Sam Harris and Maadjid Nawaz navigate terrain that many people find too problematic to consider, and they do so with nuance and poise. In our modern political climate, with opinions so fiercely polarised, important conversations are often go unheard. This film examines the dialogue between two brilliant men who seek to reform Islam and challenge extremism. Nawaz, a Muslim and former Islamist extremist, has a conversation with Harris, philosopher, atheist, and neuroscientist. With understanding and respect, both men are able to bring about a timely conversation that deserves to be heard.
8 Reviews
Brilliant
tedgar-2286929 December 2018
A conversation
Shanners195029 January 2019
A really well made documentary on a conversation that is necessary yet occurs too rarely. There is no way you can not gain something from watching this. Both Sam & Maajid have great stories but they're told really well.
A necessary watch
duneeshyag12 February 2019
This is such an important and necessary conversation to have and it has been brought to life so elegantly by Desh Amila and Jay Shapiro. Incredibly thought provoking and educational that I recommend watching this more than once to really comprehend the information. We need more of these open, educational conversations to happen especially in the current political climate and extremist culture. Highly recommended.
Good discussion of a complex issue
christiantellefsen26 February 2019
Having enjoyed all of Sam Harris' and Maajid Nawaz' books, I was quite looking forward to this documentary.
It explains their reasoning about these complex issues quite well, and shows that conversation is the key to understanding, and the best way to move forward.
It is also quite nice to watch a documentary that doesn't play on the viewer's emotions, but is mainly focused on clearly presenting the events, arguments and reasoning.
Everyone could learn something useful from watching this excellent documentary.
It explains their reasoning about these complex issues quite well, and shows that conversation is the key to understanding, and the best way to move forward.
It is also quite nice to watch a documentary that doesn't play on the viewer's emotions, but is mainly focused on clearly presenting the events, arguments and reasoning.
Everyone could learn something useful from watching this excellent documentary.
Expect a lot of labels and unconditional agreement from the two protagonists
adilsonuk17 November 2019
Warning: Spoilers
I only watched this documentary film because a colleague at work had asked my opinion on Maajid Nawaz after he had watched it. Like 99.99% of the Muslim community in the UK I'd struggle to say anything positive about Maajid Nawaz but I thought it would be unfair to comment on him and the film without watching it and so I proceeded to do so. It was a struggle to get past the first five minutes. It was a struggle to get to the end.
I got the impression from the film's trailer and description that it would be an exchange of conflicting ideas between the two protagonists. But no, from start to end, the two continued to agree with other. In fact you'd struggle to find two individuals who agree with each other anymore than these two! Even with five minutes to go I was certain the two of them would disagree somewhere and give us something to think about. But no, it never came. So basically if you're a fanboy/fangirl of Sam Harris and Maajid Nawaz and like to see the two of them agreeing with each other then you'll like this film.
The film tries desperately to create a narrative where there is no narrative. It tries to convey this idea that by the two protagonists conversing with each other they're bringing about some major change. But, again, to repeat the point, when two people who agree with each other converse, nothing changes! Both started off agreeing with each other and both ended agreeing with each other. It's simple maths.
In terms of the actual content of the film it's basically the two protagonists throwing out labels, defining boxes and agreeing to put people into them: this is a traditionalist, that's an Islamist and that's a traditionalist on the way to becoming an Islamist! Basically creating over-simplified representations of the people and world around them. A bit like the very "dogmatists" who they've made it their life mission to fight against if you ask me. Put your seatbelt on and expect a lot of labels: "Jihadist", "literalist", "Islamist theocrat", "conservative Muslim", "moderate Muslim", "secular Muslim", "reformist Muslim", "secular apologist", "pluralist liberalist", etc, etc.
I promised myself I'd keep my review to three paragraphs maximum because this film deserves no more time than I've already given it and so I'll end here.
I got the impression from the film's trailer and description that it would be an exchange of conflicting ideas between the two protagonists. But no, from start to end, the two continued to agree with other. In fact you'd struggle to find two individuals who agree with each other anymore than these two! Even with five minutes to go I was certain the two of them would disagree somewhere and give us something to think about. But no, it never came. So basically if you're a fanboy/fangirl of Sam Harris and Maajid Nawaz and like to see the two of them agreeing with each other then you'll like this film.
The film tries desperately to create a narrative where there is no narrative. It tries to convey this idea that by the two protagonists conversing with each other they're bringing about some major change. But, again, to repeat the point, when two people who agree with each other converse, nothing changes! Both started off agreeing with each other and both ended agreeing with each other. It's simple maths.
In terms of the actual content of the film it's basically the two protagonists throwing out labels, defining boxes and agreeing to put people into them: this is a traditionalist, that's an Islamist and that's a traditionalist on the way to becoming an Islamist! Basically creating over-simplified representations of the people and world around them. A bit like the very "dogmatists" who they've made it their life mission to fight against if you ask me. Put your seatbelt on and expect a lot of labels: "Jihadist", "literalist", "Islamist theocrat", "conservative Muslim", "moderate Muslim", "secular Muslim", "reformist Muslim", "secular apologist", "pluralist liberalist", etc, etc.
I promised myself I'd keep my review to three paragraphs maximum because this film deserves no more time than I've already given it and so I'll end here.
An Islamaphobe and an Opportunist
prineshaz22 September 2019
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