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Thursday, January 6, 2011

Pictures of Muhammad

It is no secret that the movie industry makes more bad films than good.  Heavens Gate, Ishtar, and any Adam Sandler movie can be used in this example, and the list is almost endless.  A great film stands the test of time and has a message that transcends the film itself to become more than the sum of it's parts: Gone with the Wind or Apocalypse Now, just to name two. 

In the Middle East, movie-making is not just a lost art, it has been buried in the sands of the desert for many decades.  India is the exception with Bollywood as the frenetic, chaotic step-child to Hollywood, and it has turned out many great movies, not the least of which is the recent Slum Dog Millionaire which made stars out of the ordinary people of India.

Today the cinema will be that much less with the announcment that Muhammad is not allowed to be talked about or shown on the silver screen.  Those few movies done since 1951 on the life of Islam's prophet will be the only tales told of the man who founded the "religion of peace".

Score another one for the Islamists.


From The Media Line Jan 5 by David E. Miller

Islamic Group Declares War on Religious Films

A new ruling reiterates ban on religious character depiction in film and televison
An international Islamic organization has declared war on cinematic depictions of the prophet Muhammad and his companions, arguing they denigrate Islam's most revered characters.

Yes, we all know how the camera denigrates someone by adding 20 pounds.

The Fiqh (Islamic Jurisprudence) Council, a body of the Muslim World League, said in a statement issued Sunday that the images not of the prophet himself but of his companions were creeping into films and television series and prompted the new ruling, which was adopted during the 20th conference of the Council in late December.

"The council reiterates its previous decision banning the production, promotion … and viewing of these films and series," the statement read. "These [portrayals] may cause the denigration and devaluation of the figures and be used as an excuse to ridicule them."

It's OK to denigrate Jesus, or the Pope, or even the President, but watch out if you devalue Muhammad and his companions.  A sick double-standard which ultimately shuts down critical conversation.

The Quran, Islam's divine book and primary source of law, doesn’t explicitly forbid the depiction of Muhammad or other prophets, which include figures like Abraham, Moses and Jesus from the Jewish and Christian traditions. But some oral traditions, known as hadiths, ban any such visual representation. The main concern cited by jurists was that depicting Muhammad would encourage idolatry.

One example of how Muhammad saw pictures comes from the hadiths of Sahih Muslim, book 24 number 5265  where Muhammad is reported to have said "A'isha, the wife of Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him), reported that she had hung a curtain which had pictures upon it. Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) entered (the room) and he pulled it.(...)  Another is the following hadith, number 5266 which says "A'isha reported that she bought a carpet which had pictures on it. When Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) saw that, he stayed at the door and did not get in. I perceived or I was made to perceive upon his face signs of disgust.(...)Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said: The owners of these pictures would be tormented...Angels do not enter the house in which there is a picture."

Any visual representation of Muhammad, his companions or Allah are haram, or forbidden.  Just remember South Park, Family Guy, Molly Norris, Kurt Westergaard and others who dared to draw Muhammad, and keep as examples of how Muslim sensibilities always trump Western values.

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1 comment:

Unknown said...

Hi.
Better order that copy of "El Cid" with Charlton Heston now while yoy still can?