CAIR-Philadelphia

Non-Muslims often view the holy month of Ramadan as another manifestation of an oppressive religion. Like many misinterpretations of Islam, this is way off the mark, for at its heart, Ramadan is imbued with thankfulness, joy, and compassion. Through fasting and self-denial, Muslims are reminded of all they have by temporarily living the life of those who have not.

As the director of “Out of Córdoba,” a documentary film about the religious coexistence of medieval Muslim Spain and Catholic Spain, I had the privilege of filming for several hours in the Great Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba when it was empty of tourists. It was a transcendent experience, and walking among its forest of columns and under its canopy of arches, one is easily transported back to a time when Muslim Córdoba was the most advanced city in all Europe, and visitors referred to the city as “the ornament of the world.”