Inside Islam (History Channel)
Watching this enthralling documentary, one inevitably wonders how Islam,  a beautiful religion, could have become synonymous with fear and hatred, even  after 9/11.Inside Islamexplores the historic and poetic wellspring of  the Muslim people and illuminates startling commonalities among Islam,  Christianity, and Judaism. Shades of difference between Islam's foundation and  that of its counterparts prove more fascinating than divisive, e.g., Islam  claims a direct line with Abraham via the latter's cast-off son, Ismael, while  Judaism is linked to Abraham's more favored child, Isaac. Jesus, the Virgin  Mary, and the angel Gabriel each play major roles in the Quran; it was Gabriel,  in fact, who transmitted the Word of God to the 40-year-old, seemingly ordinary  Muhammad in the 7th century, making him extraordinary to millions today. Sure,  anti-Western sentiment creeps into the story, but in every important wayInside Islamis an antidote to gross anti-Muslim bigotry.--Tom  Keogh