Documentary Films

Sometimes there is no substitute for seeing or hearing something, so documentaries can be invaluable. I particularly recommend the following:

“Inside Mecca,” by National Geographic. Every year, some two million people go to Mecca for Hajj, the spiritual pilgrimage that every Muslim who can is supposed to make at least once in their lifetime. The Hajj is one of the central rituals of Islam and a profound experience for many people who participate in it, but most Americans know very little about it and non-Muslims are currently not allowed in Mecca. This film follows three people during their Hajj experiences – a prosperous Indonesian businessman, a black South African activist, and a white American woman who converted to Islam. It gives viewers visual images, stories, explanations of the various elements of the Hajj rituals, an appreciation for the logistical complexities of this huge event, and insight into the personal experiences, dreams, and disappointments of three Muslims from very different parts of the world.

“Sufi Soul: The Mystic Music of Islam,” by Simon Broughton. Filmed in Morocco, Turkey, Syria, and Pakistan, this film introduces viewers to the multiple traditions of Sufi music, records some of the most renowned contemporary Sufi musicians, and explores the ideas and philosophies behind the music. The real clash of civilizations, it argues, is within Islam: it is a clash between modern-day Puritans and deeply rooted local Muslim traditions that celebrate the love of God, embrace music and rhythm as a way to express that love, and live in peace with – indeed, often worship beside – people of other faiths.

“Inside Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think,” by Unity Productions Foundation. This film is based on a world-wide poll that the Gallop Organization launched in the aftermath of 9/11. It provides some key results, but it doesn’t overwhelm with numbers. Instead, it tells the story of how the poll was developed, introduces viewers to some of the key researchers who created and analyzed the poll questions, show interviewers in action in various parts of the world, and provides context for the questions it asked and the results it discovered. The video is a little slow-paced, I think, but very interesting nonetheless. For a related book, see John Esposito and Dalia Mogahed’s Who Speaks for Islam? What a Billion Muslims Really Think (2007).

“Inside Islam,” by the History Channel. This beautifully filmed introduction to Islam starts with the world Muhammad was born into and goes to the present time. Topics include the origins of Islam and its connections with Judaism and Christianity, the five pillars of Islam, the flourishing of Muslim civilization, European colonialism and Muslim responses to it, and cultural and religious issues that often puzzle non-Muslims. If you want a quick, basic introduction to Islam, from a positive, sympathetic point of view, this could be a good place to begin.