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| Islam TV show triggers deluge of Ofcom complaints | Islam TV show triggers deluge of Ofcom complaints |
| (7 days later) | |
| The British historian behind a Channel 4 history of Islam has defended the programme after it triggered hundreds of complaints to the broadcaster and the television regulator Ofcom, which led to him being accused of distorting the history of the religion. | The British historian behind a Channel 4 history of Islam has defended the programme after it triggered hundreds of complaints to the broadcaster and the television regulator Ofcom, which led to him being accused of distorting the history of the religion. |
| Islam: The Untold Story was billed by the channel as "an extraordinary detective story" in which historian Tom Holland found himself embroiled in "an underground but seismic debate: the issue of whether, as Muslims have always believed, Islam was born fully formed in all its fundamentals, or else evolved gradually, over many years". | Islam: The Untold Story was billed by the channel as "an extraordinary detective story" in which historian Tom Holland found himself embroiled in "an underground but seismic debate: the issue of whether, as Muslims have always believed, Islam was born fully formed in all its fundamentals, or else evolved gradually, over many years". |
| But after it was broadcast on 28 July, Holland found himself on the receiving end of a torrent of criticism on Twitter and a lengthy critique by the Islamic Education and Research Academy (IERA), which accused him of making "baseless assumptions" and engaging in "selective scholarship". | But after it was broadcast on 28 July, Holland found himself on the receiving end of a torrent of criticism on Twitter and a lengthy critique by the Islamic Education and Research Academy (IERA), which accused him of making "baseless assumptions" and engaging in "selective scholarship". |
| "Tom Holland's assertion that there is no historical evidence for the seventh-century origins of Islam is historically inaccurate," the IERA said, alleging that his presentation was "clearly biased" and that he ignored the work of key scholars. | "Tom Holland's assertion that there is no historical evidence for the seventh-century origins of Islam is historically inaccurate," the IERA said, alleging that his presentation was "clearly biased" and that he ignored the work of key scholars. |
| In a response issued by Channel 4, Holland said: "The origins of Islam are a legitimate subject of historical enquiry and that the programme was in keeping with other series on the channel where the historical context of world religions were examined. | In a response issued by Channel 4, Holland said: "The origins of Islam are a legitimate subject of historical enquiry and that the programme was in keeping with other series on the channel where the historical context of world religions were examined. |
| "It is important to stress as we do in the film that this is a historical endeavour and is not a critique of one of the major monotheistic religions," he added. | "It is important to stress as we do in the film that this is a historical endeavour and is not a critique of one of the major monotheistic religions," he added. |
| The historian, a non-Muslim, went on: "An accusation laid against the film is one of bias and, although I believe that absolute objectivity is a chimera, what was incumbent upon us, in making the film, was to be upfront about my own ideological background and presumptions, and to acknowledge the very different perspective that Muslim faith provides." | The historian, a non-Muslim, went on: "An accusation laid against the film is one of bias and, although I believe that absolute objectivity is a chimera, what was incumbent upon us, in making the film, was to be upfront about my own ideological background and presumptions, and to acknowledge the very different perspective that Muslim faith provides." |
| Holland continued to field criticism on Twitter, where one user tweeted: "This fool Tom Holland who made this programme also created a book about Islam saying it was a religion made up by people over the years." | Holland continued to field criticism on Twitter, where one user tweeted: "This fool Tom Holland who made this programme also created a book about Islam saying it was a religion made up by people over the years." |
| However, where there was also support. Dan Snow, who has hosted historical documentaries for the BBC and other channels, tweeted: "Dear angry mad people on twitter, it is conceivable that you know more than @holland_tom & the world's leading scholars, but very unlikely". | However, where there was also support. Dan Snow, who has hosted historical documentaries for the BBC and other channels, tweeted: "Dear angry mad people on twitter, it is conceivable that you know more than @holland_tom & the world's leading scholars, but very unlikely". |
| • This article was amended on 4 September 2012 to correct a paragraph referring to the selective scholarship claims made by the Islamic Education and Research Academy (IERA). The original article called the IERA the Islam Research and Education Academy and said it accused Tom Holland of "elective scholarship". | • This article was amended on 4 September 2012 to correct a paragraph referring to the selective scholarship claims made by the Islamic Education and Research Academy (IERA). The original article called the IERA the Islam Research and Education Academy and said it accused Tom Holland of "elective scholarship". |
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