TV historian triggers storm after calling Islam a 'made-up' religion

Channel 4 has become embroiled in controversy after viewers claimed that a programme distorted the history of Islam. The broadcaster and regulator Ofcom and received nearly 550 complaints after Islam: The Untold Story was screened last week.

The show’s presenter, Tom Holland, was subjected to a wave of criticism for his investigation into the origins of the religion and its early texts.

He said there was little written contemporary evidence about the life of the Prophet Muhammad, and claimed that the Koran makes little or no reference to Islam’s holy city of Mecca.

Holland, an award-winning writer and historian, received abusive tweets questioning his views on the religion.
Some Twitter users even posted physical threats to the Cambridge-educated historian, while one called him a ‘fool’ for suggesting Islam is a ‘made-up religion’. Ofcom – which received 150 of the complaints regarding the programme’s inaccuracy, alleged bias and offence to Muslims – said it was considering launching an investigation.

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