The Dhaka Times Desk Some Iranian Sunni clerics have called for the ban of Iran's much-discussed film 'Muhammad (PBUH)'. The film is currently on track to break all box office records in Iran.
The biographical film 'Muhammad' is currently on the way to break all box office records in Iran. At the same time, some Sunni clerics called on Tehran to ban the film.
The film named 'Muhammad (PBUH), Messenger of God' has been produced under the sponsorship of Iran. It is directed by renowned Iranian director Majid Majidi, nominated for an Oscar. This film is the most expensive in the history of Iran, made at a cost of about 40 million US dollars (i.e. 311 million rupees).
Majidi told the conservative Iranian newspaper Hezbollah Line about the film, 'I decided to make the film to fight against the wave of Islamophobia that has risen in the West. In the Western perspective, Islam is portrayed as full of violence and terrorism.'
The 171-minute long film depicts the first part of the life of Muhammad (pbuh). However, as per the prohibition of Islam, his face or face is not shown anywhere in the entire film. In the film, only the back of the body or the shadow of the young man impersonating the Holy Prophet (PBUH) is shown.
Oscar-winning Italian cinematographer Vittorio used a special type of camera to portray Muhammad (pbuh) in this film. Even the identity of the teenager who portrays the character has not been revealed, kept under wraps. The film was released in Iran on 26 August. The film premiered at the Montreal World Film Festival in Canada on 27 August.
However, Al-Azhar University, a prestigious body of Sunni Muslims in Egypt, is not happy with the film. They called on Iran to ban the film.
Professor Abdel Fattah Alawari, the head of the Islamic Theology Department of that university, told Reuters, "This matter was decided a long time ago. According to Islamic Sharia, it is forbidden to portray the character of the Holy Prophet (PBUH).' He further said, 'Contradictory and contradictory character of a person or an actor is not allowed in Islam. An actor will sometimes play the role of a drunkard, and sometimes play the role of a bad person. The same actor will once again play the role of the Holy Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH) - this is never sanctioned by Islam.'
It is to be noted that this film named 'Muhammad (PBUH): The Messenger of God' is the second full-length film made on the Prophet (PBUH). Earlier in 1976, a Syrian director named Mustafa Al Akkad produced a film called 'The Message'. Even in that film, the character impersonator of Muhammad (pbuh) was not shown. The director Mustafa Al Akkad was killed in a suicide bombing in 2005. However, it is still not known whether he was killed in relation to the film or not.
Watch the trailer of the film
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2B98FBP6Vck
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