MOVIE REVIEWS
Islam:
Empire of
FaithBy Ayub Khan
Until very recently, the American media has largely presented Islam and Muslims in a very biased, distorted and misleading way. However, this trend was broken by Emmy Award winning director-producer Robert Gardner in his masterful production of Islam: Empire of Faith, premiering this Tuesday (May 8, 2001) on PBS.
The two-and-a-half hour documentary is unlike any other you have ever seen. It is an amazing story of the rise of the Islamic faith and power, beginning with the birth of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and covering the first thousand years of the Islamic Empire up to its peak during the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent. Narrated by Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley (of Gandhi fame), the documentary is the first American primetime television program to address the history and culture of Islam.
The origins of Islam are introduced as the life of the Holy Prophet and the story of how his simple but revolutionary message changed the tide of history forever are told. The revelation and preservation of the Qur'an, the trials and tribulations of the Prophet (PBUH) and the early Muslims, their migration, and the establishment of the first community in
It is recounted how, within the short span of 50 years, a movement that arose in an unknown quarter of the Arabian Desert challenged the great Persian and Byzantium empires, and went on to create an empire larger than Rome. Author Michael Sells' commentary on the revelation of the Qur'an and its message of unity of God is most interesting and compelling.
The program then describes the consolidation and further expansion of the faith, and its transformation into a civilization that was unparalleled in scope. Muslims, unlike the early Christians, did not shy away from scientific investigation. Instead, they collected scientific literature from all over the world and translated it into Arabic. They were not content with just accumulating material either, but they went a step further and laid down the foundations of modern science by introducing the scientific method.
The ingenuity of Muslim scientists is illustrated through several examples. Muslims were the first to build hospitals to be primarily run by religious endowments (awqaf). All types of diseases, including mental illnesses, were treated in these hospitals.
Muslims were also the first to surgically remove cataracts using a hollow needle. The work of Ibn Al Haytham, the father of optics, proved to be the precursor of the modern camera.
Trade also flourished during this time, with several novel methods being introduced. Both people and goods could move freely throughout the expansive empire, unhampered by fear or coercion. The sakk, the equivalent of the modern day check, was also introduced by Muslims, freeing travelers from carrying large sums of cash.
All of these achievements were, however, threatened by the arrival of the Crusaders who indulged in a brutal blood bath and the sacking of several Muslim cities - including
The Islamic empire was then struck by a second catastrophe, the Mongol invasion, during which many lives and a huge part of its intellectual heritage was lost. The same Mongols then converted to Islam, resulting in a dramatic transformation of the empire. Nomads from Central Asia who worked as mercenaries for the Mongols, held their own aspirations for power and went on to lay the foundations for the
After reaching the heights of his greatness, Suleyman fell prey to enemies from within - partly due to the machinations of his Slavic-born wife. The documentary reveals at this point the fact that, contrary to popular perceptions in the west, there was nothing immoral in the harem of the Sultans. It was, in fact, just a home for the king, his wife, and children.
Islam: Empire of Faith cost $1.5 million dollars and took three years to make, being shot in Iran, Tunisia, Egypt, Palestine, Syria, Spain and Turkey. Instead of utilizing conventional documentary techniques that employ the use of pans and tilts of still pictures along with landscapes and interviews,
While the reenactments in general succeeded in conveying an authentic sense of the times, one scene in particular was inaccurate. In a depiction of the announcement of the death of the Prophet (PBUH), men are shown dancing with swords to the beat of the drum and women are shown beating their heads and wailing. Anyone with even a rudimentary knowledge of the Prophet's teachings would know that this kind of behavior is expressly prohibited in Islam, and it certainly was not the case following his death.
Fortunately,
Islam: Empire of Faith takes viewers on an extraordinary journey into the lost grandeur of the Islamic empire. You will see the humble beginnings of the Islamic faith in the Arabian desert, its spectacular spread within a short span of time, scientific achievements of Muslims that laid the foundations of modern science, and the first-ever cataract surgery. You'll take a peep into the great halls of Al Hambra, weep at the destruction of Islamic cities by the Crusaders and Mongols, and wonder at the magnificence of Suleyman.
Swooping camera movements with awe-inspiring architecture and rich colorful settings combined with expert commentary by top scholars from American Universities will keep you glued to your television for the entire program. Islam: Empire of Faith, a production inspired by love and made possible by considerable labor, will go a long way in dispelling the negative image of Islam in
Islam; Empire of Faith (part-1)
Islam; Empire of Faith (part-2)
Islam; Empire of Faith (part-3)