Movies for Muslim children: The passion of Muhammad, suitable for children

Rated H for Halal

While some Muslim kids might beg their parents to take them to see Pixar’s “The Incredibles” on Eid day, some might end up being taken to another animated film, one with a different kind of hero. Beginning on Eid (widely expected to be Sunday, November 14), theaters nationwide will be showing a $10 million feature-length animated film entitled, “Muhammad: The Last Prophet”, which was directed by former Disney animator Richard Rich and produced by the creators of “The Fox & The Hound”. Like Moustapha Akkad’s 1976 movie “The Message”, this film also does not portray the Prophet Muhammad but instead focuseso on the people surrounding him. “Bringing [the Prophet’s] story to life has been an enormous challenge,” said Rich, “but it has given me a great appreciation for what Muhammad has accomplished for the world.” While the film will be a first for American audiences, most of the Muslim world has already seen the film, with mixed reviews. “The film was scheduled to be released in the United States around 2002, but [was put off] because it was just after September 11,” said Usama Jamal, president of Fine Media Group, which produced the film. The company had to rent out theaters and sell tickets on their website, as theater chains expressed doubts that a significant audience would show up. While nobody expects the film to do as well as that other recent religious film, “The Passion Of The Christ,” producers expect it to do well in the DVD and video market. (It’s also far less bloody, but then, what movie isn’t?) “Our children in today’s day and age, as much as we try to shield them, are being bombarded by information that is totally contrary to what our beliefs are,” says Muhammad Quadir, director of the Islamic Society of Central Florida’s Center for Peace. “What I’m hoping is that the film will emphasize to the larger community, both Muslims and non-Muslims, that it’s important to learn about the life of Muhammad in order to truly understand what Islam is.”

Shahed Amanullah is editor-in-chief of altmuslim.com.