Of all the networks and cable channels on American television, none has offered more programs on Islam than PBS.
From Islam: Empire of Faith, by Baltimore filmmaker Rob Gardner, in May 2001, to Frontline's "Islam" last May, public television has been the one network clearly trying to make sure Muslim understanding and concerns are part of its mix. In September amid the deluge of Sept. 11-related anniversary programs, PBS was the only outlet to try to articulate what some American Muslims were feeling in the aftermath of the attack on the World Trade Center with Caught in the Crossfire: Arab Americans in Wartime.
The commitment continues tonight with Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet, a two-hour biography of the man who founded the religion of Islam 1,400 years ago. Doing a biography of someone who not only lived in the pre-photograph era but also founded a system of belief that prohibits the showing of his image makes for about as tough a television biography as you can imagine. That is surely one reason PBS is able to claim this film as American television's first biography of Muhammad.
Producer and director Michael Schwarz does not overcome all the problems associated with turning the narrative of Muhammad's life into a compelling television tale. Like many PBS productions, Muhammad could do with more focus and editing. But the film gets enough things right to promise a rewarding experience for any viewer who wants to learn more about Muhammad's life and some of the ways his beliefs are shaping America today.
The wisest choice by Schwarz was his most daring: He interrupts the story of Muhammad's life several times during the film, switching abruptly from 7th-century Medina and Mecca to 21st-century New York, Washington and Dearborn, Mich., to offer snapshots of Muslims living the faith in the United States today. The modern-day segments are the most vibrant, informative and resonant moments of the film.
We meet Kevin James, a Brooklyn fire marshal who converted to Islam. With a Jewish mother and a father who is African-American and Native-American, James raises profound fundamental questions about American identity.
"America is a racial nation," he says in the film. "Either you're black, you're white, you're Italian, you're Jewish, you're this, you're that. So, coming from a mixed background, I've felt like, kind of in limbo."
James said he connected with Islam in part because of what he sees as a message of racial equality. He says Islam is also responsible for him becoming a firefighter.
"The Koran teaches you that the saving of one life is as if you've saved all of humanity," he explains.
The film uses James wisely as a tool against possible prejudice toward Muslims in the wake of Sept. 11. Near the end of the film, juxtaposed against images of badly burned buildings, including the Trade Center towers themselves, we hear James talking about his commitment to trying to save lives as a public safety worker. The idea isn't original; Caught in the Crossfire featured a Muslim City of New York police officer. But the words and pictures still add up to some of the most affecting moments in Muhammad.
Equally effective are the segments with Najah Bazzy, a critical-care nurse in Dearborn, who is also committed to saving lives and easing the suffering at the end of those she cannot save.
"How I walk, and how I speak, and how I carry myself, and how I treat my husband, and how I treat my mother and father, and how I behave as a sister and a daughter and a nurse and a friend and a neighbor, that's all prophet Muhammad in action," she says in the film.
As for the biographical portion of the film, the filmmakers miss a huge opportunity to demystify Islam. Again and again in the modern-day segments, the emphasis is on how much Muslims share with Jews and Christians in terms of values and beliefs. But, then, when it comes to the Muhammad story, they fail to show how closely it parallels the universal elements of separation, struggle and return found in the core narratives of those other religions.
Muhammad fled Mecca (separation from his community), and went to the city that would become known as Medina. And back and forth, many battles (struggles) were fought by the tribes of Medina (under Muhammad's command) before the prophet returned in triumph to Mecca. Muhammad went up a mountain and came back with the word of God just like Moses. He ascended into heaven just like Christ.
If you want to mainstream Islam for a television audience, these are connections that should have been made. And, if not on PBS, then where?
TV tonight
What: Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet.
When: 9 tonight
Where: MPT (Channels 22 and 67)
In brief: A flawed but informative look at the life of Muhammad (and some Muslims today).