Category Archives: Religion

Young, British and Imam-in-Training: Who we met and why

Posted on May 24, 2015 by Samira Ahmed

There were two things producer Georgia Catt and I tried to do with this half hour documentary for Radio 4. One: avoid random isolated Muslim voices claiming to speak for a majority saying  “That’s not Islam” about anything problematic, like … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Media, Politics, Radio, Religion, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 19 Comments

Desert worlds: JG Ballard, Lawrence of Arabia, Dune & the story of Ishmael

Posted on April 14, 2015 by Samira Ahmed

My latest Something Understood for Radio 4 on Sunday April 19th was conceived as a sequel  to The White North Has Thy Bones, about our fascination with the Arctic and the North West Passage. Together with producer Natalie Steed we … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Film, Music, Radio, Religion, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 19 Comments

Body swap Muslims & playing “The Jew”

Posted on November 28, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

Had a great discussion with David Baddiel and David Schneider on Front Row this week about why Britain was hosting its first Jewish comedy festival. It  made me revisit  this 2009 news film I made on location at the shoot … Continue reading →

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Interstellar’s Heart of Darkness & the Dust Bowl

Posted on November 26, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

I like to go to the cinema to escape the gloom of a Sunday evening and what better escape than Interstellar? An epic journey to other worlds. It begins in a rural America devastated by environmental disaster. Real survivors of … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, Film, History, Media, Politics, Religion, Science, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Crossing the black line: the secret history of Durham Cathedral

Posted on November 13, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

BEYOND THE GREY TOWERS: THE MYSTERY OF DURHAM CATHEDRAL from Samira Ahmed on Vimeo. When you walk into Durham Cathedral take a moment to look down at your feet in the nave. You might notice a big black line of … Continue reading →

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On The Road with Buddha: The Prince Who Walked Out of His Fairy Tale

Posted on August 29, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

UPDATED SEPT 2 What happens when a prince walks away from his kingdom? I love the symbolism and and dream like metaphors of fairy stories. So  a “real life” one is all the more intriguing. I’d been fascinated with the … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, History, Music, Religion, Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Richard Dawkins & the humanist’s dilemma: When faced with Islamic State does “moderate” religious discrimination really matter?

Posted on August 27, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

This piece first appeared in The Big Issue magazine – journalism worth paying for. Available from street vendors UK wide or subscription. Blackwell’s bookshop in Oxford has 3 and a half miles of books. It’s a wonderful place. The deputy … Continue reading →

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The Outer Limits: A fantastic voyage

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

“To God there is no zero. I still exist.” – Richard Matheson’s The Incredible Shrinking Man screenplay (1957) The summer solstice  has just passed — marking the extreme tipping point of the earth’s axis and the longest day. It was … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Film, Radio, Religion, Science, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

God, & grubby hacks: The view from Fleet Street’s Church

Posted on May 21, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

All photographs copyright Samira Ahmed. No reuse without permission Step off Fleet Street, opposite the silver and chrome glory of the old Express building and the leaning wooden frame of Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese pub and you’re back several hunderd … Continue reading →

Posted in journalism, Media, Radio, Religion, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The power of the crowd: From John Wesley & James Baldwin to the crime busting commuters of Waterloo station

Posted on May 8, 2014 by Samira Ahmed

Crime busting commuters & the mysterious power of crowds at Waterloo Station from Samira Ahmed on Vimeo. When producer Caroline Hughes suggested we make a Something Understood programme for Radio 4 about the power of crowds I was a little … Continue reading →

Posted in Radio, Religion, Travel | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments