Epic Muhammad movie in pipeline From the producers of LOTR and Matrix comes this summer's smashing hit: Mohammad. This is great, although if they don't show a person playing the part of Mohammad (and let's face it, unless you want your head chopped off by some nut, they probably won't) I can't see it being as good as it could be. Nevertheless, this will open up more of a discussion on Mohammad. Hopefully what's known, what's legend, the good and the warts. Movies can be a great way to open up dialogue.
The Message is a 1976 film about Mohammad Seems those cartoons weren't really the first time this sort of thing has happened. That is interesting.
His name is Salman Rushdie. He's Indian, like Sam. The fatwa against him was initiated by Ayatollah Khomeini in 1989, twelve years later than the incident in Washington.
No it will not. Non-believers will not start to believe in Mohammad. Believers will react according to whether or not they find any insult to their understanding of Mohammad. Nobody will re-think about their belief. And at the end of the day, the movie will come out of Hollywood and Muslims will watch it as outsiders views about their prophet/religion. They simply do not care what outsiders (infidels, christians, or anybody who hasn't "muslim" title) think about their situation among humanity. They will not examine themselves through any external point of view. I find it hopeless.
It would be better I think, if the Japanese made an anime on him. At least, the Japanese are less likely to have nefarious underlying motivations. And Arabs do respect the Japanese more. How do you think a movie on the Muslim version of Christs life would be seen in the west? Where he prays to Allah and doesn't get crucified, but dies happily of old age?
I think you mean "believe in Islam"? Of all the prophets in the Abrahamic religions, Muhammad's existence as a real historical figure is the least controversial. Not to say that it has been proven beyond a reasonable doubt, but I think it's fair to say that scholars of the history of religion place a higher probability--certainly much higher than 50%--on the veracity of Muhammad's existence than that of Jesus, Moses, or Abraham himself.
Actually the most powerful scene in the old movie Ben-Hur depicted Jesus without showing his face. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6LHWyaeEHY&feature=related Lends an air of profound mystery which can be very effective!
If it explains the 30 or so phrases that roughly says "Jews stole my bagels, and I don't like them for it", then I will see it. Otherwise it's no more true than the Christians "Jews ate my bagels" movie by the Christians, Passion of the Christ.
Islam requires to believe in Allah and Mohammed as his prophet. Believing in Islam, believing in Allah, believing in Mohammed are all same thing: You can not ignore one of these concepts (alongside some others) and believing the rest; they coexist in theory. And in every point of view, Mohammed stands in the middle of what you call Islam. He brought the subject religion, he brought the verses, he is the "ubermensch", it's his doctrine. There is no Islam without Mohammed; whether you are an unbeliever or a believer this is the fact for Islam, this is the core understanding and expectation of this religion.
