This stunning series showcases the glorious heritage left to us by Islamic artists and architects – and explains the close connection between the architectural splendour and the religious message of Islam.

Combining travelogue with compelling story-telling, the programme is highly accessible to a broad audience. The series is presented by Professor Akbar Ahmed, who is at the forefront of attempts to find trust and shared values between Islam, Judaism and Christianity.

The first episode looks at the achievements of the first Islamic dynasty, the Umayyads, who established their capital at Damascus. Their regime spread throughout greater Syria and they left a rich architectural heritage. This includes two of the great surviving Islamic buildings, the Great Mosque of Damascus and the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. The second episode moves on to Cairo, the cockpit of the early Islamic struggles between Sunni and Shi’a faiths. Cairo displays the glories of two of the great Islamic regimes – the Shi’ite Fatimids who swept in from the North African desert – and the Mamluks, slave soldiers who overthrew their masters to set up their own Sunni dynasty. Both have left behind impressive evidence of their strength. The final episode eplores the last great Islamic dynasty, the Ottomans, and their great capital at Istanbul.