Saudi Grand Mufti's Strong Criticism of Majid Majidi's Film 'Muhammad'

The highest-ranking cleric in Saudi Arabia, Sheikh Abdulaziz Al Sheikh, harshly criticized the new Iranian film titled 'Muhammad' on Wednesday, September 11, describing it as a 'Zoroastrian' film and stating that the portrayal of the childhood of the Prophet Muhammad in the film is a 'hostile act against Islam.' In an interview with the Arabic-language newspaper Al-Hayat, he deemed the making of this film religiously impermissible. The term 'Zoroastrian' is used among Islamic clerics to refer to pre-Islamic clergy in Iran and some other regions of the Middle East. His remarks refer to the movie 'Muhammad' directed by Majid Majidi, which narrates the life of the Prophet Muhammad from childhood to adolescence; this film is the most expensive in the history of Iranian cinema. The Grand Mufti explained his criticism by stating that 'the Prophet Muhammad has specific traits and recognized morals, and the image presented in this film is unrealistic.' Sheikh Abdulaziz Al Sheikh added, 'This film mocks the Prophet and diminishes his status. This is a reckless act, not a religious one, and it distorts Islam and presents a negative image of it.' He also warned about the screening and distribution of this film, stating that the filmmakers 'are not trustworthy, lie, and lack honesty in their actions.' A week prior, senior officials from Al-Azhar University in Egypt had called for an immediate halt to the screening of 'Muhammad,' stating that 'depicting prophets is not permissible in Islamic law.' Meanwhile, Majid Majidi, the director of 'Muhammad,' recently stated in several interviews that the film does not even show the face of the Prophet Muhammad during his childhood. Mr. Majidi also addressed potential criticisms from Sunni and Shia groups regarding his film, saying, 'Our entire effort was to depict a period of the life of Prophet Muhammad that has no disputes among different Islamic groups and also to create a consensus.' According to this director, 'Our effort is to have a correct interpretation that promotes unity and to explain the necessity and reason for the emergence of Islam.' This film, which according to its director cost '100 billion tomans' to produce, has also benefited from the participation of some prominent international figures. The film 'Muhammad' has been screened in about 140 cinemas in Tehran and other cities and was also shown at the opening of the Montreal Film Festival in Canada.