Inside Islam (History Channel)

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Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Type: DVD
Directed By: Mark Hufnail
Studio: A&E Home Video
Release Date: 2003-02-25
Running Time: 100 minutes
It is the second largest of the world's great religions and the fastest growing. Its name comes from the word for peace yet to many Westerners it is synonymous with terror.INSIDE ISLAM lifts the veil of mystery surrounding a misunderstood faith. Trace its roots back to the Hebrew Bible and discover how the Five Pillars the religion's central tenets helped spread Islam to the far corners of the world. Find out what the Qu'Ran says about war violence and suicide and how these words have been co-opted by extremists. And hear from experts like Khaled Abou el Fadl (Speaking in God's Name) who debate the challenges facing Islam today including a crisis of authority and deep divisions among many sects.Illuminating important and objective INSIDE ISLAM exposes the heart of a faith mired in controversy.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. UPC: 733961706529 Manufacturer No: AAE-70652

Decent "scoop" on Islam, but...
"Inside Islam" was produced within a year of the 9/11 attacks, with the goal of educating Americans about this often misunderstood faith. In some ways, I'd say it was successful, but in others, it fell short.

It does explain the origins of Islam and the story of the prophet Muhammad, who founded the religion and guided it in its early days. The viewer also learns about the "Five Pillars of Islam," the split between Shia and Sunni, some of the golden ages enjoyed by Islamic empires, and some of the contributions those societies gave to the world. (And for those viewers who might have been wondering, there is even a brief explanation of the American group The Nation of Islam and its most famous disciple, Malcom X.) With roughly 1400 years of Islamic history, there is a lot to cover in 100 minutes, so I would say the producers did a decent job in the time alotted.

On the other hand, I felt some areas would have benefitted from more analysis. Altough some time was spent on the Shia/Sunni split, it could have been explored in more detail, both in the 7th century and the realities of that split today. Even more importantly, the topic of Islam's link to terrorism was woefully under-reported. Although it was stressed that Islamic doctrine does not advocate violence and forbids suicide (defied by today's suicide bombers), there was not enough of a discussion about why these terrorist factions exist. Why is Al Qaeda targeting the west? What policies have western governments pursued that have angered them? Etc. etc. This was a serious missed opportunity that would have helped Americans to understand what is happening in the larger world beyond our shores.

Three stars. Helps the viewer understand Islam but falls short of explaining how it is used by terrorists to justify their actions.

Avoid it like you would a virus!
Most of us would like to be in a band, or has been in one. Why is it that some bands make it while making a fortune while the rest of us fail on the roadside? Is there a secret? What does the music industry look for? Well all these questions plus hundreds more are answered......
The makers of this programme attempts, (and rather badly to,) paint the religion of Islam with Michael Angelo's paint brush but no so skilfully! Of course it goes into the wudu (Muslim washing,) and the Muslim shahadah (prayer) It never once touched upon areas of contradiction within the Islamic history i.e. Mohammed, whose wife khaddija, forced him to believe that he was a prophet, as he himself thought that he was influence by demons! His conditions were epilepsy, fits and frothing at the mouth, which Jesus would have seen as demonic possession according to Jesus not me!
The colourful history of Mohammed goes on, but not with the same cosy brush used by the programme makers but a different one! We know from the hadiths (Muslims collection) that Mohammed took by force the wives off other men, then claim that God, or Allah told him he could do it as he was special above all men! It didn't stop there, this special man also lust after a three years girl (Aisha) and married her when she was 6 (a slight improvement!!!) He had full sex with her even though "this man of God" was in his fifties! We would call this paedophilia! This Mohammed advocated rape, mass murder, torture, pillages of Jewish villages to name but a few... The history of Islam is written in carnage of blood either you become a Muslim or you die.
Throughout the Koran Mohammed teaches that we, who are non Muslims, should be killed and the Koran is filled with verses of this horrible nature. If you really want to know about Islam then my email is: smoothpianist67@yahoo.com I will give you verses after verses from the Muslims' own holy book, which promotes violence, homosexuality towards children (boys) rape, murder and so on... These programme makers are taking us for a ride! But I forward a noble challenge.

Anyone Muslim reading this review, that can challenge my research on Islam, I will give them £10.000 sterling! The contract is already here in writing for all to see on Amazon! We will debate on how many copies of the Koran were burnt, and how it led to a civil war amongst Muslims! We will debate on how pagan Arabia has not changed but has formed herself into many disguises! We will debate on how Muslim use ritual in which to worship not God but Mohammed! My email is printed to show this genuine challenge! I have debate Muslims (these peaceful men) and all I got were death threats! Yet were are hoodwinked to believe the great lie about Islam being a religion of tolerance one only has to mock or write something against Mohammed to see the real evil of Islam! Yet how many times do Christ gets attacked yet we don't see Christians taking to the streets today asking for someone's head to be beheaded that is Islam!

Very informative presentation on Islam
This is a very informative presentation on Islam. It presents the formative history of the religion. There is an attempt to draw out similarities between Islam, Christianity and the Jewish faiths. It does not put forth a clear distinction of how they are different and the implications of those distinctions. The photography and editing of this work are excellent. The History Channel did a great job of editing and interviewing a number of people, but I felt it could have been more effective and scholarly, should they have included prominate orthodox Christian scholars in the discussion. Some of those who they did interview seemed to miss the overwhelming significance of when someone does not believe that Jesus is both fully God and fully human. Another perspective is that the DVD does not emphasize the centuries of Islam's hostility toward Jews that is the hallmark of its impact in the middle east. They do not well treat the absolute prohibition of conversion to either the Jewish or Christian faith by Islam's adherents and the inevitable consequence of castigation and even death when someone chooses to do so. One could easily watch the program and come away with the idea that it is one of the three great peacable religions of the world, of equal merrit, just different, from the other to major religions. It postures that Islam is simply a new revelation of the same faith of the same God which originated with the Jews, was further revealed in Christanity, and reached its even more fuller revelation in Islam. This might be a Muslim perspective but would never be that of either orthodox Jews or orthodox Christians. I would recommend it, but leave the caution that it is not as exhaustive in its research as I would like to have seen.

Inside Islam
Highly recommend this DVD. It opens your eyes to true Islam and not the hype with the terrorists, by the way according to the infomation on this DVD are the infadels!! They are going totally against the teaching of the Koran. They need to re-learn their own religion. They have made up their own rules. The Koran teaches peace, fairness, equality, generousity, and a love of education. The terrorists are against all of that!! The Koran teaches respect of life and only to defend, it teaches that killing of women, children and civilians is WRONG! I don't know what the terrorists are following, but they should not claim it is Islam!!
They bring shame to a very honorable and respectable religion! It brought a lot to our civilization and has made many valuable contributions to a human kind. The terrorists are doing their best to bring shame to this great religion and because (like me) the general public don't know the true teachings, we re-act in fear and hatred. But if everyone viewed this DVD and learned the true teachings, they would understand that true Muslims are valuable and the terrorists are FAKES! Keep an open mind until you get the true facts!!

Contrasting Contributions of Islam to Humanity
Inside Islam was released in 2002 in the aftermath of 9/11 to educate non-Muslims about Islam. The documentary clearly explains which relationships exist among Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Inside Islam also highlights the key events in the life of Prophet Mohammed. Furthermore, the documentary covers the five traditional pillars of Islam, the much misunderstood Jihad, the essential contribution of Islam to the Western Renaissance, and the history of Islam from the 7th century CE until the beginning of the 21st century CE.

Despite its merits in painting Islam in a generally positive light, Inside Islam does not highlight enough the multiple contradictions existing within the Qur'an. The Tanakh and Holy Bible are not exempted either from these contradictions. The Qur'an has given a small, but influential minority of Islam practitioners the rhetorical firepower to justify the most barbarous acts against other human beings.

For example, Surah II, 256, mentions: "Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from error: Whoever rejects Evil and believes in God has grasped the most trustworthy handhold that never breaks." Referring to Christians and Jews, Surah III, 113, mentions: "Of the People of the Book are a portion that stand (for the right); they rehearse the signs of God all night long, and they prostrate themselves in adoration." Surah III, 116, continues: "Those who reject Faith neither their possessions nor their (numerous) progeny will avail them aught against God: They will be companions of the Fire, dwelling therein (for ever)."

Terrorism cannot be successfully contained only through military means. Moderate Muslims have a key role to play in acknowledging these contradictions and marginalizing the minority of Muslims who cannot practice Islam peacefully.