Jihad al-Asghar: The Lesser Jihad

"Greater jihad" is defined as the higher struggle against the temptations within (an internal fight to live righteously), while "lesser jihad," we are told, is used to define the struggle against infidels and enemies of the state. This production also has something of a dual nature. On the one hand, historians, political scientists, and Christian theologians with solid credentials offer up a quick summary of Islam's past and recent present, addressing the question “why do they hate us?” On the other hand, the Christian fundamentalist nature is readily apparent, and no Muslims are shown defending Islam. Rather, we are shown the head of Ministries to Muslims (seated in front of an American flag) saying, “Islam has cursed us [i.e., America],” citing a verse from the Koran generally used to support this claim. Other statements made during the program vary from the inaccurate to the flat-out wrong, such as Bedouins no longer exist (doesn't anyone remember the pains the U.S. Army took to avoid them in the Gulf War?) and that Christians are a minority in America (puhleeeze!). While this might have been marginally acceptable for major public libraries in areas with large fundamentalist populations, this unbalanced tape includes too many clearly erroneous statements to be considered. Not recommended. Aud: C, P. (R. Reagan)