The Message (1976)

This blog is created to discuss the power of messages we come across daily in countless number through various media. I would like to share and discuss the views on various issues of Mass media through this blog.

I just watched the clips of The famous film 'The Message" running on Geo TV and the voice of Imran Aslam narrating the last sermon of Hazrat Mohammad (peace be upon him), so I decided to discuss it first up.

The film "The Message" was produced in 1976 by Mustafa Akkad (a Syrian-American) based on the historical surge of Islam in the desert of Arab in the early days. The film shot in Morroco and Libya, was one of the most controversial accounts of Islamic history pictured so far. The film producer faced a strong reaction from various Muslim scholars throught the world, the worst part was the riots in USA and Syria by Muslim community.

The film did not depicted on the screen the personalities like Hazrat Mohammad (peace be upon him), azdwaj mutaharrat (prophet's wives), daughters and four caliphs. But the other prominent sahaba (the holy companions of Prophet Mohammad) such as Hazrat Hamza (R.A), Hazrat Zaid (Z.A), Hazrat Bilal (R.A) and other sahaba (R.A) were depicted and their roles were played by different actors and actresses.

Geo TV aired the film first time through its channel in 2005, I watched the film keenly as I have already heard about the film and wanted to critically follow it. The film was aired twice afterwards, but I never found a single reaction from our people, specially religious people (I expected a lot from them).

The film itself is a failed attempt to portray the historical success of the greatest era of Islam. I was very depressed to see the childish effort of the producer as filming the most significant event of the human history can not be completed without depicting the hero and his close companions through camera lens. And non of the actors can dare to play a role of Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) and no director can be given the permission to do that either. Whoever gave the idea of this film was a bankrupt technically and morally. But my concerns are with my own people as why no one in Pakistan ever reacted to the mess created through airing the film in Pakistan? Common people are very vulnerable against the strong media messages through the films and dramas depicting the religions specially in this case.

The most interesting part of the story is that the film was nominated for 1977 Oscar award for best music category.

Mustafa Akkad was allegedly killed in attack from Al-Qaeda in 2005 along with his daughter .