Description: Between the fall of Rome and the European voyages of discovery, few events were more significant than the rise of Islam. Within a few centuries, the Islamic empires blossomed, projecting their power from Africa to the East Indies, and from Spain to India. Inspired by the words of the Prophet Muhammed, and led by caliphs and sultans, this political and religious expansion remains unequaled in speed, geographic size and endurance.
Islam: Empire of Faith is narrated by Academy Award®-winning actor Ben Kingsley. The three-hour program tells the spectacular story of the great sweep of Islamic power and faith during its first 1,000 years ‹ from the birth of the Prophet Muhammed to the peak of the Ottoman Empire under the reign of Suleyman the Magnificent. Historical re-enactments and a remarkable exposition of Islamic art, artifacts and architecture are combined with interviews of scholars from around the world to recount the rise and importance of early Islamic civilization. Increasingly, scholars and historians are recognizing the profound impact that Islamic civilization has had on Western culture and the course of world history.
Amazon.com: Islam: Empire of Faith is the epic PBS documentary that charts the history of Islam from its beginnings in Mecca and Medina in the seventh century to the glory of the Ottoman Empire 1,000 years later.
The demonization of Islam by the West has a long history, stretching back to the First Crusade at the end of the 11th century. This documentary redresses the balance by showing the riches of Islamic culture and the vital role played by Islam in preserving and building upon ancient wisdom from East and West at a time when most of Europe was stumbling through the Dark Ages. Muslim physicians, mathematicians, and astronomers stretched the boundaries of human knowledge, and Muslim architects created some of the most beautiful buildings in the world.
Islam also offers fascinating insights into key personalities, from Muhammad himself--a simple merchant whose vision of a single deity forged warring tribes into a nation--to great conquerors such as Mehmed and Suleyman, who presided over an empire that stretched from Spain to India. The faith itself is clearly explained, and interviews with historians and religious scholars bring home both its simplicity and the way that it survived huge cultural changes (like the Mongol invasions of the 13th century) to emerge stronger than ever. Islam has often been misunderstood in the West, but this splendid documentary helps to set the record straight. --Simon Leake
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - Energy !!!
Islam is not only a religion!!!
Islam is not only a religion!!!
Islam is not only a religion!!!
Islam is Energy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Zeyad
Rating: - staid, purposefully stilted, but informative.
Colorful and informative, "Islam: Empire of Faith" is really about a major branch of Islamic Civilization, and less about Islam the faith. The approach is a bit staid, which isn't unusual given that it's a PBS documentary. However it still provides a lot of information - information one rarely gets outside of academic circles - and as such serves as a kind of balance for the highly negative view of Islamic culture that predominates in the West. That said I do agree with those that point out that the parallel development of Shi'ite culture doesn't get enough treatment, and one could argue that Americans ... Read More
Rating: - Deep drilling into Islam
This DVD shows the points of view of many professors and specialists about Islam. It also shows the begining of Islam and how was it prevalenced through Mecca. The DVD talks about the difficulties of the journey of the prophet Mohammad (pbuh), and then the triumph of spredaing Islam in the Arabian peninsula, and then to the whole wide world.
Rating: - Not so much
Covering most of the Islamic era history in a shallow way, and choosing deliberately an actors with bad look to represent muslims in such a barbaric look.
I dont advice to see it, will add only bad imprission about islam.
Rating: - corporate agenda
After watching this documentary . I wondered what was the need of allowing so much time to cover the story of the life and activities of SULTAN OF TURKEY (that was the most boring part of it). it would have been nice if the producer had utilized that time to explore the esoteric side of Islam as well. the idea of this documentary must have hatched out of some corporate agenda.
I did not like this at all and will not waste my time to watch it again.
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