Forbes named ‘THE 99’ as one of the top 20 trends sweeping the globe and most recently

One of the brands exclusively created by a Muslim entrepreneur doing well globally is ‘THE 99’. It is a classical case study of balancing business, social and religious needs.  Already available in 20 countries and translated into eight languages, ‘THE 99’ series sells one million copies annually.
Launched as a comic-book series in the Middle East by Kuwaiti-born psychologist, Naif Al-Mutawa in 2006, ‘THE 99,’ the first group of comic super-heroes born of an Islamic archetype has found a following that is  just as international as its group of heroes.
Powered by magic gemstones, each member of ‘THE 99’ hails from a different country and is a literal version of one of the 99 attributes of Allah. For example, Jabbar the Powerful from Saudi Arabia is super-strong and Darr the Afflicter (from St. Louis named John Weller) inflicts his "pain-wave" on evil doers.
The concept of ‘THE 99’ is based on the 99 attributes of Allah. Many of these names refer to characteristics that can be possessed by human individuals. For example, generosity, strength and wisdom are all virtues encouraged by a number of faiths.
Each of ‘THE 99’ characters possesses a certain gemstone that has a special power. While each of the  heroes have their own power, each of their powers is enhanced by working in teams of three. The characters must decide which three heroes and sets of powers are best suited to solve the problem at hand. It is through this process that the values of tolerance and diversity become one of ‘THE 99’s most valuable continuing story themes. ‘THE 99’ heroes are ordinary citizens who stumble upon their super-powers when they come into contact with anoor.
‘THE 99’ has received positive attention from the world media. Forbes named ‘THE 99’ as one of the top 20 trends sweeping the globe and most recently, President Barack Obama praised Dr. Naif and ‘THE 99’ as perhaps the most innovative of the thousands of new entrepreneurs viewed by his Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship. Time, Newsweek, BBC and the Wall Street Journal have covered his characters. Naif and his heroes were the subject of the documentary ‘Wham! Bam! Islam’!
Dr Naif has a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Long Island University where he also earned a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology. Dr. Naif has extensive clinical experience working with former prisoners of war in Kuwait and the Survivors of Political Torture unit of Bellevue Hospital in New York. His direct contact with the horrors of people tortured because of their religious and political beliefs, led to his writing a timeless children’s tale that won a UNESCO prize for literature in the service of tolerance.
Naif Al-Mutawa formed Teshkeel Media Group in 2004. It’s business and social objectives were to create exciting animated television programs for young families and children throughout the world. The idea was to offer new role models of super heroes born of Middle East history and Islamic archetypes that possess values shared by the entire world. ‘THE 99’ are those young role models.
Dr. Naif saw a need for new role models that children from China to Chad to Canada could relate to as their own without the parochial influence of any nation, religion or individual.  By 2011, ‘THE 99’ team had flourished and partnered with DC Comics’ Justice League of America. But they are not just limited to comics anymore. Plans are on to add new revenue streams. Teshkeel opened its first theme park on the lines of Disney in Kuwait and has plans to open six more in the next six years.
‘THE 99’ series aims to promote values such as cooperation and unity throughout the Muslim world. Although the series is not religious, it aims to communicate Islamic virtues which are, as viewed by Dr. Naif , universal in nature.