Makkah:
The International Organization for Islamic Scholars, an affiliate
of the Makkah-based Muslim World League (MWL), Monday denounced
the Iranian filmmakers’ move to depict the personality of Prophet
Muhammad (peace be upon him).
The organization urged the Iranian government to urgently
intervene to stop shooting of the film and prevent screening any
part of it.
“It is the responsibility of Tehran
to stop such acts, which are contrary to the principles of the
Islamic Shariah, occurring in its territory,” the organization
said in a statement carried by Saudi Press Agency.
According to the statement,
portraying the life of the Prophet (pbuh) and his companions is in
clear violation of the Islamic principles.
“This is the unanimous view adopted
by the Islamic scholars, experts in jurisprudence and top bodies
representing them. MWL had made authentic studies on the issue of
making films on the Prophet (pbuh) and his companions about 40
years ago (in 1391H) and came to the conclusion that this was not
permissible,” the statement said.
The organization urged the Muslim governments as well as bodies
such as the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Al-Azhar,
and the International Islamic Fiqh Academy to mount pressure on
Iran to stop screening the film.
A few months ago, well-known Iranian
director Majeed Majeedi announced that his new movie on the
Prophet (pbuh) was almost completed.
The movie, costing over $30 million,
is a three-part historical epic that narrates the Prophet’s
childhood and life before the revelation, his life after the
revelation and the spread of Islam.
The shooting of the film began in
south Iran in October 2011. A number of actors including Amin
Tarokh, Mehdi Pakdel and Sareh Bayat have joined the cast of the
film “Muhammad (S)”.
The film has sparked controversy all
over the Islamic World.
Earlier, Al-Azhar scholars,
including the Grand Sheikh Ahmed Al-Tayeb, slammed it and demanded
its prohibition.
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