Episode list

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).

The three major empires' greatness and subsequent decline explain many differences in Muslim thinking today. The Ottomans were confronted by Europe and Christianity, accounting for the 'western' approach of many Turkish Muslims; the Mughals achieved a synthesis with Hinduism that produced such beauty as the Taj Mahal, while the Saffavid dynasty was characterized by the Shia/Sunni split which is still acted out in Southern Iran in the Taziya pageants.

The West often associates Islam with technological backwardness, religious intolerance and a savage penal code. Is this justified? Or should the concept of 'modernity' be seen in the context of the Third World and a fundamentally different world view? This program 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 faith.

The role of the family is a key element in Islamic life. The film explores the position of women under a sharia law in Egypt and Iran and asks how much is laid down by the faith and how much is added by the confines of local or tribal custom. In Indonesia, the world's largest Muslim nation, women are seen in jeans and short skirts working alongside those in jilbab. Is this Islam or a heresy?

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? 120 million in India, 45 million in the former USSR and many others across Europe and Africa continue the faith despite the closure of mosques, lack of religious education, and hostile official policy. This program asks whether Muslims suffer particular discrimination or difficulties compared to other minorities. And does life in a secular society compromise their faith?

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. Why is a need for change sweeping through Muslim societies? What kind of change do the radicals want? And do they wish to achieve it by peace or violence? Locations visited include Jerusalem, Cairo, Kaduna, and Teheran.