The British television broadcaster Channel 4 has cancelled the screening of a controversial documentary about the history of Islam after the presenter was threatened with physical violence.
The private screening was due to take place at the broadcaster's headquarters in London on September 13 before an audience of historians and opinion shapers, to be followed by a debate.
"Islam: The Untold Story" is a documentary by historian Tom Holland, a well-known British author, who examines the origins of Islam and argues that there is little written historical evidence to verify truth-claims about the Muslim prophet Mohammed and the origins of Islam.
In the documentary, the Cambridge-educated historian offers a critical examination of the traditional Islamic narrative that the Koran, the Muslim holy book, was transmitted directly and "fully formed" to Mohammed through the angel Gabriel in the seventh century.
Holland says that contrary to Muslim claims, it is far more probable that the Koran and Islamic theology developed gradually over many centuries in conjunction with the expansion of Arab empires. He also says there are many "black holes" in the historical record and suggests that Islam is essentially a "made-up" religion. Says Holland: "I had expected to find contemporaneous Muslim evidence, but there's nothing there."
In the film, Holland also questions the centrality of Mecca in the origins of Islam. He states: "Aside from a single ambiguous mention in the Koran itself, there is no mention of [the Muslim holy city of] Mecca, not one, in any datable text for over a hundred years after Muhammad's death."
Muslims were particularly angered by a scene where an actress who plays Khan's glamorous daughter rushes to put on a hijab and pretends to be reading the Koran when her father comes home.
According to the Union of Muslim Organizations of UK and Ireland, a London-based Muslim umbrella organization, "a large proportion of Muslims will be un-amused by the negative stereotypes because it leads to misrepresentation.
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http://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/3352/channel-4-islam-untold-story