This week, Channel 4 is broadcasting a selection of programmes that explore the Islamic faith. With both The Qur'an and The Seven Wonders of the Muslim World, commissioning editor Aaqil Ahmed believes the channel is contributing to a new understanding of Islam in the western world.
Visit The TV Show website to find out more, as Aaqil explains his motivation for commissioning both projects.
If you've watched any of the programmes featured in C4's Islamic season and would like to share your views/ask any questions about what you've seen, please leave your thoughts below.
I wat5ched most of the program about the Qur'an. It was a completely typical BNP/Tabloid anti muslim rant, even down to the showing of a brutal mutilation of a little girl's private parts while she screamed pitifully in protest. Absolutly bnothing at all to do with the actual Koran (as it is spelt on the copy I read a while ago.
I not only watched the whole of both programmes I taped them and have re-watched them.
The first programme ‘It shouldn’t Happen to a Muslim’ appeared to start with the view that Muslims are (wrongly) getting a bad time and steered the programme and players towards that conclusion; failed to ask Muslims the hard questions. I found the second programme ‘The Qur’an’ balanced and most informative. It answered a lot of my questions and has caused me to research deeper into those question revealing some illuminating answers.
Originally posted by Yuze: It is good that you are doing this programming. But I feel like your showing what is referred to as "western approved moderate Islam".
However I do say thank you for put time, money and effort into this as I am sure you have squashed a few misconceptions about Islam. Thanks
Thats right we do have to approve Islam. But I am finding hard to find a version of islam that is compatable with our liberal society
Originally posted by Yuze: Would you consider Thierry Hnery a threat to the security of Great Britain??
Has he ever said he wouldn’t report a muslim terrorist, paedophile or drug dealer to the police because (what was it you said..)
quote:
But at the same time I am not going to side with the person who doesn't submit to the will of the Creator over the person who does submit to the will of the Creator.
If he has then yes I would say he is a threat otherwise NO he isn’t (unless of course you can offer evidence to prove otherwise)
Originally posted by balaclava9: I not only watched the whole of both programmes I taped them and have re-watched them.
The first programme ‘It shouldn’t Happen to a Muslim’ appeared to start with the view that Muslims are (wrongly) getting a bad time and steered the programme and players towards that conclusion; failed to ask Muslims the hard questions. I found the second programme ‘The Qur’an’ balanced and most informative. It answered a lot of my questions and has caused me to research deeper into those question revealing some illuminating answers.
lol your review and understanding your politics only helps to endorse the first opinion on this thread.
Originally posted by Tequila_nic: Thats right we do have to approve Islam. But I am finding hard to find a version of islam that is compatable with our liberal society
as you have proven
Nic
who is this we and why do you claim that you represent a liberal society?
from what ive read of your posts you are hardly liberal.
maybe if you just referred to the koran as your starting point, since that is the only islam you might learn something. of course one does have to have ones wit about them and be prepared to understand the simplicity and the complexity.
somehow i dont think you have that with in you when it is about islam.
Originally posted by johnbee: I watched most of the program about the Qur'an. It was a completely typical BNP/Tabloid anti muslim rant, even down to the showing of a brutal mutilation of a little girl's private parts while she screamed pitifully in protest. Absolutly bnothing at all to do with the actual Koran (as it is spelt on the copy I read a while ago.
i tend to agree with you.
what you witnessed was theology presented to you with a neo conservative vision (or at least editing).
islam tells one not to comment on things that one doesnt understand. it asks one to be on jihad to become a better muslim. it asks one to be respectful with regard to the koran.
what one was being told was that islam and muslims have a belief in a corrupted piece of fiction.
what one was being told was that islam is not a unifying faith that seeks to provide social and political set of directions but one that kills more muslims , is divisive and politically has no relevance to the modern era.
what one was being told was to doubt ones faith, doubt ones fellow muslims .
what one was being told was that islam has no place in todays society because it is backwards, primitive and cannot provide the solutions that are required.
that was the underlying thrread of the film and that is why it is being praised by anti islam anti muslims as being 'balanced'.
Originally posted by wendymann: ... what one was being told was that islam and muslims have a belief in a corrupted piece of fiction.
what one was being told was that islam is not a unifying faith that seeks to provide social and political set of directions but one that kills more muslims , is divisive and politically has no relevance to the modern era.
And the programme provided evidence to back this up. Islam is a medieval religion obsessed with medieval subjects such as virginity and adultery and how you should behave in the presence of an imaginary being. One of the best bits that showed the religion's power to infect the mind was when the woman ex-lawyer was arguing against the notion that covering the face might be detrimental to communication with other people. Of course covering the face is detrimental to communication. This is fact obvious to a 3-year-old. Yet this woman rejected the idea as 'baseless'. I'd heard about the mistranslation of virgin fron grapes (or white raisins) before but it was interesting to see the connection with Christianity and paintings depicting heaven being a place full of grapes! It was also interesting to hear the alternative translations from earlier languages which make much more sense of various parts of the text.
Originally posted by Yuze: It is good that you are doing this programming. But I feel like your showing what is referred to as "western approved moderate Islam".
Hasn't there been enough coverage lately of extreme practices? If we got yet another programme like that, some people would probably complain all we see is Islamophobic stuff. The top post by johnbee even expresses this complaint about the current programmes.
It's funny how some have found "The Qu'ran" to be anti-Islamic in tone showing too much "extreme" practice, while others found it too "moderate". To me this shows how balanced the coverage really was. And that's how it should be - all aspects and practices should be reported on in proportion. Regardless of whether any of it is "western-approved" or not.
It sounds to me from this forum that a lot of Muslims are hung up on NOT being western-approved, as if that is automatically superior.
Dear Sir/Madam, I was extremely disappointed with the biased representation and unfounded claims about the believes of the Shia Muslims in the "The Quran" documentary. The commentator views were portrayed as facts, when they were clearly not. I hope in the future your documentaries will be better reseached and unbiased so the viewers can have an impartial and clear represntation of the facts, if this is what you aim from these documentaries. I believe you should dedicate an equal air-time to explain the believes, foundation and evidence Shia Muslims have to support their practices and believes to viewers. yours sincerely zahraa
Originally posted by Yuze: Do you ever think the 1.4billion muslims (number growing everyday) are ever going to give up their beliefs and change the religion?
lol I've tried to fight the urge but i had to use this.
And I'd say that 4.6 billion people probably don't care whether people follow Mohammed or not. What they do care about is people ramming it down their throats, as if it is the definitive truth, which the vast majority of the population of this planet don't see or believe.
I think we need to have these sorts of exchange of ideas to promote further understanding. At the moment we are witnessing what the extremists (On all sides Islam, Christian, zionist Judaism;organisations like the BNP etc. etc.) would probably be proud to call The Second Age Crusade or something like that. We need These sorts of documentaries to balance the playing field a bit, to enlighten, inform and educate people about difference so that we understand it more and are therefore less suspiscious and anxious about it. I mean didn't channel 4 recenly win a court-case about another documentary on Islam they screened. That one was punchy and showed the extreme side of Islam. To all who watched it, the message and the evidence were clear. But it was still good to have that information because it made everyone aware and vigilant against the extremists, even other muslims (the majority) who don't engage in jihad. Britain is about diversity of race and culture (after all a few 1000 years of intergration, adaptation and assimilation can't be wrong); it is about freedom and fair-play; we hold the moral high-ground on many historical issues such as slavery, modern democracy etc. To understand is to know how to manage and cope with all the different factions within our society so we are all able to live free and in relative safty.
Originally posted by Yuze: Brief answers please, what is your problem with Islam?
It's not true.
quote:
And what is your problem with muslims?
No problem with those who relegate their religion to a pastime on the level of knitting so they lead an otherwise peaceful and rational life compatible with 21st Century living.
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Yuze: Do you ever think the 1.4billion muslims (number growing everyday) are ever going to give up their beliefs and change the religion?
No i don't believe they will change at all. What i don't like to see is the ever number of growing programmes depicting the muslim faith. there are many other faiths in the world yet the whole focus seems to be cornered/catered to showing only one faith so ch4 need to stop being politically correct and pampering to one faith more than others. but will they?i don't think so.
lol I've tried to fight the urge but i had to use this.