“Can a non-Muslim hope to understand the origins of the Muslim world?” asked historian Tom Holland. “No,” was the emphatic one-word response of Dr Seyyed Hossein Nasr, professor of Islamic studies at George Washington University. Even though the question came right at the beginning of Islam: The Untold Story (Channel 4), it was still far too late, as Holland had already published the – generally – well-received In the Shadow of the Sword earlier this year, in which he attempted to do just that. And this programme was basically more of the same.
The starting point was that there are a number of serious discrepancies between the Qur’an and the surviving documentary evidence for the birth of Islam – most fundamentally that the first Arab conquerors didn’t appear to identify themselves as Muslims and there is no mention of Mecca in any dateable text (apart from one ambiguous reference in the Qur’an) until 100 years after the Prophet Muhammad’s death.
Holland is no attention-seeking, neo-Conservative, Niall Ferguson lookalike. Indeed, I’d guess his heart bleeds liberalism and, to my western sceptic eyes, his contention that the Arab empire gave birth to Islam, rather than the traditionally held belief that it was the other way round, seemed well-argued, fascinating – I learned a lot of history I didn’t know in a short space of time – and uncontentious. I would find it a great deal more surprising if a religious text written 1,400 years ago turned out to be wholly accurate. But for those who believe the Qur’an is the word of God passed directly to man and that inconvenient lacunae of knowledge are merely events that have yet to be properly explained, then Holland’s view is almost certainly blasphemous.
Herein lay another parallel story that was seldom far from the surface but which remained steadfastly untold. For decades – centuries even – scholars have felt free to contest the accuracy of other religious texts. Not least the Bible; what’s true, what’s parable and what’s just wishful thinking has all been up for grabs without any serious damage being done to Christian beliefs. Not so with Islam, around which non-Islamic scholars tread with extreme caution. I’m all for cultural and religious sensitivity, but the degree to which Holland tiptoed around the subject and apologised for his findings went way beyond what was required. Or would have been on offer for any other religion. It was almost as if he was looking over his shoulder, half expecting a fatwa at any minute.
None should be forthcoming, as towards the end of the programme Holland returned to Dr Nasr for reassurance that he hadn’t caused any lasting offence. Which he more or less got, as Nasr told him that what he had discovered was “quite interesting, so long as you don’t try to impose your view on the Muslim world”, as that would be tantamount to “western imperialism”. Holland crept out of Nasr’s office more or less insisting that the last thing he wanted was for any Muslim to take him seriously, so no harm was done. The gap between western liberalism and Islamic liberalism suddenly looked frighteningly large.
Those in search of some light relief will have known better than to switch over to Accused (BBC1). I’m often quick to forget to count my blessings, but one thing I am always grateful for is Jimmy McGovern. Not just because he is such a brilliant screenwriter, but also because he is a constant reminder that there is someone around whose mind is more unpleasant and twisted than my own. There is no emotional screw, no indignity, no suffering he won’t inflict on his characters and his writing always seems to bring out the best in his actors. Who would have imagined that John Bishop – a comedian I had always previously seen as a one-trick-pony cheeky scouser – could make a convincing bereaved father of two who starts a relationship with the nurse who looked after his wife?
Mind you, I could have done without the Roald Dahl tacked-on ending. Part of what makes McGovern’s dramas so watchable is their absolute integrity, their remorseless pursuit of a truth that leaves everyone feeling wrung out by the journey’s end. Adding an unexpected “Just because you’re paranoid, it doesn’t mean they aren’t out to get you” twist that undermined the intensity of the previous 60 minutes in the last 20 seconds felt unnecessary and cheap.
