I find many differences in the interpretation of historical events between the film "Islam: Empire of Faith," and Hodgson's The Venture of Islam text. I also think that both the film and the text have similar messages, though their makers have chosen to show the messages differently.
The film runs more like a work of fiction, a tale from out of One Thousand Arabian Nights perhaps, than a traditional PBS film. I almost forgot to take notes because I was watching the film so intently, fully immersed into the goings-on of Muhammad and the Muslim people.
…