Audience Member
This is like almost three hours on the history of the Islam religion and how it firstly spreads across parts of Europe, Africa, India, Spain like a virus. I quite liked the information it provided, though it is enveloped by liberal agendas and biases towards the Islam faith, so of course you won't hear about the founder Muhammad and his pedophile appetite. It starts by explaining the pre Islamic Arabic animism period and the gradual aceptance and rising governance of Muhammad, then it talks about the rapid growth of Islamic conquests in terms of land and adherents, and next is the scientific era of the Muslims and how their blind faith inspired them to learn about reality. Then it's rough struggles with Christians and their crusaders, then the Ottomans, and last is a guy who reigned for the longest time without losing battles - I forgot his name. Betwixt the narrating history lessons historians from different US colleges opine (Half of them Muslim sounding). It seems that for every evil that Islam conjured, there was majestic beauty and contribution to humanity. Truly in the schizophrenic nature and pattern of the Islamic founder.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
01/14/23
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Audience Member
wonderful...full of glory
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
02/08/23
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Audience Member
Had to watch it for history class. Pretty well put together and informative. Did not go into enough detail about some things though.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/28/23
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Audience Member
may our faith unite us once again to stop the injustice which is occurring in front of our bare eyes...
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
02/16/23
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Audience Member
Good documentary overall, though it can demonize the Muslims in some scenes.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/15/23
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Audience Member
This film is about the Islamic Empire, not the Islamic Faith... Beautifully produced, this film is both engaging and informative. It begins with the emergence of Islam in Arabia with the birth of its Prophet, Mohammed. Orphaned at a young age, Mohammed developed an early sense of empathy towards the poor and the deprived. His righteousness earned him the respect and trust of his tribesmen. They called him al-Amin; the trustworthy. The trustworthy was to face persecution, however, by the same people upon calling for the embrace of a new ideology that was alien to the people of Mecca: the oneness of God. He was banished from His city, migrating with the few believers He had won over. Their migration, al-Hijrah, marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar, and the birth of the Islamic empire as a political force that will unify people under the banner of one faith; Islam. The film goes on to present Islam as the foundation of a civilization that rose to prominence and expanded in greatness and sophistication, both culturally and geographically. (The film does not elaborate on the role which Islam, as a faith, had played in the development of this civilization, however.) Baghdad and Alhambra - two cities that witnessed the peak of intellectual and artistic achievements in the history of the Islamic civilization - are explored in a comparative context, wherein Christian Europe is described as lagging behind in the Dark Ages, while the cities of Islam were flourishing and enjoying their wealth of knowledge and abundant resources. The massive atrocities committed during the Crusades are well known. The forces of destruction and intolerance coming from Western Europe devastated the Muslim world. (For more on this subject, I recommend a subjective resource: Amin Maalouf's 'The Crusades Through Arab Eyes.') Though horrific, the direct contact between the West and the Muslim world had probably resulted in the "Renaissance" taking root in Europe. Saladin, the charismatic Muslim leader, who pushed back the Crusaders to Europe, is portrayed in a positive light (of course.) His call for the peaceful co-existence of religions in Jerusalem, and the rebuilding of Christian worship houses during his reign, are celebrated as great testimonies of tolerance. How do you think the film comes to an epilogue? The Ottoman Empire, of course. Can't skip that one. The longest lasting Islamic empire, and the last one to exist, too. It's difficult to cover the entire history of the Ottoman Empire and boil down centuries into 20-minutes of footage, but the editors did a fantastic job. From nomadic Central Asian warriors to vanguards of the Islamic faith and the builders of its empire, the Ottoman Turks stretched the borders of the Islamic world across three continents. The empire exists no more, but the magnificent architecture of its remnants live on. Those who say that the film is one-sided are right. It is. Many details were left out to show Islam in a good light. Propaganda? I don't necessarily think so (but I am biased). The film was made to capture the essence of Islam, not the wrongdoings of its followers. If a film was to be made on Christianity, I believe, the Crusade will have to be dropped in order to portray the real spirit of Christianity - i.e. love and forgiveness. Having said that, I would like to add that like many Muslims, I'd certainly love seeing Islam portrayed in a nice way, and therefore; I would recommend this video to everybody, both Muslims and non-Muslims. But unlike many Muslims, I wouldn't say this is the most objective film on Islam. This film accurately tells "the good news" about Islam, but for those who are looking for "the bad news," or even a balanced view of both - look elsewhere. But I still think this is a lovely film.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/03/23
Full Review
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