Islam and the West

Forcenturies,IslamicandChristiancivilizationshavecoexisted,oftenpeacefully.YetrecentfactorshavegivenrisetomisunderstandingsandhavearousedanimositiesbetweentheMiddleEastandtheWest.Throughdramaticreenactmentsandinterviewswiththeologians,historiansandstatesmen,thisthree-partseriesinvestigatesthecomplexanddynamicrelationshipsbetweenthesecultures.Discoverhowthesewarringfaithsoncecoexistedandeventhrivedtogetherandhowtheymayonedaychartapathtowardsapeacefulfuture.　　AProphetChangestheWorld　　Morethan14centuriesago,anewreligionwasbornwhentheProphetMuhammadgavetheworldtheKoran.Butafterhisdeath,Muhammadcouldnolongerinfluencehowpeoplewouldinterprethisbooknortherouteitwouldtakeinhistory.TravelbackintimetowitnesstheearlydaysofIslam,thefallofthePersianandByzantineempires,andthewarsthatragedfromwithintheMuslimcommunity.　　WarandWisdom　　For800years,theMiddleEastownedtheMiddleAges.Muslims'advancesinmedicine,machinery,philosophyandflightplacedtheircultureheadandshouldersaboveanyothercivilizationonEarth.DuringthisIslamicGoldenAge,ashort-livedtimeofpeaceandtolerance,theMiddleEastshareditsinventionsandinnovationswiththeWest.ButwarwouldsoonbewagedontheIslamicempire,asChristianEuropeansinvadedinthenameoffaith　　TheChallenge　　Bythe16thcentury,theAgeofDiscoverymarkedtheendofIslam's800-yearruleoverEurope.Islamicknowledge,artandsciencevanishedinthecenturiesthatfollowed,butnotIslamicpower.ExploretheturbulentrelationshipbetweenIslamandtheWestduringthelast500years,fromtheriseandfalloftheOttomanEmpiretobattlesandbetrayalsinvolvinghistoriciconssuchasNapoleonandLawrenceofArabia.WeendwiththevibrantIslamiccultureoftodayasitstrugglestocoexistinaworldrifewithmistrustandmisconception.