islam islam documentary film written presented english novelist popular historian documentary explores origins islam religion developed 7th century criticizes orthodox islamic account history claiming lacks sufficient supporting evidence commissioned british television company channel_4 broadcast august release followed publication holland shadow sword battle global empire end ancient world discussed rise origins islam adopting theories academic historian basis holland asserted little hard evidence origins islam asked took decades death muhammad appear surviving documents artifacts arguing little evidence faith born suggested city real birthplace muhammad islam clearly muhammad existence real historical figure claimed islamic origin story later developed early years documentary proved controversial mainstream media reception mixed provoked particular criticism figures united_kingdom islamic community argued holland ignored evidence supporting orthodox account early islamic history government approved regulatory authority broadcaster channel_4 received estimated complaints program channel_4 eventually cancelled public screening documentary london headquarters numerous threats violence background bachelor degree english latin university_of_cambridge holland english novelist popular historian published trio best selling histories ancient world years world empire battle west millennium end world holland fourth work history shadow sword battle global empire end ancient world published explored collapse roman persian rise accompanying arabian religion islam interview spectator rejected islamic belief constituted direct word god stating believed clearly written human late antiquity highlighted lack sources available origins islam religious movements come construct story alternative accounts interpretations history basis shadow sword public service television channel_4 commissioned holland produce documentary subject islam origins company publicly announced documentary constituted support stimulate informed debate wide range issues challenging established views providing access alternative perspectives information film screening came month bbc aired episode television sitcom revolving life british muslim pakistani descent written star british muslim pakistani descent bbc received complaints content episode including accusations stereotypes british ridiculed islam criticisms echoed holland documentary synopsis islam holland deals origins religion islam traveling saudi_arabia visits arabian hear orthodox islamic accounts religion origins holland talks practicing muslim teaches islamic studies non muslim historian islamic history princeton defends orthodox islamic account faith history citing development oral history challenges reliability oral history traditional account holland looks earliest evidence muhammad islam century pointing lack evidence historical record support traditional account highlighting little muslim testimony 7th century exists considers suspicious years muhammad death leader jerusalem despite showing little sign muslim mention muhammad islam found inscriptions coins documents holland proceeds note exception single ambiguous reference mention text century death points prophet appears address farmers opponents described keeping cattle growing appears describe environment foreign agriculture holland location attributed closely fits city desert southern israel holland suggests reign arab emperor ibn small percentage inhabitants empire muslim intentionally erroneously portrayed muhammad home birthplace islam order provide religion arabian origins holland argues faith jewish christian heritage self evident location reception mainstream media writing daily_telegraph commentator religious issues critical documentary awarding stars argued placed emphasis historiography annoyance holland habit mid sentence contrast daily_telegraph praised documentary stating atmospheric intelligent noting viewers uncomfortable argued islamic world accept higher criticism embrace pain doubt order improve life non muslim neighbours independent television reviewer discussed documentary noting likely court controversy cause problems holland remarking know devout muslims think holland arguments asserted monopoly reviewed documentary guardian noting holland attention seeking neo conservative probably social liberal opined find holland findings devout muslims consider considering holland excessively cautious thought presenter looking shoulder half expecting minute islamic community based proclaimed documentary historically inaccurate clearly biased statement proclaimed important minutes sic long complex arguments academic scholarship documentary holland spent little time islamic historians instead precious minutes learning way similarly stated documentary bias islam expressing concern majority viewers accept holland conclusions counter believed anti islamic bias mainstream media called muslims produce documentaries islamic history praising documentary life muhammad presented good example hoping documentaries aid nation urged british muslims encourage children enter history media politics huffington_post published response practising muslim graduate english recently began masters degree student theology remarked holland flawed neglected study corpus material early islamic history found libraries islamic world instead sources obtained western libraries argued consult single islamic scholar islamic history instead choosing exotic option interviewing consulted professor token muslim voice scholar islamic philosophy islamic history asserting islam based poor scholarship assuming superiority secular western historical inquiry islamic historical traditions argued promote negative views poorly understood faith adherents despite explaining documentary earliest biographies written nearly years lifetime biographies libraries islamic world copies available western libraries british muslim publicly documentary scholarship spokesman protest group assembled outside edinburgh demonstration assembled protest short film asserted muhammad homosexual child informed press considered holland film academically flawed work wasted time differentiated islam considered poor work scholarship deemed intentionally offensive state media criticised documentary claiming constituted insult islam critics attacked holland social media site twitter making personal threats commented target streets recruit safety fool suggesting islam religion alternate media published online review documentary authored member lgbt division holland praying alongside old thought channel_4 far cautious explicit islamic origin story believing documentary produced 1970s argued media politicians academics spent years hiding truth islam british population doubted documentary existed promote anti islamic thought holland response critics holland initially responded critics social website twitter summed public response win lose publishing described brief response critics channel website stressed documentary created critique islam historical comparing documentary channel_4 produced religious history bible history noted islam story fell channel sparking informed debate wide range issues admitting impossible articulate implications argument minute documentary directed wanted learn read recently published book holland twitter critics came attack popular historian tweeted dear angry mad people twitter know holland tom world leading scholars unlikely cancelled public screening security fears raised september channel_4 cancelled planned screening film opinion london headquarters said extremely proud film continue provide access website decision cancel criticised founder religious literacy world affairs invited attend event taylor described documentary good historical study cancellation result protest media argued right debate historical events core value western world islam exempt historical inquiry britain expressed cancellation stating giving demands catastrophic effect free expression islam urged supporters write channel requesting repeat screening
Islam: The Untold Story