Raza Academy Demands Ban On Movie ‘Muhammad: The Messenger of God’, Cites Possible Law And Order Problem

The Raza Academy, based in Mumbai, has issued a letter demanding a ban on the distribution of the film Muhammad: The Messenger of God, which is based on the life of Holy Prophet of Islam.

In the letter addressed to Don Cinema, a distributor of the movie, they have urged that the digital release of the movie on 21 July should be stopped before it creates unrest and law and order problem in the city.

The twitter page of Raza Academy describes it as a Sunni Barelvi organization of Indian Sufi Muslims that promotes Islamic beliefs through publications and research.

It should be noted that the movie was released in Iran in 2015 and was selected as the Iranian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 88th Academy Awards.

In the letter, Raza Academy said, “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.”

They further added, “We fail to understand why time and again the Muslim community is targeted by different ways to instigate it and create problems within the country. The films portrays the Holy Prophet as a child and even The Mother and Father of the Holy Prophet have been shown in person. The Holy Prophet of Islam can never be picturised and those who have done it have committed blasphemy which is untolerable at any cost.”

This is the same organisation that, in 2015, had issued a fatwa against acclaimed music composer AR Rahman and Iranian filmmaker Majid Majidi for making a film on Muhammad.

In 2018, the organisation lodged a protest against the Malayalam film "Oru Adaar Love", featuring the then social media hearththrob Priya Prakash Varrier, for allegedly insulting Prophet Mohammed and his wife.