The Raza Academy has issued a statement demanding a ban on the 2015 movie ‘Muhammad: The Messenger of God’ by Majid Majidi. The movie is based on the life of the Muslim prophet. The movie was released in Iran in 2015 and was selected as the Iranian entry for the Best Foreign Lasnguage Film category at the 88th Academy Awards.
The Raza Academy said in the letter addressed to Don Cinema, a distributor, that it has to its knowledge that the movie is set for a release digitally on the 21st of July. “Ever since the news of its release has been published there has been an uproar in the community and we have been receiving hundreds of calls to get the film banned as it is completely blasphemous,” said the radical Islamic organisation.
“A Muslim will die in honour than to see or hear even the slightest insult on his Holy Prophet,” the Raza Academy said threateningly. It is pertinent to note that the movie was made by Majid to change the negative perception of Islam around the world and show people that Islam is a religion of peace, kindness and love. “We earnestly request you to kindly stop the distribution of the film and its subsequent release before it creates unrest and law and order problems in the city,” it added.
The Raza Academy had issued a fatwa against AR Rahman, the music composer of the movie, and Iranian director Majid Majidi in 2015 as well. The organisation had urged Muslims to avoid watching the movie then as well, calling it a mockery of Islam. Then as well, the organisation had demanded a ban on the movie.
The Raza Academy has a violent past. In August 2011, its leaders had organised a so-called protest in Azad Maidan that had devolved into violent riots. The rioters from Raza Academy had vandalised the much-hallowed Amar Jawan memorial situated outside the CST. The riots had caused approximately Rs 2.72 crores worth of damages to various public properties.
source:https://www.opindia.com/