Customer Reviews

Islam: What the West Needs to Know - An examination of Islam, Violence, and the Fate of the Non-Muslim World.

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

This is a very informative movie that reveals the whole story why there is so many tensions and conflicts in the islamic world.

It is very well explained in steps, with arguments from people that have a very deep knowledge of islam history and religion and at least one of them has lived and experienced the islamic culture and society for himself.

Usually movies like this tend to be passionate and depend a lot on the personal conviction of the makers, sometimes overlooking the facts. This one is not like this, it is not biased. It simply based in facts and arguments.

I own several documentaries on Islam such as the cross or the crescent, debates sold by Ahmed Deedat - the foremost debator on Islam - and I thought I knew something about Islam. This documentary is by far the best I have seen because it cites verses from the Koran and the Hadith, which you can verify for yourself, considering the contexts of the verses (if you own a copy of the Koran as I do). I was ignorant even though I have personally read much of the Koran. This program is shocking to say the least. There is absolutely no speculation whatsoever in this documentary but bare hard facts. I'm still at a loss for words. This is hard-hitting, and really exposes one's ignorance.

I highly recommend it to all people - Muslims who have not been disciplined enough to read and understand the Koran properly for themselves, as well as people of other faiths. I really learned a lot. The doctrine of abrogation is quite key - the fact that verses in the Koran revealed later chronologically nullify earlier verses if they contradict. Many of the peaceful verses in the Koran are nullified by later verses which command the Muslim to literally kill unbelievers. Another key fact I learned was that the Suras (chapters) in the Koran are not organized chronologically as one might expect, but they are organised from largest chapter to the smallest. This one fact could lead an ignorant person to belive the more peaceful verses, some of which are found towards the end of the book, are the later versus, but this is not so - the exact opposite might be true. I also learned about the two types of Jihad - physical and spiritual. Sura 9, is said to be the last chapter in the Koran and has plenty to Jihad - physical Jihad. Amazing - a real eye-opener! I need to watch it again, get my Koran and a highlighter!

These are some of the many arguments the film makes:

1. Islam is a state FIRST, and a religion SECOND, e.g., the goal of Islam is not to make everyone a Muslim, but to force everyone to live under Islamic RULE. Nonbelievers, e.g., Christians, Jews, etc., in countries under the rule of Islam live in second-class status, and must pay a special poll tax, and so on, and face strict discrimination, e.g., traditionally, new Christian churches could not be built in Muslim lands, and existing ones were not allowed to be repaired, dooming the Christian communities in Muslim lands to a perpetual state of decline. Another example: under Islamic law, it is against the law to leave Islam and join another religion such as Christianity, because it is an act of treason (punishable by death) against the Islamic state. In that regard, one of the most influential Muslim scholars of the 20th Century, Sayyid Abul A'la Maududi, said, "If Islam is truly a 'religion' in the sense that religion is understood at present, surely it would be absurd to prescribe the penalty of execution for those people who wish to leave it." Then he said, "When we present our arguments to demonstrate the validity of this punishment, we have in view no mere 'religion' but a state which is constructed on a religion." The Islamic calendar does not begin with the date of Mohammed's birth, or when he got his first revelations from Allah, as we might expect of a religion, but when he moved from Mecca to Medina, and became the head of state. Thus the "separation of church and state" in Islam is not only unthinkable but HERETICAL. This point resonated with me because a Muslim once told me that he doesn't even like to think of Islam as a religion, it is so much MORE than that. And recently I read the following quote from a pilgrim on the Hajj in late December, 2006 (Kuwait Times) which really illustrates the DVD's point of Islam as a state or nation:

Mohamado Thiam, a telecoms engineer from Senegal, said pilgrims were praying for Muslims in hotspots around the world. "I'm very happy, look how our nation is expanding," he said.

2. The film says that Islam is a religion that mandates violence against unbelievers. It argues that while there are indeed many peaceful, moderate Muslims who wouldn't hurt anyone, there is no peaceful and moderate Islam. That is why it is very difficult for moderates to stand up within the Muslim community itself (not necessarily before infidels on American TV) and say that violent acts in the name of Islam are not Islam. The film notes that, in the Quran, Allah allows verses of the Quran that came later in time to abrogate or void earlier ones. The film argues that religious scholars of Islamic jurisprudence in the Middle East, whether in Jerusalem, Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and so on, UNANIMOUSLY agree that "the verse of the sword," i.e., "kill the unbelievers wherever you find them . . ." voids all the peaceful verses, such as "Let there be no compulsion in religion," because it came after the peaceful ones chronologically. [The Quran, I should point out, is not arranged chronologically, but from the longest chapter to the shortest.]

3. In the religion, Mohammed is viewed as the perfect man that all Muslims must strive to emulate. The film has some disturbing quotes from the sacred texts of Islam by Mohammed, e.g., he said that no one who died and went to heaven and experienced it would want to come back here again for all the world and everything in it, "except the Martyr, who, on seeing the superiority of Martyrdom, would like to come back and get killed again in Allah's cause." The film also quotes an authoritative Islamic text that says that Mohammed married a six-year-old girl, and consummated the marriage with her when she was nine years old.

But the film is not a boring "study of text," e.g., it has some video from Middle East TV, including a chilling call-in show, where a 12 year old with a child's voice calls in and says he reads the Koran every day and wants to be a Jihadi and kill Jews and infidels, and the moderator, all condescending smiles (as an adult is with a child), ends the call by blessing the youngster and saying that he hopes that the boy will grow up to become a jihadi warrior some day. The moderator's whole attitude reeks of "Oh the darling young boy."

These are but a few of the many points, and the other ones are equally impacting and interesting, especially the section on the expansion of Islam throughout history, and in our time. I highly recommend this DVD! It is very informing and so interesting.

"Islam: What the West Needs to Know" played at Landmark Theaters in Atlanta, Chicago, and in DC in July. I saw it in DC and while it's presentation was plain, the movie was riveting, I couldn't look away. Its clearly explains the root cause of the growing violence around the world today. As far as I know, its the only documentary that dares to examine the violent elements of Islam itself. The doc shows that Islam is not a "religion of peace," but really a type of government that is commanded by Allah to take over the whole earth. It's conclusion is that we are in a life or death struggle against a formidable enemy. And the enemy is not "terror" or "extremists", or Islamo-facists, but Islam itself.

During the height of the 1975-1990 Lebanon Civil War, sometime during the early 80s, I had lunch with a Beirut-born American neurologist practicing medicine in Los Angeles. When I broached the subject of the Muslim-Christian war in his birth country, he taught me something I'll never forget.

My interlocutor told me that he himself was Lebanese-Christian, but had plenty Lebanese-Muslim friends. One could discuss most any subject with these Lebanese-Muslims, and engage in a mutually-satisfying exchange of reasonable, rational viewpoints. However, if the subject touched on religion, Muslims -- no matter their level of formal education, high vocation or rarefied station in life -- would invariably revert to 12-year-olds, defending with fanaticism crazy, irrational, and even inhuman and inhumane (by Western contemporary standards) notions of morality and religion. Since 9/11, I myself have seen this phenomenon over and over again.

It is about time that the talking-heads of the media, as well as American politicos of all stripes, learn about Islam. This film is perfect for the job. In fact, all Americans should see this film.

As much as most Americans want to believe that "all religions are more or less the same", they had better awaken to the shocking truth that it just ain't so. This documentary film puts to rest the Big Lie of the early 21st Century, namely that Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance.

This film is quite comprehensive and well-researched, and yet packs tons of information in a very short time. Watch it and learn; then pass it around.

A very well documented documentary. Worth watching many times. Provides the irrefutable proof that Islam itself is the source of terrorism. Each claim is documented with direct quotes from official Muslim translations of Quran and Hadith (The life and sayings of prophet Muhammad). It also exposes the Muslim double talk, one thing is being said for the benefit of Western public, and another and entirely different thing is preached in the mosques and in the Islamic media.

This is not an entertaining movie, it is for people who wish to learn. I highly recommend that everyone should look up at leas some of the quotes to make sure that the lecturers in the movie indeed are saying the truth.

The reason I give only 4 stars is that I wish this movie had more visual material and a little less lectures.

While some might find this to be Politically Incorrect, I found it factually correct which is, in my opinion more important.

I do believe before forming an opinion on any matter, a person should research the topic for themself rather than believe what others 'think'.

This is an excellent video to view if you wish to do this for yourself.

Yes, it is shocking, definitely eye-opening and truthful. Not for the timid-hearted.

I applaud Amazon for selling it at a time other sources might not because of their lack of backbone - given the current world situation.

Don't miss this timely film. It brings a clear understanding of terrorism and global jihad in the twenty-first century by looking at the fundamental teachings of Islam. It is very well documented and several of those interviewed are scholars in their fields. The film received a standing ovation when it premiered in LA and in the question period that followed, one member of the audience requested that copies of the film be sent to Washington, D.C. so that those who shape our foreign policy "get smart".

This film is by far the most interesting presentation of Islam that I have yet to see. I recommend viewers be fully awake before attempting to watch it, as some amount of concentration is required to reap the full benefits of this documentary. Packed with direct quotes from the Koran and other reliable sources, along with compelling visuals and tasteful interviews, it will challenge even the experts. Is violence built into the Moslem ideology? "Islam: What the West Needs to Know" addresses this question and I believe answers it. Even my 14-year son enjoyed the film "for its shock value," as he put it.

I saw this movie at a small Atlanta Theatrer, in a short limited engagement showing, a few months ago. (Apparently the filmaker had to buy the 2 week engagements in several theaters whether the movie made money or not - as no normal channels of distribution would take the film. - The fact that the expected Muslim civil liberties groups and liberal apologists out there do not want you to see this film, should be reason enough to buy the DVD immediately!) What a wake up call! There are no visuals frills, just straight forward interviews with credible insiders and a genuine presentation of texts pulled directly from the Q'uran with examples of how the texts have been used to perpetrate & validate voilence against western cultures and Jews. And all those who "the peaceful" religion of Islam considers infidels. There are shocking scenes from inside the mosques where Islamic leaders spew vile chants encouraging fellow muslims to denounce the infidels... Including voilent verbal assaults identifying jews and westerners as dogs and pigs, and encouraging their decapitation - followed of course by "praise be to Allah"! In addition this documentary chronicles the century's old desire of the muslim community to take over and defeat all outside threats to their "peaceful religious exsistence". Something they have slowly but surely been succesful at in Europe already - look at the muslim community's rise in France (2005 violent muslim street protests) or England (where the politically correct Police force must now notify a panel Muslim Religious leaders before conducting terror raids - effectively tipping off the bad guys) and the negative affect it's had on their social wellbeing. After watching this film, you have no choice but to recognize that you turn a blind eye to Islamic fascism at your own civilization's peril - as the film clearly illustrates, these people know nothing but domination through violence, and they teach it to their children from the moment they are capable of speaking and understanding. The film shows shockingly candid scenes of very young children on Muslim TV talk shows, denouncing people of other faiths as animals, as the adults smile and nod in proud approval. The indoctrination of their youth is astounding! This film should be shown in our schools as required viewing - so our children will know what they are up against in 10-20 years from now when these children of indoctrination grow up and decide to act on their violent ideals.