Islam empire of faith part 3 the ottomans summary

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Films on Islam

1. A star (*) next to a film indicates that portions of that film might be shown in class in the course of the semester.

2. All films are in DVD format, unless indicated otherwise. 3. They are available: at the Madden and Fresno County Public Libraries, via Netflix, &/or on-line. 4. For the on-line films, you can click on the link and this will lead you directly to the film. 5. Please be advised that a few films have the following notice: Warning: Contains scenes which

some viewers may find disturbing. It is up to you to decide whether you watch them or not. 6. Some on-line films might be VOD. 7. Let your instructor know if a link is no longer working.

Islam, Empire of Faith*: (163 min.) – Gardner Films Production in association with PBS and Devillier Donegan Enterprises (2001). Available at the Fresno County Library & on-line at: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/islam-empire-faith/ Synopsis: Documents the rise and growth of Islam throughout the world, from the birth of Prophet Muhammad in the 6th century through the peak of the Ottoman Empire 1000 years later. To see a virtual Hajj:

http://www.pbs.org/muhammad/virtualhajj.shtml

There is no god but God: VHS (52 min.)— BBC c1977 [distributed 1987] Available at Madden Library Synopsis: Eyre visits Egypt to explore the experience of Islamic worship. Includes interviews with a number of Muslims who discuss their personal attitudes and approaches to their religion.

3. The Five pillars of Islam: VHS (30 min.) – RM Productions c1988.

Available at Madden Library Synopsis: The essential principles on which Islam rests--the five pillars--are discussed, described, and put into historical perspective in this program. Viewers are introduced to the huge international mosaic of Muslim believers, and the conflict between traditional teachings and the effects of industrialization.

8. Living Islam series: 6 VHS (50 min.)

All films available at Madden Library BBC-TV Production in association with Ambrose Film; producer, John Percival. c1993.

Vol. 1 – Foundations Synopsis: An introduction to the essentials of Islam. The tenets of faith are deeply woven around the life of Muhammad, the Prophet of Allah. The program finds a living saint in the dunes of Timbuktu converting pagan villagers to Islam in the exact manner of Muhammad. And across the world, as the Prophet did in his time, Muslims learn to balance din (religion) and dunya (life).

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http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/islam-empire-faith/
http://www.pbs.org/muhammad/virtualhajj.shtml
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Vol. 2 – The Challenge of the Past Synopsis: The many differences in Muslim thinking today are the result of influence of three major Islamic empires. The Ottomans were confronted by Europe and Christianity accounting for the "western" approach of many Turkish Muslims; the Mongols achieved a synthesis with Hinduism that produced such beauty as the Taj Mahal, while the Saffavid dynasty was characterized by the Shi'a/Sunni split which is still acted out in southern Iran in the Taziya pageants. Vol. 3 – Struggling with modernity Synopsis: Looks at the tensions within Islamic states as they attempt to make their laws and practices compatible with the Twenty-first century while remaining true to the spirit of the faith. Vol. 4 – Paradise lies at the feet of the mother Synopsis: This program looks at the role of women in Islam and in Muslim societies in the Middle East, Asia and Nigeria. Vol. 5 – Among the Non-Believers Synopsis: Over 40% of the world's Muslims live as minorities, but is it possible to live a true Muslim life outside of the Islamic world? This program asks whether Muslims suffer particular discrimination or difficulties compared to other minorities. And does life in a secular society compromise their faith? Vol. 6 – The Last Crusade Synopsis: As many nations both West and East, from Algeria to Malaysia, face an Islamic revival, this program looks at the revolutionary and reforming spirit of Muslims. Locations visited include Jerusalem, Cairo, Kadvna and Teheran.

Muhammad: Legacy of a prophet – 2002 (120 min) Also available at Madden & Fresno County Libraries & Netflix On-line at: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xualnx_islam-muhammad-legacy-of-a- prophet-pbs_news Synopsis: Story of the 7th-century prophet who changed world history in 23 years, and continues to shape the lives of more than 1.2 billion people. The film takes viewers not only to ancient Middle Eastern sites where Muhammad's story unfolds, but into the homes, mosques and workplaces of America’s estimated 7 million Muslims to

discover the many ways in which they follow Muhammad's example. 6. Mahomet: 2 DVDs (273 min.). ARTE France Cie Phares & Balises. 2002

Available at Madden Library Synopsis: Chronicles the life of Mohammed and his legacy. Comprised primarily of interviews with imams, scholars, and individual believers, as well as footage of Islam's most significant historic places.

7. Islam today: VHS (30 min.) – RM Productions and TF1. c1988.

Available at Madden Library Synopsis: Describes Islam today, the conflicts between traditional values and modern lifestyles.

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http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xualnx_islam-muhammad-legacy-of-a-prophet-pbs_news
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xualnx_islam-muhammad-legacy-of-a-prophet-pbs_news
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B000EBGF2W/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=130&s=dvd
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B000EBGF2W/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=130&s=dvd
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8. Islam: VHS (58 min.) – Produced and directed by Pamela Mason Wagner. WNET New York. c1996. Available at Madden Library Synopsis: Bill Moyers and Huston Smith discuss misconceptions of Islam. Discovering Islam as an adult, Smith became enamored with Islamic conceptions of order, justice, mercy, and compassion. Through their trance-inducing dances, the mystics, the Sufis, bring God into the immediate moment.

9. Muslims & America: VHS (59 min.). With Dr. Aziza al Hibri/Islamic Information Service. 2002

Available at Madden Library Synopsis: During this interview Dr. al-Hibri argues for the compatibility of Islam and Democracy. She discusses issues such as the education of women, polygamy, gender equality in Islam, Islamic Law (shariah), and juristic interpretation (Ijtihad).

10. Islamic art: VHS (30 min.) – RM Productions. Films for the Humanities, c1988.

Available at Madden Library Synopsis: "Discusses the architecture and sculpture of mosques and Koranic schools, the illumination and calligraphy of sacred texts, music, the art of the garden, and the influence of the abstract arabesque on Western art."

A Visit to a Mosque in America: Understanding Islam & the American Muslim Community: DVD (60 min) – Astrolabe Productions. 2002. Available at Fresno County Library Synopsis: Take an intimate look inside the life of an American Muslim community. This 40-minute production, entitled, A Visit to a Mosque in America: Understanding Islam and the American Muslim Community is combined with a 15 - minute feature entitled, The Art of the mosque.

Born in the USA: Muslim Americans: DVD (30 min.) – Soliman Productions. 2003 Available at Fresno County Library On-line at: http://video.mpt.tv/video/2251669701/ Synopsis: Post Sept. 11 era insists that there is a growing need to publicize the diversity and positive contributions of Muslim Americans. Born in the USA: Muslim-Americans did just that. The documentary focuses on Muslim Americans from various ethnic and professional backgrounds, from teachers to doctors.

Brotherhood of Terror: DVD (50 min) – History Channel. Available at Fresno County Library On-line at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdFG_VXBeeM Synopsis: For many Americans, the morning of September 11, 2001 made the threat of Islamic Fundamentalism a grave reality. Long before Osama Bin Laden there were other men who saw America as the ultimate evil. Their roots can be traced to a shadowy movement known as the Muslim Brotherhood. This program travels to

Cairo, where the Brotherhood was born in the late 1920s, to explore how the Brotherhood passed on radical ideologies to legions of followers, including Ayman Zawahiri, who would later become Osama Bin Laden’s right-hand man.

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http://video.mpt.tv/video/2251669701/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdFG_VXBeeM
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B000NDIAVA/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=130&s=dvd
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B000NDIAVA/ref=dp_image_0?ie=UTF8&n=130&s=dvd
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Muslims: An In-Depth Look at What It Means to Be a Muslim in the 21th Century – 2002 (120 min) – PBS Frontline Special. Available at Madden & Fresno County Libraries Synopsis: Muslims offers snapshots of life in several countries including the United States, focusing on how Muslims struggle with differing definitions of Islam’s role in their lives. The two-hour documentary is divided into three sections: Islam and the West; Islamic Belief, Law and Practice; and Women and Islam. For more info:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/muslims/

The Seven Wonders of the Muslim World – (75min) On-line at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkZ6NPiEPzQ Synopsis: “A glossy and unquestioning documentary. Still, the buildings are fantastic, from the extraordinary mud-built mosque of Djenné in Mali, which looks as if it was built by giant termites, to the splendor of Isfahan and the Alhambra. In the hajj scenes in Mecca, thousands of pilgrims circle the Kaaba, an enormous, living, breathing whirlpool of faith.”

God’s Warriors – 3 DVDs (120 min. each) – CNN Special Reports. 2007. Available at Madden Library and on-line at: 1. God’s Jewish Warriors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1- eU2W5DY4 2. God’s Muslim Warriors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrGctRqYHLY 3. God’s Christian Warriors:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgAYXiWcEdQ Synopsis: They have been called radicals, militants or zealots. CNN reporter Christiane Amanpour calls them “God's Warriors. This 3-part series looks at Jews, Christians and Muslims who have aggressively brought their religious faith into the political arena. They change social policies, shape the course of national elections and influence global affairs. A small minority use terror to achieve their ends.

Inside Islam: (100 min) – 2002 On-line at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAjsu1ATrts Synopsis: History Channel documentary about the history of Islam. It shows that Islam is a peaceful religion with several similarities to Judaism and Christianity and that some people fear Islam because of the extremists who claim to act in its name. They show the Radical Islamists as just such extremists. It talks about the days of

Muhammad and his clashes with his tribe that disapproved of his monotheistic religion to their empires to the nation of Islam and the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Beirut to Bosnia (3 films 50 min each): On-line at: Part 1: http://freedocumentaries.org/int.php?filmID=200 Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9NMp_JpcFY Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHlpLwE7y6A Synopsis: An example of how advertising and lobbying groups censor American news,

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http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/muslims/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkZ6NPiEPzQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1-eU2W5DY4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1-eU2W5DY4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrGctRqYHLY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgAYXiWcEdQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAjsu1ATrts
http://freedocumentaries.org/int.php?filmID=200
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9NMp_JpcFY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHlpLwE7y6A
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this three-part documentary by the famous Middle East war correspondent Robert Fisk was banned by the Discovery channel in 1993. The films seek to explain the rise of anti-Western sentiment throughout the “Muslim world” (from the Middle East to the Balkans, the range of the former Ottoman Empire) by highlighting the oppressiveness of Western-supported governments (Israel and Egypt, in particular) and the West's broader anti-Muslim racism. The Discovery channel pulled the films in response to a letter campaign by pro-Israel groups. Examples of these lobbying efforts by pro-Israel groups (and correspondence with the Discovery channel) at the following:

 http://primerct.org/index.php?content=unger/bey...tle=Beyond%20Bias

 http://world.std.com/~camera/docs/oncamera/ocdisc.html

Part I: The Martyr's Smile (52 minutes): This section focuses its capable eye on Lebanon's guerilla war that aims to liberate southern Lebanon from Israeli control. The scope of this tragic conflict is brought into sharp focus in this documentary through the use of extensive interviews with participants from the Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad movements, views of civilian casualties caused by Israeli air attacks, and photographic evidence of the ongoing destruction of life and property in the region. The viewer should be advised that this film contains some disturbing scenes of this conflict. Part II: The Road to Palestine (51 minutes): This section provides the viewer with a glimpse into the ongoing conflict in the region around Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip. Through interviews with members of the militant Islamic group Hamas, as well as Zionist settlers and Jewish refugees, this documentary succeeds at revealing some of this tragic situation. Part III: To the Ends of the Earth (51 minutes): This section compares the plight of Muslims in Egypt and Bosnia. Though separated by geography and the distinct cultures in which they live their lives, this film reveals the feeling of betrayal by the West experienced by these two Muslim communities. Interviews with Islamic freedom fighters and war casualties shed light on the dynamics of the ongoing struggle for the survival of these communities.

Malcom X Prince of Islam On-line at: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/malcolm-x-prince-of-islam/ Synopsis: An explosive and gripping documentary that shows never before seen footage of al-Hajj Malik Shabaz. In this film we learn about his childhood struggles through to him joining the heretical group Nation of Islam to him finally accepting the true religion of Islam after performing the Hajj in Mecca. The fundamentalists: Religion or Lunacy? – (90 min) On-line at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TYQj_1dkTI Synopsis: The word “fundamentalism” often conjures up images of terrorism. This documentary tells how this phenomenon is rife in many of the world’s religions. Mark Dowd travels across the world to trace the origins of fundamentalism and find out how it developed into a global phenomenon. He discovers fundamentalists of all religious persuasions: Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims and even Buddhists…

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http://primerct.org/index.php?content=unger/bey...tle=Beyond%20Bias
http://world.std.com/~camera/docs/oncamera/ocdisc.html
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/malcolm-x-prince-of-islam/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TYQj_1dkTI
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True Islam (38 min) On-Line at: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/true-islam/ Synopsis: In medieval times, the unwavering belief that the world was flat led to riots, isolation, and even death to those who dared to contest this fallacy. Misconceptions and myths can be dangerous. Today, this same ignorance and intolerance has led to a backlash against Islam and Muslims. Support should be provided for the spread of “True Islam”, which is a religion of love, friendship, peace

and brotherhood, and for its true understanding.

What the Ancient Did for Us: The Islamic World – (58 min) On-Line at: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/islamic-world/ Synopsis: The rise of Islam is one of the most important events in world history. In the 7th century, Mohammed’s intention was to unite the divided Arabs through a new religion. A century after his death, he’d succeeded in producing a medieval superpower. The Arabs and Moors had spread through Spain towards the Pyrenees. This program explores the Muslim contribution to the western world – in art,

architecture, astronomy, medicine, science, and learning. The early Muslims are credited with inventing distillation and could distil just about anything – from alcohol to perfume. Hygiene is very important in the Muslim world so they invented and manufactured soap – centuries before the West – and hundreds of bathhouses were built throughout Muslim cities.

An Islamic History of Europe – (90 min.) On-Line at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfhZR15QRKA Synopsis: In this documentary, Rageh Omaar uncovers the hidden story of Europe’s Islamic past and looks back to a golden age when European civilization was enriched by Islamic learning. He travels across medieval Muslim Europe to reveal the vibrant civilization that Muslims brought to the West. This evocative film reveals the West’s debt to Islam for its contribution to the Renaissance.

Inside Mecca – 2003 (57 min.)* On-line at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFQHgdmJqjo http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/inside_mecca Synopsis: This film produced by Anisa Mehdi gives a glimpse of a place that most people will never see nor understand. It does so by following the lives of three individuals, including an American female Muslim convert, on their quest to discover

the core of their religion and who they are.

Real Bad Arabs: How Hollywood Vilifies a People – (50 min) On-line at: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/reel-bad-arabs/ Synopsis: The Arab is a one-dimensional caricature, a cartoon cutout used by film makers as stock villains and as comic relief. And so, over and over, we see Arabs in movies portrayed as buffoons, their only purpose being to deliver cheap laughs. This documentary dissects a slanderous aspect of cinematic history that has run virtually unchallenged from the silent films to today’s biggest Hollywood blockbusters.

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http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/true-islam/
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/islamic-world/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfhZR15QRKA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFQHgdmJqjo
http://www.snagfilms.com/films/title/inside_mecca
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/reel-bad-arabs/
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Holy warriors – 2005 (90 min) On-line: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NSRA_Lpy1U Available at Fresno County Library Synopsis: The remarkable story of the relationship between the Muslim leader Saladin and the Christian Crusader the King of England Richard the Lionhearted. Battling in the name of different religions, and filled with blinding cultural ignorance, both shared a faith in one God.

When the Moors Ruled in Europe – On-line at: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/when-moors-ruled-europe/ Synopsis: British historian Bettany Hughes examines a long-buried chapter of European history, the rise and fall of Islamic culture in what is now Spain and Portugal. You’ll discover the ingenious mathematics behind Granada’s dazzling Alhambra Palace, trace El Cid’s lineage to his Moorish roots, and learn how the Iberian population willingly converted to Islam in droves.

The Kings: From Babylon to Baghdad (120 min.) http://www.documentarytube.com/the-kings-from-babylon-to-baghdad Available from your instructor Synopsis: The region now known as Iraq has always been, in many ways, world history’s ground zero. From this rich territory sprang the earliest cities and empires, earliest armies, and earliest tyrants. This tells the story of Iraq through the history of its rulers, from Sargon the Great to Saddam Hussein.

Generation Jihad – 2010 ( 3 60-min episodes) On-line at: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/generation-jihad/ Synopsis: In Generation Jihad, Peter Taylor investigates the terrorist threat from young Muslim extremists radicalized on the Internet. Following the attempt to bomb an airliner over Detroit on Christmas Day, this landmark series looks at the angry young men of Generation Jihad who have turned their backs on the country where they were born. In the first episode, Peter hears from those convicted under Britain’s

newest anti-terror laws and investigates how some of the most notorious terrorists came to be radicalized. He finds a generation that has shed the moderate Islam their parents brought to this country, and instead have adopted a faith that they believe compels them to stand apart from Britain and its values.

The Smell of Paradise – (60 min) On-line at: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/smell-paradise/ Synopsis: An Islamic world tour is documented here by visits to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Qatar, to highlight events post 9/11, including footage taken a few years before. The film above all endeavors to shed light on the process leading young men to the radical choice of self-sacrifice, becoming human bombs.

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http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/generation-jihad/
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/smell-paradise/
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Submission – (11 min) On-line at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGtQvGGY4S4 Synopsis: Short film by Dutch movie maker Theo van Gogh in association with Ayaan Hirsi Ali. Deals with the oppression of women in many Muslim countries. Van Gogh was killed by a Muslim fanatic in 2004 because of the film. The title is a direct translation of the word Islam. The story of four fictional characters played by a single actress wearing a veil, but clad in a

see-through chador, her naked body painted with verses from the Koran. The characters are Muslim women who have been abused in various ways. The film contains monologues of these women and dramatically highlights three verses of the Quran,(4:34 2:222 and 24:2) that authorize mistreatment of women, by showing them painted on women’s bodies. Warning: Contains scenes which some viewers may find disturbing.

Age of Extremes – (70 min) On-line at: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/age-of-extremes/ Synopsis: This documentary follows an array of British Muslims from different socio- cultural backgrounds and viewpoints, discussing the War on Terror, its implications for British Muslims and impact on community cohesion. “I made this documentary because I felt that the broadcasts by the mainstream media did not adequately or honestly address the issue of the root causes of Islamic extremism.”

Secrets of the Koran – (90 min) On-line at: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/secrets-of-the-koran/ Synopsis: The Koran is one of the most important works ever written. For almost one billion people worldwide, it is the Holy Scripture, the word of God and his prophet. For others, it is a historical artifact that has left an indelible imprint on the world. This feature-length program examines the history of the verses and their implications for modern times, as well as the striking similarities and differences

between the Koran and the Bible.

Veiled Voices – 2010 (59 min) Available via Netflix and at Fresno County Public Library Available on Blackboard (“Films for Video Streaming”) Synopsis: Women across the Arab world are redefining their role as leaders in Islam. Veiled Voices investigates the world of Muslim women religious leaders through the eyes of three women in Lebanon, Syria and Egypt. Filmed over the course of two years, Veiled Voices reveals a world rarely documented, exploring both the public

and private worlds of these women. The stories featured in the film give insight into how Muslim women are now increasingly willing to challenge the status quo from within their religion, promoting Islam as a powerful force for positive transformation in the world.

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http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/024.qmt.html#024.002
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/age-of-extremes/
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/secrets-of-the-koran/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Submission_screenshot.gif
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The Life of Muhammad – 2011 (3 episodes of 60 min for a total of 3 hours) On-line at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRdIp9ne7fQ Synopsis: In a ground-breaking first for British television, this three-part series presented by Rageh Omaar charts the life of Muhammad, a man who – for the billion and half Muslims across the globe – is the messenger and final prophet of God.

Out of Cordoba – 2010 (82 min) Available from the Madden Library & Netflix Synopsis: Documentary that explores some of the most vexing questions of our time: Is there a “clash of civilizations” between the West and the Islamic world? Are Jews and Muslims eternal enemies, incapable of peaceful coexistence? Does religious faith lead inevitably to xenophobia and violence? The 82-minute film explores the legacy

of these two philosophers, as well as their contemporary importance for interfaith relations, and especially for Muslims, Jews, and Christians struggling against religious extremism. Out of Cordoba is a timely and powerful plea for greater interfaith understanding in our troubled and often violent times. For more info: http://outofcordoba.com/. Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkmCm3aqkXE

Science & Islam – (3 episodes of 60 min for a total of 180 min) Available on-line at: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/science-and-islam/ Physicist Jim Al-Khalili travels through Syria, Iran, Tunisia and Spain to tell the story of the great leap in scientific knowledge that took place in the Islamic world between the 8th and 14th centuries. Its legacy is tangible, with terms like algebra, algorithm and alkali all being Arabic in origin and at the very heart of modern science – there would be no modern mathematics or physics without algebra, no

computers without algorithms and no chemistry without alkalis.

Rights & Wrongs: The Story of Women in Islam – 2011 (135 min) Available at Madden Library Synopsis: By returning to the roots of Islam and understanding how societies have found justification for their treatment of women within Islamic sources, this thoughtful and far reaching film is an essential resource that debunks myths about women and Islam. Renowned Muslim feminist scholars and journalists, including Asra Q. Nomani, Mona Eltahawy, Azadeh Moaveni, Dr. Amina Wadud, Dr. Khaled

Abou El Fadl and Asma Gull Hasan, detail how from early on very different understandings of the Qur’an lead to vastly different translations, with enormous repercussions for women living in different Islamic societies around the world.

Cities of Light: The Rise & Fall of Islamic Spain – 2007 (130 min) Available at the Fresno County Library or on-line via: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCoO2ky6TSA Synopsis: Two-hour documentary film, journeys into one of World History's most fascinating and important periods. With a fresh focus on the many contributions to Western civilization made by Islamic institutions and culture, the film also

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consistently cleaves to an even-handed presentation of the triumphs and shortcomings, achievements and failures of a centuries-long period when Muslims, Christians, and Jews inhabited the same corner of Western Europe and there built a lasting society that was both part of Christian Europe and the Muslim Middle East.

Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World – 2012 (90 min) Available at the Fresno Country Library or via: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAQE22bXV6M Synopsis: A 90-minute documentary of stunning breadth and beauty. Viewers are transported to nine countries and across 1,400 years of cultural history to explore the astonishing artistic and architectural riches of Islam. With the insights and commentary of leading art scholars from around the world, the film delves into the

art of religious life in Islamic culture and into the secret world inside the palaces of the elite. From the extraordinary array of metalwork, textiles, paintings and architecture that illuminate the culture, filmmaker Rob Gardner sheds light on the shared histories of western and Islamic societies, revealing more continuity than division. Award-winning actress Susan Sarandon narrates.