Barrie Osborne, producer of “The Matrix” and the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy is set to create a biopic of the Messenger of Islam, Prophet Mohamed (pbuh). Although there has been some skepticism about this venture, both here in the UK and across the Muslim world, this project should be welcomed. To prevent any backlash from the Muslim world, Osborne has enlisted the help of Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi in overseeing the production. Mohamed will not be represented by an actor, but the film will follow the course of his life. This latest venture reignites the debate about the portrayal of Islam, Muslims and the Prophet in the media. Whilst it will be difficult or impossible to depict the Messenger’s life exactly, Osborne’s initiative will pave a stepping stone towards bridging the gap between the Muslim world and the West. Unfortunately, we live in a visual world, so films are often the best way to connect two communities or to give an insight into history. Instead of worrying about the outcome of this project, Muslims should use it as an opportunity to cast off the shackles that the perception of the Messenger of Islam has been wearing since the infamous Dutch cartoons. Even if Osborne does not achieve what some might perceive as the desired result, it is clear that an attempt has been made to carry out this venture appropriately and sensitively and thus Osborne merits respect for his efforts. Instead of being overly sensitive about who offends us as Muslims and rioting or issuing a fatwa, we should seize the chance to show an American and Western audience why Islam and the Prophet are so revered by Muslims. It is not as if Osborne plans to blow up the Ka’ba as Roland Emmerich, the German filmmaker debated portraying in his latest movie, “2012.” Emmerich, who fathered such films as Independence Day, The Day After Tomorrow and Stargate, told scifiwire.com that he wanted to create a scene where he would blow up Islam’s holiest site in Mecca, but decided against it for fear of having a fatwa issued against him. His decision to preserve the sanctity of Mecca was a wise decision. It would not have added to the film in terms of plot or content and probably would have been received as the West flexing its empirical muscles over the Arab world, whether justifiably so or not. However, one has to question Emmerich’s understanding of culture and religion as he reluctantly withdrew the proposed Mecca-exploding scene, adding that, “we have to all, in the western world, think about this. You can actually let Christian symbols fall apart, but if you would do this with [an] Arab symbol, you would have … a fatwa, and that sounds a little bit like what the state of this world is.†As much as we like to behave to the contrary, “Arab†is not a religion. The outrage that blowing up the Ka’ba might spark would not occur if Emmerich had elected to blow up a symbol of Arab identity as opposed to Islamic identity. The majority of Muslims aren’t going sign a petition for a fatwa if the pyramids or the al-Saud residence or a packet of dates were blown up on screen. Furthermore, to claim that an outsider creating a film about blowing up the Vatican or the Church of the Nativity is not going to spark outrage is somewhat optimistic. As illogical as it might seem, there is a certain right that is born from the inside understanding of being party to a faction of society. Emmerich, as a non-Muslim, should (and maybe does) understand that if he were to attack a religious symbol, it would seem like an attack on the religion. What if I made a film about exploding the Wailing Wall? It would be stupid, irresponsible and received as an attack on Judaism. Frankly, Arabs don’t require a film to imagine what blowing up a national symbol might look like. It’s already been done to the golden dome of al-Askari. Even after all the riots that broke out in reaction to the 1977 film “The Message” – another Mohamed biopic – there’s scarcely a Muslim household that doesn’t own a copy or seven. So how about Muslims relax for once and try and emulate the peace and understanding of the Prophet by looking to the admirable intentions of Barrie Osborne. BM Frankly, Arabs don’t need a film to imagine what blowing up a national symbol might look like. It’s already been done to the golden dome of al Askari.
