The Message

There is one Syrian American film producer and director named Mustapha Akkad who you might remember as the Executive Producer for the Halloween Series, from the first film up until "Halloween: Resurrection." He only directed and produced two movies about Muslims, and they're just amazing. Both of them make it into my favorite films list, and I will review both of them. Let's start off with the 1976 film, "Mohammed, Messenger of God," or simply called in the U.S.A., "The Message." As always, here is the plot that you can find on Wikipedia:

"The film follows Muhammad (PBUH) starting with Islam's beginnings in Mecca in which the Muslims are persecuted for their beliefs, the exodus to Medina, and ending with the Muslims' triumphant return to Mecca. A number of crucial events, such as the Battle of Badr and Battle of Uhud are depicted, and the majority of the story is told from the point-of-view of peripheral individuals such as Hamza ibn `Abd al-Muttalib (Muhammad (PBUH)'s uncle), played by the late, and great actor Anthony Quinn, Abu Sufyan (the leader of Mecca), played by Michael Ansara, and his wife Hind bint Utbah (enemies of Islam who later become Muslims themselves), played by Irene Papas."

What is good about this movie, that unlike in Christianity (now I'm not trying to say one is better than the other or that this shouldn't be done in a Christian movie) is that you do not "ever" see a person playing the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). There is a sign, like a light organ music that makes you feel that he has arrived and you can sense his presence, but there has never been an actor who has portrayed him ever. At the beginning of the film, there is a note that says, "The makers of this film honour the Islamic tradition which holds that the impersonation of the Prophet offends against the spirituality of his message. Therefore, the person of Mohammad will not be shown." This rule carried on to his wives, his daughters, and his son-in-laws, and the first caliphs (Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali). His words were repeated by someone else like Hamza, Zayd (played by Damien Thomas) and Bilal (played by Johnny Sekka). Whenever the Prophet (PBUH) entered, the film was cut to his point of view and others would nod to the unheard dialogue. The closest the film did came to depicting the Prophet (PBUH) or his immediate family are when it is viewed by Ali's famous two-pronged sword Zulfiqar during the battle scenes, a glimpse of a staff in the Kabah or Medina scenes, and the Prophet's (PBUH) camel, Qaswa.

In an interview, Akkad said, "I did the film because it is a personal thing for me. Besides its production values as a film, it has its story, its intrigue, its drama. Beside all this I think there was something personal, being Muslim myself who lived in the west I felt that it was my obligation my duty to tell the truth about Islam. It is a religion that has a 700 million following, yet it's so little known about it which surprised me. I thought I should tell the story that will bring this bridge, this gap to the west."

The New York Times, when they reviewed this film, said "when the film was scheduled to premier in the U.S., another Muslim extremist group staged a siege against the Washington D.C. chapter of the B'nai B'rith under the mistaken belief that Anthony Quinn played Mohammed in the film, threatening to blow up the building and its inhabitants unless the film's opening was cancelled. The standoff was resolved" after the deaths of a journalist and policeman, but "the film's American box office prospects never recovered from the unfortunate controversy."

Now for a little history. Don't complain, you all need to learn something. The Quaraysh was against the Prophet (PBUH) because they were in charge of the Kabah, and they said that the Prophet (PBUH) was a threat to their money and economy and was afraid they would lose everything. As a result, the Prophet (PBUH) took a Hijra, which is when he emigrated from Mecca to Medina.

In 624 was the Battle of Bahr, an attack of the Meccan caravan, and it became a battle with the Quaraysh tribe. This was the first Muslim victory.

A year later, in 625, was the Battle of Uhud, which was the first Muslim defeat, and the Prophet (PBUH) was injured in that battle.

Four years later, in 629, was the Conquest of Khaybar, this is north of Medina, and where the Jewish people had lived. In the next year, 630, was when the Kabah and Mecca were captured, and the farewell pilgrimage took place in 632 and the Prophet (PBUH) passed.

After the Prophet (PBUH) had passed away, problems had arisen with the Rashidun. This is just a touch base on what the film covers during the years of the Prophet (PBUH). You can see the movie and watch any kind of documentary that talks about this in great detail.

If you want a history over the Prophet (PBUH) that everyone in Islam follows because he is the one whose main source in his life was the Holy Book, Quran, his Hadith and Sunna, his Sira, and the Constitution of Medina, then you will be in for a really nice piece of history. Akkad really got this film down pat with the history and everything is right in the historically accurate way. Tune in next week where I review the second film that Akkad directed and produced about Islam, which is also one that you should check out.