When the PBS Smithsonian World series decided to include a one-hour program to introduce Americans to one of the world's great religions and civilizations, it asked Steve York to produce the film. He spent two months in Egypt and acquired footage from a dozen other Islamic countries to produce Islam, which recalls the life of the Prophet Mohammed, the revelation of the Koran, the basics of Muslims belief, and the important traditions observed by Muslims everywhere. The film also shows the rapid spread of Islam, its cultural, artistic and scientific contributions to world history, and the ferment in Islamic societies today.

Only in the last few decades have Americans begun to recognize Islam and its increasing significance in the modern world. But with more than a billion Muslims worldwide, Islam is the fastest-growing religious faith in the world. As Islam has increasingly been seen as a political as well as religious force, this program was designed to provide a calm and reasoned portrait of Muslims, their religion and their culture.

Islam aired on PBS in 1987

• Gold Medal, 1987 International Film and TV Festival of New York