Middle East - North Africa Film Series

The Koran: Back to the Origins of the Book --- (2009 / 52 min.) Directed by Bruno Ulmer

The Koran examines the sacred Scriptures of Islam and looks at archeological investigations of the most ancient existing Koranic manuscripts.  The film explains the content and organization of the Koran, and traces its history from its revelation to the prophet Mohammed through its role in uniting early Islamic empires spread throughout the Middle East, to present-day devotion and practice of believers.

The film further examines efforts to balance Muslim traditions with scientific examination of old manuscripts.  Tolou Khademalsharieh conducts interviews about working with parchment fragments of Korans from 680 C.E.  The fragments show rewrites and erasures and appear to differ from the current Koran.