RIYADH, 7 July — A documentary on Islam in English and French has been produced for the first time for release in 10 countries, including the US, Europe and Canada.
Ahmed ibn Baz, director-general of Ibn Baz Foundation, told Arab News that the one-hour documentary is the first such venture of the Ibn Baz Foundation for promoting a better understanding between Islam and the West.
It will be distributed among the Muslim communities through Saudi diplomatic missions. It will also be entered in the documentary segment of international film festivals.
Ibn Baz paid tributes to Riyadh Governor Prince Salman and his constant support and encouragement.
The documentary, he said, was undertaken with the help of many researchers and specialists in Islamic studies. He said media companies also extended their support in providing translation facilities and rendering it in various languages. It will be screened before a panel of judges for their evaluation.
The Ibn Baz Foundation was set up in Riyadh recently to commemorate the memory of Sheikh Abdul Aziz ibn Baz, the late grand mufti of Saudi Arabia, who was a great Islamic scholar and an authority on the Prophet’s traditions.
Several of his rulings (Fatwa) on Islamic issues have been brought out in the form of a book and are also broadcast on Saudi radio.
Ahmed ibn Baz, son of the late grand mufti, said it explains how Islam supports science and scientific research and sheds light on miracles and other supernatural phenomena. It also highlights the cultural and other achievements of the Islamic world and its role in laying the foundation of Western civilization, particularly its emphasis on acquisition of knowledge and the spirit of inquiry.
The film starts by defining the essence of the Islamic message for the western public opinion by showing the lofty goals of Islam — trying to do the best for a suffering humanity. The film shows that Islam asks its followers for researching about the truth and accepting the other point of view as well as respecting other religions.
Ibn Baz said the documentary underlines the cosmopolitan nature of Islam and its principles which are based on international brotherhood and solidarity. Islam also plays an important role in forging a link between social and moral values. It seeks to protect ethnic minorities by preserving their cultural values and traditions.
"This film shows clearly a relationship between Islam and the West in recent times. It highlights the interaction between the two that increased during the Crusades and the subsequent waves of colonialism leading to the disintegration of the Ottoman Caliphate," Ibn Baz said.
