Inside Mecca
(DVD) 

Originally produced for television broadcast in 2003.

Special features: Photo gallery [slide show]; World of Islam map [interactive feature]; More from National Geographic [previews] (7 min.);

Editor, Traci Zambotti ; field producer/director, Taghi Amirani, Yasir Khan ; cinematography, Taghi Amirani, Hossam Abouel-Magd, Yashir Khan, David Goulding, Omer Faruk Askoy; music, Steve Dancz ; researcher, Suzanne Arnold Ennis.

Narrator, Keith David; pilgrims: Fidelma O'Leary, Ismail Mahbob, Khalil Mandhlazi.

What do a successful executive from suburban Malaysia, a religious radio commentator from rural South Africa and an Irish-born college professor from the United States have in common? They're all about to embark on the spiritual journey of a lifetime--the sacred Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca known as the hajj. One out of every five people on Earth--some 1.3 billion--practice Islam. Over 80 percent of these Muslims live outside the Middle East, but they share a single spiritual center, and each year two million Muslims visit the holy city during the hajj. During the five-day hajj, believers seek to become closer to God, ask pardon for their sins, and renew their spiritual commitment. The events of the hajj have long remained veiled from non-Muslims, who are forbidden even to enter the holy city of Mecca. But a team of Muslim filmmakers gained access the peak of the pilgrimage to document the holy event for National Geographic Television. This film reveals the many faces of modern Islam.

Not rated.

DVD; Region 1; Dolby digital sound; widescreen presentation preserving the aspect ratio of its original television exhibition.

Closed-captioned.

DVD