Though Islam -- with 6 million to 8 million followers in the United States, Esposito estimates -- is the country's third largest religion behind Christianity and Judaism, "it's still . . . the least understood of the three religions."
The D.C.-based Council on American-Islamic Relations released a poll of more than 1,000 respondents Oct. 4 showing that one in four Americans holds anti-Muslim views such as "Muslims teach their children to hate" and "Muslims value life less than other people."
Yahya Fouz, left, and his sister Maha Fouz sell tickets to "Muhammad: The Last Prophet." The film debuted on Eid al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan, in 86 theaters nationwide, including four in Northern Virginia.
(Jonathan Ernst For The Washington Post)
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Those are familiar stereotypes to Sally Abdelhafiz, 34, a Reston human resources worker.
She brought her family -- husband Taha, daughters Nadine, 9, and May, 5 -- to the noon showing at Ballston Common after hearing about the movie on ART, the Arab satellite channel. She liked what she saw, especially a scene halfway through the film.
Muhammad's followers have left Mecca, and a Christian king in Abyssinia offers them asylum. In an exchange, the Muslims try to explain how their beliefs are not far from Christianity.
The king stands, looks up at the ceiling, throws his hands high, and says:
"What we believe and what you believe are like these two beams of light -- separate yet coming from the same source."
"That message, simple as it sounds, needs to be understood by everyone," says Abdelhafiz. "It is the same source. You call your god, God. We call our god, Allah."
She pauses. "What's so different about that?"
