The Quran, Channel 4, 8pm: anyone going to watch?

[policywonk]

Heard this guy (he also made Death of a Princess) interviewed on the radio last week. He sounds really interesting.

Also, did you know that there's a theory that Islam grew out of a dissident Christian sect?

I'm watching it...but no, Islam not from a dissident Christian sect - it was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) over a number of years. There are of course similarities between Islam and Christianity, but not grown out of a sect

Ps Did not know there was a theory about it though!!

I know - neither did I! Apparently it's not discussed in the programme as it's deeply controversial and there's no concrete evidence for it, but the doc. does feature a linguistics expert who points out very close language similarities between the Quran and the Bible (I think - only half-heard this on the radio).

I know Muslims believe the Quran to be revelation, but I'm an atheist meself.

I'm watching it now, although have only really managed to take in the beautiful architecture so far

Ahh!! An atheist...possible convert??

Only teasing you! The Qu'ran came after the Bible so I'm not surprised that linguistically there are similarities - Hebrew and Arabic are quite similar in some respects either...

Its a two hour prog though....I was s'posed to record it for DH but he's been a complete shite tonight so I've 'forgotten'

in some respects too...must proof read before posting!!

Oops, obviously I wasn't watching it just now, I was watching the 3 minute wonder thing before it Stupid baby brain. However, I do intend to watch it with my five remaining braincells.

Managed to catch a few minutes. Interesting to see the Saudi printing presses churning out their extremist version of the Koran with added 'smite the jews' clauses inserted.

And the Egyptian commentator who pointed out that if you look at footage of Nasser's funeral, with 7m men and women on the streets, you won't see ONE veiled woman in Cairo... wtf has happened over the past three decades?

gosh that was interesting. footage of the wee girls was heartbreaking...

Ooof

Yes it was interesting wasn't it? Couldn't watch the fgm bits, had to run off and commune with my tomato plants until it was over.

Obviously made from a Christian perspective - maybe a bit too much so?

Yes, the stuff about Wahaabism was enlightening.

have recorded it...going to watch it now...lokk forward to reading your comments later.

tbh i thought a lot of it was the same message repeated (although i only saw second hour). maybe it could have stood some editing?

Well as a Muslim myself, I liked it...thought it gave a balanced view of Islam and was cheering at the screen when scholar said that fgm was not allowed as I'm fed up with people thinking its Islamic - its not, is barbaric!!

lol at commune with my tomato plants though!!!

With Nasser's death a wave of hope died along. Panarabism had represented a kind of mini "renaissance".

Since then Islam has replaced all other defining aspects of identity in the muslim arab world.
It has also become the best tool of po;otical dissent against dictatorial regimes. A beard and veil were safeguards against arbitrary arrest until early 1990ies when those regimes realised it was actually a bigger threat that marxist student unions.

Today, that's what it still is. an instrument of protest a sort of "holier than thou" statement against a corrupt regime.

I did not watch btw as am not in the UK so mine is just a general comment in response to EDAM

That's interesting slim.

Yes, probably unnecessarily long - but it's rather satisfying, sometimes, to watch a big old chewy doc with lots of talking heads and location shots (IMAGINE being the locations scout on that one )

Policy - I've been to Syria....'tis beautiful...would heartily recommend it!

it's just a shame with these highly authored pieces, when no one steps in to stop repetition. it's a shame, i think, because i'd be veeeeery interested to see the viewing losses over the two hours.

what was the first hour like? what did it cover?

genital mutilation shots were really upsetting as was commentary from whatever radical imam they had wheeled in to add inflammatory comments about it and how it would sort out adultery in the uk

only caught a few mins of the prog - is it repeated?

(I'd love to go to Syria)

That Imam was a twat! However, just goes to show that there are people like that out there and its down to the moderate Muslims to ensure that this kind of view point doesn't tarnish Islam and to try and put a stop to it! I was at his fgm comments....the absolute

I think he's probably a dirty old goat who fantasises about wicked western women...

erm... General scene-setting, then Shia/Sunni/Sifism I think? And how Shia/Sunni split quite similar to Catholic/Protestant split in Christianity. Or did you see that bit?

God, short-term memory shot to fucking pieces.

Yes because we are all so easy we would faint with desire at the sight of him!!!

nope, i came in with the saudis. thanks. i have a dvd of this kicking around, might watch the rest (once mighty boosh has finished,obv).

Yes of course.

I did love (in the sense of 'despair at') the fact that it was immediately followed by Big Brother. Sort of made me long for a dose of bracing fundamentalism.