"Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet" to Air on PBS

December 12, 2002

Source: Reuters

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=entertainmentNews&storyID=1897002

On December 12, 2002 Reuters reported that "the two-hour documentary, "Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet," airing on U.S. public broadcasting stations on Dec. 18, charts how Mohammed became one of the most important figures in world history. Orphaned as a child, he became a successful merchant who at age 40, according to Islamic belief, was struck by a revelation from God. Over the next 23 years he brought peace to warring tribes of Arabia and established Islam. The filmmakers decided to address Sept. 11 by interspersing biographical details of Mohammed's life with the interviews with U.S. Muslims that touch on the attacks. The documentary tells the stories of Muslim Americans including a New York City fire marshal, the chief of staff for a U.S. congressman, and a critical care nurse in Dearborn, Michigan. The filmmakers also took that approach in part because they wanted to flesh out Mohammed without showing pictures of him. While some images of Mohammed do exist, the filmmakers did not include them because many Muslims believe such images are offensive. Mohammed opposed idolatry and did not want to become an object of worship himself."