ISLAM: EMPIRE OF FAITH, narrated by Academy Award-winning actor Ben Kingsley,

airs on PBS Tuesday, May 8, 2001, 8:00 p.m. ET (check local listings). The two-and-a-
half-hour program tells the story of the great sweep of Islamic power and faith during its
first 1,000 years — from the birth of the prophet Muhammad 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 with scholars to recount the rise of early Islamic civilization.

Increasingly, scholars and historians are recognizing the profound impact that Islamic
civilization has had on Western culture and world history. Islam was the conduit for the
intellectual legacies of Greece, Egypt and China; its geographic and cultural breadth
brought immeasurable advances in literature, the arts, science and medicine to the
Western world of the Middle Ages. It was the seed for the European Renaissance and
was a defining force against which the West pushed — in war, trade and religion.

Between the fall of Rome and the European voyages of discovery, no event was
more significant than the rise of Islam. Within the span of 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 a prophet, and led by Caliphs
and Sultans, this political and religious expansion has not been equaled in speed,
geographic size, and endurance before or since.

The first part deals with the life of the Prophet Muhammad, his early life, his
encounter with God Almighty and the birth of the Islam.

Islam: Empire of Faith 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
Muhammad to the peak of the Ottoman Empire—under the reign of Suleiman the
Magnificent. Evocative reenactments 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 glory of early Islamic civilization. It is the epic
story of a cultural empire that dominated a millennium, encompassed half the
world, and shaped history.

Islam: Empire of Faith is a documentary series, made in 2000, that details the
history of Islam, from the birth of the Islamic Prophet, Muhammad to the
Ottoman Empire. It is narrated by Ben Kingsley and is available as three DVDs or
two video volumes in NTSC format.

The three-part American documentary series ‘Islam: Empire of Faith’ is a vast

history of the rise of Islam and the empire it established, which, at its height,
stretched from Spain and Morocco in the west as far as China in the east.

The series is especially good for its outlining of the story of the life of the Prophet
Muhammad and the tenets on which he founded the Islamic philosophy and
religion. The first part details the struggles and successes of early Muslims in
coming together and, through sheer force of will and faith, establishing a
compassionate, inclusive and just way of life in the face of the selfish and at times
cruel establishment.

Details around the importance of and the attitude toward revered people, texts
and places are particularly well outlined. We come to understand very clearly, for
example, why the Prophet is seldom represented in images, if at all; the history of
the importance of words in pre-Islamic Arabia and so the reasons the words and
phrases of the holy Qur’an hold such significance for Muslims in their religious
practice; and why the Kaaba at Mecca marks the physical centre of Islam. There is
no more powerful image to be had than imagining millions of people around the
globe, all of them focusing together and at the same time on the betterment of
humanity, all of them facing the centre point of a global circle.

The second and third parts detail the impact on the world – up to the present day
– of the acccomplishments of the science, technology and art of this culturally
varied religious community. The eventual decline of the empire, beginning with
the European Christian Crusades of the late 11th century and following through
Ottoman rule, make up the rest of the story.
1. Prophet Muhammad and the Rise of Islam.
The Messenger introduces the dramatic story of the rise of Islam with the
extraordinary life of the prophet Muhammad and his simple but revolutionary
message. This episode covers the revelation and early writing of the Koran; the
creation of the first Mosque; the persecution suffered by the first Muslims; and
the major battles fought by Muhammad and his followers to establish the new
religion. The rapid religious, cultural, and political expansion of Islam overwhelms
the empires of Persia and Byzantium, creating a new empire larger than Rome.
Islam would become the revitalizing force of a barbaric Arabia, returning people
to God and bringing back the monotheistic message of Christianity and Judaism in
its most powerful way. Islam Women were given rights over there husbands,
racism was annihilated and the rich were made equal to the poor.
2. The Awakening.
This part relates the golden age of Islam. A time of great learning when Europe
was steeped in the Dark Ages. The building of great works of architecture,
reading, writing, mathematics, medicine, and astronomy. Even before the printing
press Muslims would have hundreds of scribes writing all at once so they would
learn and reproduce the writings.
The Awakening examines the flowering of Islam into one of the great civilizations
in history. Culture and goods flow freely throughout a large empire. Islamic
principles and influence are spread further, affecting the intellectual development
of the West. Arabic becomes the language of learning, and achievements in art,
architecture, science, and medicine flourish. This episode also tells the story of
the Crusades and describes the recapture of Jerusalem by Saladin the Great. The
episode ends with the devastating invasion of Islamic lands by the Mongols.
3. The Ottomans.
The Ottomans reveals the dramatic transformation of Islam resulting from the
Mongol invasion. Nomads enlisted by Muslims to fight the Mongols stake their
own claims, and become known as Ottomans. The Ottomans transform the
Islamic world, creating a new empire that expands westward into Christian
territories. Suleiman the Magnificent shapes the Ottomans into a military
powerhouse and an empire of extreme wealth and sophistication, which
threatens the great power centers of Europe and the empire of the Persian
Safavids to the east, before falling victim to enemies from within.
This portion deals with the growing Ottoman Empire, which would control the
bridge between 3 continents: Africa, Europe and Asia. This empire would begin at
the close of the Crusades until World War I, from the 1300s to 1923. They would
rule the entire Middle East and make there way into Europe. Before there was the
state of Israel, there was great peace in the Holy Land regulated by the Ottomans.