1 Films on Islam 1. A star () next to a fil.docx

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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.
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
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.
Synopsis: Describes Islam today, the conflicts between
traditional values and modern lifestyles.
5.
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=
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8. Islam: VHS (58 min.) – Produced and directed by Pamela
Mason Wagner. WNET New York. c1996.
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
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.

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
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.
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=
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B000NDIAVA/ref=

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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
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
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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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NSRA_Lpy1U
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/when-moors-ruled-europe/
http://www.documentarytube.com/the-kings-from-babylon-to-
baghdad
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.youtube.com/watch?v=aGtQvGGY4S4
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/004.qmt.html#004.034
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)
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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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRdIp9ne7fQ
http://outofcordoba.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkmCm3aqkXE
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/science-and-islam/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCoO2ky6TSA
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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.

Not in my Name – 2014 (27 min)
Available on-line at: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/not-in-
my-name/
Synopsis: Takfiris firmly believe that the end justifies the
means. But Islam never
approves of such actions as it never issues such fatwa and their
beliefs are rejected
by almost all prominent contemporary Islamic scholars. As an
Islamic term jihad
means "the struggle for God's sake." It is through jihad that
every Muslim is required
to defend his or her country against any foreign invader. In
recent years the term
has been widely misused in the media to describe bombings,
suicide attacks, or any other sort of aggressive
behavior by extremists. But what exactly is jihad and when
does it become obligatory for Muslims?
Takfirism is an offshoot of Salafism whose followers seek to
get to the origins of Islam, but based on their
own facile and fallacious reading. A little knowledge is a
dangerous thing and that's what Takfiris are
suffering from. Warning: Very graphic content which might be
upsetting to some viewers.
Prophet Muhammad & Women – 2007 (48 min)
Available on-line at: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/prophet-
muhammad-
women/
Synopsis: Prophet Muhammad and Women is an educational and
revelatory
documentary that aims to shatter preconceived notions about
gender relations in

Islamic faith. This intimate look at Muhammad's historical
relationships with women
contradicts the attitude of misogyny that is prevalent in radical
Islam even to this
day.
The History of Islam – 2015 (100 min)
Available on line at: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/history-
islam/
In light of the tumultuous state of world affairs, the recent
scourge of terror attacks,
and the current political debates and heated rhetoric that
surround these sensitive
issues, a clear foundation of understanding regarding the
Islamic religion is more
essential than ever before. An informative and timely five-part
documentary series
titled History of Islam seeks to provide exactly this sort of
thoughtful analysis. This
40.
41.
42.
43.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAQE22bXV6M

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/not-in-my-name/
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/lessons-hate-violence/
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/lessons-hate-violence/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salafi_movement
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/prophet-muhammad-women/
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/prophet-muhammad-women/
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/history-islam/
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/islam-what-the-west-needs-to-
know/
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/islam-what-the-west-needs-to-
know/
11
ambitious project, undertaken by the educational content
producer Caspian Report, attempts to present a
wide-sweeping and objective summary of Islamic identity.
Characterized by ongoing narration and static
visual imagery, History of Islam is at times a bit dry in
presentation, but nonetheless exceptionally
informative in its content.
The Crusades: An Arab Perspective – 2016 (190 min)
Available on-line via:
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/crusades-arab-perspective/
An ambitious four-part documentary produced by Al Jazeera,
The Crusades: An Arab
Perspective features handsome production values, convincing
historical
reenactments and a wealth of revealing information on this
much dissected period
of world history. The Crusades may have come to an end, but
the fight against

Western occupation did not. The final episode considers the
lasting remnants of
these conflicts as it relates to events in their immediate
aftermath all the way to 20th century, including the
formation of the state of Israel in 1948.Sprinkled throughout the
film are enlightening interviews with a
panel of noted historians and academics. Collectively, their
insights serve as a terrific compliment to the
impressive reenactment footage as they work to interpret the
motivations of all involved and to separate
fact from folklore. The Crusades: An Arab Perspective is an
impressive achievement that manages to play
more like a riveting sword and sandals saga than a dry and
studious documentary.
In the Footsteps of Ibn Battuta: The Man Who Walked Across
the World – 2015
(3-part series of 60 min each)
Available on-line via:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdOBbopxVME
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSVVSCQ6qDM
Three-part series of documentary travelogues following in the
footsteps of 14th
Century Moroccan scholar Ibn Battuta, who covered 75,000
miles, 40 countries and three continents in
a 30-year odyssey.

Finally:
1. Be sure to read the instructions as to how to write you film
report before starting the assignment.
2. Consult your instructor if you have additional questions.
3. Let your instructor know if one of the links featured in this
document is not working anymore!
4. Your instructor welcomes your suggestions for films to be
added to this list!
44.
45.
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/crusades-arab-perspective/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1d5qcVP7ig
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdOBbopxVME
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSVVSCQ6qDM
1
Films on Africa
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. Available: at the Madden and Fresno County Public
Libraries, via Netflix, Blackboard 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. You decide whether you want to
watch them or not.
6. Some films are available on-line via VOD.
7. Let your instructor know if a link is no longer working.
The Africans (9 VHS films – each 60 min or 5 DVDs – each 120
min): Co-
production of WETA-TV and BBC-TV. Presented by Ali A.
Mazrui. 1986.
Available at Madden Media & Fresno Public Libraries
Vol. 1 – The Nature of a continent*
Summary: Examines Africa as the birthplace of humankind and
discusses
the impact of geography on African history, including the role
of the Nile
in the origin of civilization and the introduction of Islam to
Africa through its Arabic borders.
Vol. 2 – A Legacy of lifestyles*
Summary: This program explores how African contemporary
lifestyles are influenced by
indigenous, Islamic and Western factors. It compares simple
African societies with those that

are more complex and centralized, and examines the importance
of family life.
Vol. 3 – New gods
Summary: This program examines the factors that influence
religion in Africa, paying particular
attention to how traditional religions, Islam, and Christianity
co-exist and influence each other.
Vol. 4 – Tools of exploitation
Summary: The impact of the West on Africa and the impact of
Africa on the development of the
West are contrasted with an emphasis on the manner in which
Africa's human and natural
resources have been exploited before, during, and after the
colonial period.
Vol. 5 – New conflicts
Summary: Explores the tensions inherent in the juxtaposition of
3 African heritages, looking at
the ways in which these conflicts have contributed to the rise of
the nationalist movement, the
warrior tradition of indigenous Africa, the jihad tradition of
Islam, and modern guerilla warfare.
Vol. 6 – In search of stability
Summary: Gives an overview of the several means of governing
in Africa. Examines new social
orders to illustrate an Africa in search of a viable form of
government in the post-independence
period.
1.

2
Vol. 7 – A Garden of Eden in decay?
Summary: Identifies the problems of a continent that produces
what it does not consume and
consumes what it does not produce. Shows Africa's struggle
between economic dependence
and decay.
Vol. 8 – A Clash of cultures*
Summary: Discusses the conflicts and compromises which
emerge from the coexistence of
many African traditions and modern life. Explores the question
of whether Africa can synthesize
its own heritage with the legacies of Islam and the West.
Vol. 9 – Global Africa
Summary: Discusses African contributions to contemporary
culture, including the significance of
the African Diaspora, particularly in North America. Also
examines the continuing influence of
the superpowers on the affairs of Africa.
Africans in America: America's journey through slavery 2
DVDs (180
min. each): Produced for PBS by WGBH Boston.
Disc 1: The Terrible transformation* – Revolution.

Disc 2: Brotherly love – Judgment day.
Summary: Nearly ten years in the making, this landmark six-
hour film
series exposes the truth through surprising revelations, dramatic
recreations, rare archival photography and riveting first-person
accounts. [It] helps define the
reality of slavery's past through the insightful commentary of a
wide range of voices including
General Colin Powell, authors John Edgar Wideman and Barry
Unsworth and leading scholars.
Narrated by Academy Award nominee Angela Bassett it offers
unparalleled understanding -
from slavery's birth in the early 1600s through the violent onset
of civil war in 1860.
Warning: Contains scenes which some viewers may find
disturbing.
A day in the life of a village in Africa (60 min). By
Christopher Roy. *
Summary: Shows a typical day in Sayaga, a farming village in
Burkina Faso.
Includes scenes of food preparation, house building, children in
school,
traditional work, a funeral, and music.
A day in the life of Africa: (95 min.)
Available at Madden Media Library
Summary: On February 28, 2002, 100 photographers
documented life in
53 African countries. This film follows some of the

photographers as they
carried out their assignments, the results to be published in a
book in the
'Day in the life" series. Also shown is the process of choosing
which
pictures to include, as well as other details of book production.
2.
3.
4.
3
Africa Addio (Farewell Africa) – 140 min)
On-line at http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/africa-addio/
Summary: Italian documentary made in 1966 about the end of
the colonial
era in Africa. Documents some of the disruptions caused by
decolonization, such as poaching in former animal preserves
and bloody
revolutions, including the Zanzibar revolution which resulted in
the
massacre of approximately 5,000 Arabs in 1964. Shot over a
period of
three years, by Gualtiero Jacopetti and Franco Prosperi, two
Italian filmmakers who had gained

fame a few years earlier (with co-director Paolo Cavara) as the
directors of Mondo Cane in
1962. Warning: Contains scenes which some students may find
disturbing!
The empire in Africa – 2006 (88 min)
Available on-line at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqIK0Rufa3Q
By Philippe Diaz. Focused on the bloody civil war in Sierra
Leone, it is the
perfect rejoinder to those who believe that the West has some
kind of
obligation to provide law and order through a “humanitarian”
military
intervention of the sort that NY Timesman Nicholas Kristof
contributor
calls for in Darfur or that Harvard professor Samantha Powers
called for in
Rwanda. Using interviews with the Revolutionary United Front
(RUF), a rebel group widely
portrayed as the Sierra Leone equivalent of the Janjaweed in
Darfur, as well as supporters of
military intervention against it, Diaz uncovers a rescue mission
much more about rescuing
diamond mining profits than lives. Warning: Contains scenes
which some students may find
disturbing!
An African Journey – 2010 (3 one-hour episodes)
On-Line at:
http://www.ovguide.com/tv/an_african_journey_with_jonathan_
dimbleb
y.htm

Summary: After four decades of reporting from the continent,
Jonathan
Dimbleby returns to Africa on a 7,000-mile journey to discover
how it is
changing. He starts his African journey in the capital of Mali,
Bamako, the
fastest-growing African city.
1. Following the course of the Niger River, Dimbleby finds not
a continent of beggars but of
industrious people, some of whom go to extraordinary lengths to
make a living, free-diving
20 feet to excavate building sand.
2. On the second leg of his illuminating journey across Africa,
Jonathan Dimbleby travels 2000
miles through East Africa’s Rift Valley.
3. On the final leg of his 7,000 mile odyssey, Jonathan
Dimbleby travels from Congo to Durban
in search of the stories revealing contemporary Africa.
At a party celebrating the Year of the Tiger, he learns how
China’s billion dollar deals have
rebooted African economies, once dependent on Western aid
and investment.
5.
6.
7.

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/africa-addio/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqIK0Rufa3Q
dimbleby.htm
dimbleby.htm
4
Have You Heard From Johannesburg – 2010 (7 films, each 52
min long, for
a total of 8 hours)
Available at Madden Library (disc DT1970 .H394 2010 v.1-7)
Summary: A series covering the 45-year struggle against South
Africa's
apartheid system. Produced and directed by Connie Field, it
includes
events such as the Sharpeville massacre, the Soweto uprising,
the murder
of Steve Biko, and covers the role of some people less well-
known outside
South Africa than Nelson Mandela, such as African National
Congress leader Oliver Tambo. The
title comes from the lyrics of the Gil Scott-Heron song
“Johannesburg”.
Episode One: The Road to Resistance (1948-64)
As the U.N. adopts the Declaration of Human Rights, South
Africa implements apartheid. A
mass movement is born, then crushed, and Nelson Mandela is

jailed for life.
Episode Two: Hell of a Job (1960-69)
ANC Deputy President Oliver Tambo escapes into exile and
embarks on what will become a 30-
year journey to engage the world in the struggle to bring
democracy to South Africa.
Episode Three: The New Generation (1969-77)
Youth in South Africa and around the world join the growing
movement against apartheid and
the brutal suppression of a youth uprising in Soweto galvanizes
public support for sanctions
against South Africa.
Episode Four: Fair Play (1958-81)
With foreign governments reluctant to take action against
apartheid regime, athletes and
activists around the world hit white South Africa on the playing
field. International boycotts
against its sport teams help bring this human right crisis to the
forefront of global attention.
Episode Five: Selma to Soweto (1977-86)
African Americans alter U.S. foreign policy for the first time in
history, successfully pressuring
the U.S. to impose sanctions and politically isolate South
Africa.
Episode Six: The Bottom Line (1965-88)
International grassroots campaigns against major American
firms doing business in South Africa
economically isolate the apartheid regime and become the first
successful efforts to use
economic pressure to help bring down a government.

Episode Seven: Free at Last (1979-90)
An uprising in South Africa becomes the final blow in the
cumulative world effort to topple
apartheid. Nelson Mandela becomes a household name as the
campaign to free him ignites a
worldwide crusade.
8.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharpeville_massacre
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soweto_uprising
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Biko
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_Mandela
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_National_Congress
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Tambo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gil_Scott-Heron
5
Portrait of Africa – 2000 (56 min)
Summary: Few have ever witnessed the untouched splendor of
Africa. But
now you can. Portrait of Africa, set to the music of Vangelis
(Chariots of
Fire), Ladysmith Black Mambazo (of Paul Simon's Graceland)
and
legendary vocalist Miriam Makeba, is the sight-and-sound
odyssey that
takes you there. From Tanzania's sweeping Serengeti to
towering Mt.

Kilimanjaro, from Kenya's historic island of Lamu to the
volcanic shores of Lake Turkana,
Portrait of Africa presents a remarkable array of people, places,
wildlife and timeless ways with
a gorgeous detail and rhapsodic grace.
The Great Africa Scandal – (48 min)
On-line at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRIdMpCXCEw
Summary: Robert Beckford visits Ghana to investigate the
hidden costs of
rice, chocolate and gold and why, 50 years after independence
this
country, so rich in natural resources, is one of the poorest in the
world.
He asks if the activities of multinationals, the World Bank and
IMF have
actually made Ghana’s problems worse.
The Human Family Tree – (46 min)
On-line: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/human-family-tree/
Summary: On a single day on a single street, with the DNA of
just a
couple of hundred random people, National Geographic Channel
sets out
to trace the ancestral footsteps of all humanity. Regardless of
race,
nationality or religion, all of us can trace our ancient origin
back to the
cradle of humanity, East Africa. What did our collective journey
look like,
and where did it take your specific ancestors?

Has God Forsaken Africa? – 2008 (52 min)
Available at: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/has-god-forsaken-
africa/
Summary: The story of this documentary unfolds in a working-
class
neighborhood in Dakar, Senegal. The director, Musa Dieng
Kala, returns
there to see what happened in a district he grew up in. Twenty
years
have passed since he and his friends dreamt of rebuilding their
land.
Today the young people there dream of a sole opportunity to
leave and
go far away, elsewhere. Deserting Africa is like claiming that
nothing can be accomplished,
established nor enjoyed there. They leave behind an African
youth feeling lost, frustrated and in
despair, yearning to go to the West to escape a seemingly
pointless future. The land, see and
sky become their refuge. Leaving Africa thus becomes a life-
long task - to live elsewhere,
anywhere, but not there.
9.
10.
11.
12.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRIdMpCXCEw
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/human-family-tree/
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/has-god-forsaken-africa/
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/soccers-lost-boys/
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/soccers-lost-boys/
6
Journey of Man: A Genetic Odyssey – 2003 (120 min)
On-line: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dDXIX-y6aY
Summary: A fantastic documentary tracing the earliest human
migration
on this planet, as shown by our genetic roots. The best parts are
when
the researcher returns with DNA results and we see the diverse
ways in
which people and tribes react to the news of what science says
about
their arrival and relations.
Tropic of Capricorn – 2008 (180 min)
Available at: http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/tropic-of-
capricorn/
Summary: Simon Reeve presents a travel documentary as he
embarks
on a journey along the Tropic of Capricorn, the line of latitude
which
cuts through Southern Africa, Australia and South America.
The journey
took him to stunning areas of the world, but he also discovers

the
changing global environment, poverty, globalization, AIDS, the
rise of
the Chinese economy and the suffering of Africa.
Africa… States of Independence by Al-Jazeera English– 2010 (1
film of 45 min + 6 of 25 min each)
All episodes available on Bd (“Films for Video Streaming”)
Summary: Seventeen African nations gained their independence
in 1960 but the dreams of the independence era were short-
lived. Africa ... States of Independence tells the story of five of
these countries: stories of mass exploitation, of the ecstasy of
independence, and of how - with liberation - a new, covert
scramble for resources was born.
Africa, I’m Going to Fleece You (Afrique, je te plumerai) –
1992 (88 min)
Available at Madden Music & Media Library
Available on Bd (“Films for Video Streaming”)
Summary: This documentary examines how Cameroon's French
colonizers have been replaced by a dictatorial indigenous
regime which
still plunders the land and silences the authentic expression of
its people.
A case study of the devastation of traditional African societies
by imposed
colonial cultures. In French with English subtitles.
And So Angels Die (Ainsi meurent les anges) – 2001 (58 min)

Summary: A drama that examines the conflict that often
develops
between personal needs and those of family and culture. Mory
is a
poet from the African nation of Senegal, who lives in France
with his
French wife and their three children. He is contacted by his
step-father
back in Senegal: the old man demands that he take a second
wife, as is
consistent with the polygamist traditions of their culture. In
French with English subtitles.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dDXIX-y6aY
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/tropic-of-capricorn/
7

Women With Open Eyes (Femmes aux yeux ouvertes) – 1994
(52 min)
Summary: A Togolese documentary film directed by Anne-
Laure Folly
that covers the lives of contemporary African women in Burkina
Faso,
Mali, Senegal and Benin. The film director simply want to
show African
women's ability to enter the twenty-first century positively, that
is, by
articulating a set of problems, questions, and answers that
contribute
to world development even though some still live in very
traditional societies.
Finally:
1. Be sure to read the instructions as to how to write you film
report before starting the assignment.
2. Consult your instructor if you have additional questions.
3. Let your instructor know if one of the links featured in this
document is not working anymore!
4. Your instructor welcomes your suggestions for films to be
added to this list!
18.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne-Laure_Folly

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