honestly one of the best films ever made. this movie shows the life of Muhammad the prophet and messenger of Islam(Peace be upon him). the director of this movie is Moustapha Akkad who was killed in a suicide attack. and there is some rumors that he was killed because he directed this film. Mustapha Akkad one of the pioneering Arabic directors, and to me that is enough. The story of Islam put in its best form on motion picture. I recommend this movie to every one of all ages; especially people that would like to know or get a better understanding of haw the religion of Islam started. and i advice everyone to watch it whatever your religion.
30 Reviews
I watch this movie many times in both English and Arabic version
ntma855 March 2014
I watch this movie many times in both English and Arabic version I loved more the Arabic one, maybe because it is my native.
I think the acting was good, and in general, this was a good introduction to the religion of Islam.
This shorten they real story to the maximum.
Anyone who want to read more detailed facts how Islam started, he can got al raheeq al makhtum book. I think they can make a full series from it. That was an old movie, but one of the all-time best. It gives us an idea how the life in desert is. How the early Arabs was. How the first conflicts about Islam and the react of others.
I think the acting was good, and in general, this was a good introduction to the religion of Islam.
This shorten they real story to the maximum.
Anyone who want to read more detailed facts how Islam started, he can got al raheeq al makhtum book. I think they can make a full series from it. That was an old movie, but one of the all-time best. It gives us an idea how the life in desert is. How the early Arabs was. How the first conflicts about Islam and the react of others.
The message
aidanaabsattar28 October 2018
Warning: Spoilers
"The message" is a biographical and historical movie filmed by Moustapha Akkad in 1976 and that describes the life of prophet Muhammad from the time that he became the messenger of the God. The events that were described in this movie were held on two main sacred Islamic cities Mecca and Medina. According to this movie, Mecca was the birthplace and the place of becoming the prophet of Muhammad. He was the first person who came to the belief that there is only one god - Allah. This belief came from the message on his head that was delivered by Allah in order to enlighten the people. In this movie, it is also implicitly described the history of the book Quran containing all messages of the God that were sent to Muhammad and that were orally transmitted by him to other followers. Through these messages, Muhammad wanted to convince people that God is one and God is Allah. Unfortunately, the majority of citizens of Mecca (especially older people and upper-class people) were against his actions as they see their religion as a source of their wealth. The reason for this was that in the time Muhammed there was a strong class division that was beneficial for the upper-class people, however, according to Muhammad all people are God's creature and therefore all of them have equal rights. Even if Muhammad and his followers experienced a strong resistance in their way of convincing the people that people actually have only one God, at the end of the movie, they were able to put a foundation of the development and spread of the new religion - Islam. Moreover, they proclaimed the Mecca as a sacred place where people can get themselves closer to God.
Overall the movie "The message" has a lot of symbolic elements that perfectly portrays the religious beliefs and ideologies of people that lived at that time. First of all, clothes that characters wear shows the classes that they belong to and fully displays the division of classes. A perfect example for that is the absence of clean and proper costumes worn on the servants and presence of massive accessories and various colorful and expensive clothes on the higher class that serves as a good sun protector. Moreover, the same style clothes that they were at the shows that they finally accepted equal rights for everyone that was present in the ideology of Islamic religion. The same pattern is present in the accessories of their camels and horses. Secondly, the presence of the various statues of several Gods shows the elements of idol worshiping and polytheism. Also, the way that Mohammad crashed the main statue that is located inside the Kaaba symbolically shows the fall of the polytheist belief in Mecca. Thirdly, the respect of the people towards the sacred place is shown in the scene where people decided to build a house at the place where camel bowed down towards the ground. Finally, some of the viewers can notice the presence of "Shaitan", Islamic devil, in this movie. It is clearly seen at the moment when Hind acted like a crazy when she pierced with her knife the dead body of Muhammad's follower.
The interesting fact about this movie is that even if it was the bibliographical film about the Muhammed his character and his voice were not presented in it. It was happened due to the fact that in Islamic traditions showing the image of God's prophets is strictly prohibited. However, we can notice that sometimes the lens of the camera was shown as the eyes of Muhammad in order to deliver some important information about the crucial events.
To my point of view, the cinematography of the movie was really outstanding. The graphical quality was perfect for the time when it was filmed. The decorations that appeared on it makes the viewers feel the ancient Arabic atmosphere. The musical accompaniment that was performed shows the mood and emotions of all scenes. For example, the tense music during the battle makes the viewers worry about the fate of the main characters. I also enjoyed the acting of some of the actors, especially of those who had a difficult role with wide rage emotional spectrum. The most disappointing element of this movie is the scene of cruelty towards the slaves and early followers of Muhammad. Because of this fact it is not recommended to show it to children for educational purposes.
To sum up, I would recommend this film to others as it is a good and easily understandable source of knowledge about the emergence of Koran and Islamic religions. Moreover, as I have noticed representation of the majority of historical events are done with great accuracy. This fact makes the movie "the message" not only interesting but also very informative and educational.
Magnificent movie
MYS28 October 2000
The movie is directed by Mustapha Akkad one of the pioneering Arabic directors, and to me that is enough. The story of Islam put in its best form on motion picture. I recommend this movie to every one of all ages; especially people that would like to know or get a better understanding of haw the religion of Islam started.
movie review
berikbolsynmargulan23 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The movie "The Message" is one of the well-known films in the Islamic world and one of my favourites. The main plot of the film can be known by its name, it is about the coming of a new religion to the prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) as a message. The movie begins with receiving the first Quranic verses from God by dint of Angel Gabriel in the cave. The prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) is not shown or visually or vocally demonstrated in some way in the movie due to Islamic law. However, other prominent characters are played by actors. Generally, the film is about the spread of the Islam religion, its hardships and blessings from its beginning and until the death of the prophet. In this movie review, we will discuss each significant events that were shown in the movie and introduce the characters.
The distribution of Islam started step by step, person by person and called people to believe and pray to one and only God (Allah in Islam). The main reason for that is the majority of the people in Mecca deteriorated so much, worshipped 300 Gods in Ka'abah, bury their alive daughters due to their pride among the people and slavery. Due to the fact that Islam induces people to do good deeds and evoke people to avoid things that were mentioned before. In the movie, the hardships that the new Muslim people experienced because they followed Muhammad's religion.
The first thing that we have to mention is the way which demonstrates the Pre-Islamic and Islamic periods. Due to Islamic law, not showing the faces, voices of the prophet and his family is a perfect decision because there is a chance that when some Muslim people pray they can associate the faces in the movie as real and the value of the religion can be vanished. For instance, in Christian tradition people carry the portrait of Jesus where it can be changed during the years and cannot be quantified as real. Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) was born in Mecca and from the Quraiysh tribe which was one the influential clans. However, despite the fact that the prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) was from the influential clan, the fact that he was an orphan hurt pride of the people that disturbed them to believe in one God and admit his prophety.
As I mentioned earlier the movie itself shows the hardships that prophet and his followers experienced. For instance, oppression of people, accused them with bad words, didn't even sell them their things. Moreover, one the signifacant examples in the movie is the situation of the Bilal who was the black slave in Mecca. Due to the fact that Islam teaches people that each person lives are matter and everybody are the same despite their skin colour, it was hard to confess this fact for rich Quraiysh people. The sequence of that kind of events occurred frequently and it impacted people to leave their homeland. Some of these followers escaped to Abyssinia, finding shelter under the king's protection. They move north, where they are welcomed warmly in Medina and help to establish the first Islamic mosque. They are told that their belongings are being sold on the trade in Mecca. For a brief moment, Muhammad prefers peace, but he is still granted permission to strike. In the Battle of Uhud, the Mecca people fought back with three thousand soldiers, killing Hamza (the prophet's uncle). The Muslims follow the Meccans, leaving the camp undefended. As a result, they are startled by riders approaching from behind and lose the fight. After that,10-year truce has been reached between the Meccans and the Muslims. A few years later, the people like Halid Ibn Walid and some influential Huraiyshs accepted the Islam and considered as one the devotees. After some years, Muslims take control of Mecca. The idol god images in the Kaaba are destroyed, and Bilaal Ibn Rabaah called the first azan in Mecca on the Kaaba.
Finally, I really enjoy the movie because it shows the brief history of the Islam religion. Moreover, as I mentioned earlier, the protection of women and black people that is the current problem in the world were considered and solved 1400 years ago.It depicts pivotal points in the history of Islam and Muhammad's life. It satisfies one's need to learn more about Islam and history's greatest human being. It is highly important in providing the message that Islam is a peaceful faith. In today's world, some extremists who identify as Muslims are murdering people in the name of Islam. This film depicts the true Islam, which is peaceful, as opposed to what the public sees.
Finally, I really enjoy the movie because it shows the brief history of the Islam religion. Moreover, as I mentioned earlier, the protection of women and black people that is the current problem in the world were considered and solved 1400 years ago.It depicts pivotal points in the history of Islam and Muhammad's life. It satisfies one's need to learn more about Islam and history's greatest human being. It is highly important in providing the message that Islam is a peaceful faith. In today's world, some extremists who identify as Muslims are murdering people in the name of Islam. This film depicts the true Islam, which is peaceful, as opposed to what the public sees.
The meaning of Islam
abdooam9 June 2020
This is true Islam
khaabd17 May 2019
The film directed and produced the best director in the history of Arab cinema, where he gave us a wonderful masterpiece, which is not understood by the world about the Arabs and Muslims for this I recommend watching even non-Muslims, It is indeed the best film in the history of Arab cinema.
Story Of The GOAT In History
ThisCare30 July 2022
The Movie Was Great For Almost 4 Hours I Didn't Feel The Time At All, The Fights sections Was So Good At That Even Now After 4 Decades I Still Watch Them, The Movie Was About Some Of Prophet Mohammed(Peace Be Upon Him) Stories, Director Mustafa AL Akkad Tried To Give Us The Very Most Important Things That Happen In The Prophet Life, I Really Hop Some Someone Else Will Make A Great Movie Like This Talking About The Prophet Stories.
Movie Review by Ayan Nurkesh
ayannurkesh31 October 2018
Warning: Spoilers
The story of shepherd bringing peace into Arabian Peninsula
or The Rise of Islam
Being the part of an honored family, Muhammad is still working as an ordinary shepherd person in the Mecca of 600s A.D. The prevalence of the bad mores, lust and squander, inequality of women and slaves, and avarice have been contradicting his view on how the life should be. Especially, the existence of paganism (believe in many gods) had been bothering him the most. Regardless of his age (40 years) Muhammad frequently climbs on mountains for a few days to give the ideas about a "true life" thought, demonstrating the similarity of a widespread practice of the modern world religions - asceticism. In both cases, the purpose of the solitude life far away from the urban area is to the reorganization of mind in terms of psychology and focus solely on one idea. In the film named "The Message", directed by Mustapha Akkad in 1976, the rise of Islam begins from the message of God through his angel, Gabriel, to Muhammad. This puts him into a great shock since now he is considered as a Prophet of religion according to the words from the angel. In the following movie review, the analysis will be made by taking into consideration the context of the period (600s). In addition, the attempt to find the features of the movie character that enabled the rise of a religion based on the provided information is going to be evaluated and the corresponding conclusion with a personal opinion will be reached.
As it was a case in other world religions, followers of the early Islamic period had suffered from local people, especially the state leaders. Rejection of polytheism by Muslims threatened local leaders since the uncontrolled civilians affected their economic profits from the annual pilgrimage of 360 gods by distant travelers. Even though, the issues of the following ancestor believe considered important, the main emphasis was the financial part as the growth of Muslims increased rapidly. Muhammad was known for his humanistic features, making the teachings and values widely accepted by relatives and close friends. Believe in true mores of life such as equal rights of women and men (the story of first women martyr), independence of sole (Bilal's disobedience), generosity (Abu Bakr's payments for releasing tortured slaves), and ethical behavior (rules restricting hurting children/women/elderly as a purpose of minimizing violence).
Another character that enabled to the Prophet to be the Top 1 among the most influential persons in a history was the wisdom. According to the Michael H. Hart "he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels", 3-5 being Jesus, Buddha, and Confucius (Hart, M. 2001). The movie shows that before "The Message" from God, Muhammad was an illiterate person, thus he didn't learn special classes about politics, leadership, and war strategy. Nevertheless, he wisely allocates the soldiers during Badr conflicts and finds advantages of Peace Treaty which eventually leads to the conquest of Mecca. The mercy on atrocities of some characters after Mecca Conquest could be noted as a part of the wise decision as well, since the further spread of Islam to Vyzantium, Egypt, Persia, Abyssinia, and other strongest powers at the time. For instance, the acceptance of the most violent enemy in Badr conflict, Salah ad-Din, results in future conquests of Egypt and Syria.
Before Hegira to Medina the movie demonstrates kindness and sacrifice of Prophet to the followers. During years of great suffer after forced exile from Mecca Muhammad, being relatively wealthy person after marriage with Hatidja (she was one of the most richest person in the city), gives all savings to people, hides in caves during Hegira (letting Muslims escape victimization by enemies), and actively involves in the construction of first mosque. This feature of the character proves his sincere intention to the people, rejecting any suggestions about money/comfort/rest regardless of his age at the time (he was about 60 years old). The strength of the first followers' faith after Muhammad death, demonstrated that the teachings about one God have completely replaced previous polytheism.
Collectively, the above discussions of Muhammad character bring an idea of what enabled him to be successful in a dramatic change of Arabian Peninsula from "dark period" to "golden years of advancement" and eventually spread of Islam to the world. Noteworthy to mention that the movie was the only representation of the history rather than the demonstration of all facts. Even though the content has been approved by Al-Azhar University, the most authoritative institute in Islamic studies, more data from historic studies are needed for the proper conclusion. The movie clearly shows the tight connection of the local culture to the beliefs of people, once more emphasizing the importance of context study approach. Overall, The Message movie is a good source to learn about the rise of Islam in the 7th century and further comparison with the other Abrahamic religions.
Reference
1. Hart, M. (2001). The 100: A Ranking of The Most Influential Persons In History. New York, NY: Citadel Press/Kensington Pub.
Being the part of an honored family, Muhammad is still working as an ordinary shepherd person in the Mecca of 600s A.D. The prevalence of the bad mores, lust and squander, inequality of women and slaves, and avarice have been contradicting his view on how the life should be. Especially, the existence of paganism (believe in many gods) had been bothering him the most. Regardless of his age (40 years) Muhammad frequently climbs on mountains for a few days to give the ideas about a "true life" thought, demonstrating the similarity of a widespread practice of the modern world religions - asceticism. In both cases, the purpose of the solitude life far away from the urban area is to the reorganization of mind in terms of psychology and focus solely on one idea. In the film named "The Message", directed by Mustapha Akkad in 1976, the rise of Islam begins from the message of God through his angel, Gabriel, to Muhammad. This puts him into a great shock since now he is considered as a Prophet of religion according to the words from the angel. In the following movie review, the analysis will be made by taking into consideration the context of the period (600s). In addition, the attempt to find the features of the movie character that enabled the rise of a religion based on the provided information is going to be evaluated and the corresponding conclusion with a personal opinion will be reached.
As it was a case in other world religions, followers of the early Islamic period had suffered from local people, especially the state leaders. Rejection of polytheism by Muslims threatened local leaders since the uncontrolled civilians affected their economic profits from the annual pilgrimage of 360 gods by distant travelers. Even though, the issues of the following ancestor believe considered important, the main emphasis was the financial part as the growth of Muslims increased rapidly. Muhammad was known for his humanistic features, making the teachings and values widely accepted by relatives and close friends. Believe in true mores of life such as equal rights of women and men (the story of first women martyr), independence of sole (Bilal's disobedience), generosity (Abu Bakr's payments for releasing tortured slaves), and ethical behavior (rules restricting hurting children/women/elderly as a purpose of minimizing violence).
Another character that enabled to the Prophet to be the Top 1 among the most influential persons in a history was the wisdom. According to the Michael H. Hart "he was the only man in history who was supremely successful on both the religious and secular levels", 3-5 being Jesus, Buddha, and Confucius (Hart, M. 2001). The movie shows that before "The Message" from God, Muhammad was an illiterate person, thus he didn't learn special classes about politics, leadership, and war strategy. Nevertheless, he wisely allocates the soldiers during Badr conflicts and finds advantages of Peace Treaty which eventually leads to the conquest of Mecca. The mercy on atrocities of some characters after Mecca Conquest could be noted as a part of the wise decision as well, since the further spread of Islam to Vyzantium, Egypt, Persia, Abyssinia, and other strongest powers at the time. For instance, the acceptance of the most violent enemy in Badr conflict, Salah ad-Din, results in future conquests of Egypt and Syria.
Before Hegira to Medina the movie demonstrates kindness and sacrifice of Prophet to the followers. During years of great suffer after forced exile from Mecca Muhammad, being relatively wealthy person after marriage with Hatidja (she was one of the most richest person in the city), gives all savings to people, hides in caves during Hegira (letting Muslims escape victimization by enemies), and actively involves in the construction of first mosque. This feature of the character proves his sincere intention to the people, rejecting any suggestions about money/comfort/rest regardless of his age at the time (he was about 60 years old). The strength of the first followers' faith after Muhammad death, demonstrated that the teachings about one God have completely replaced previous polytheism.
Collectively, the above discussions of Muhammad character bring an idea of what enabled him to be successful in a dramatic change of Arabian Peninsula from "dark period" to "golden years of advancement" and eventually spread of Islam to the world. Noteworthy to mention that the movie was the only representation of the history rather than the demonstration of all facts. Even though the content has been approved by Al-Azhar University, the most authoritative institute in Islamic studies, more data from historic studies are needed for the proper conclusion. The movie clearly shows the tight connection of the local culture to the beliefs of people, once more emphasizing the importance of context study approach. Overall, The Message movie is a good source to learn about the rise of Islam in the 7th century and further comparison with the other Abrahamic religions.
Reference
1. Hart, M. (2001). The 100: A Ranking of The Most Influential Persons In History. New York, NY: Citadel Press/Kensington Pub.
1 of my top 10 movie-list
ahmagdy1 May 2017
That movie is more than " ExCeLLent " ... .. it's One of my top 10 movie-list , ..
Talking about historical Islam starting to all world ,
with a nice views of true story start in " MecCa " .. to almost " MiddleEast " area ..
Talking about historical Islam starting to all world ,
with a nice views of true story start in " MecCa " .. to almost " MiddleEast " area ..
A masterpiece in 70s and for decades to come
moudarkanjo18 November 2020
Great Movie
sanatifulati21 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
To begin with, I understand from the title that Muhammad is the person who recerives message from God, and then spread it to other people, so he is the messenger. The content of the message is that everyone should become believers of Islam for their salvation. The message is regarded as a prophet, so it makes Muhammad foreteller.
In the beginning, Muhammad saw an angel on the mountain who keeps commanding him to read because God is teaching him what he doesn't know. Then, this angel Gabriel said to him that he is the messenger of God who told him that if people don't start to believe in Islam, the world will vanish in the future. Because Muhammad can't read or write, after receiving the message, he asked people who can write to write it down. The message is quran. These words are God's words.
Because this situation is quite new in Mecca, most people don't believe Muhammad, they thought these ideas are dangerous. They believe that there is a difference between a slave and a master. Also, it is a custom to bury newborn girls. In general, people think that Islam will only bring anachy. Further, the Islam creed is very positive but against what people in Mecca believe. It believes that there is only one God. It believes that all men are equal. Women should also have rights of inheritance. So Jews and Christians have equal rights as Muslims. It emphasizes that no man should starve, the rich should not defraud the poor, the strong should not oppress the weak, girls should not be forced to marry but are able to choose or refuse. It also emphasizes the custom to bury newborn girls is wrong.
As a result, especially slaves and women want other people to believe that these traditions and beliefs are wrong. So slaves showed up and fighted their masters. Then, Hamsa, Muhammad's uncle, also came and helped these slaves. He was on the Muhammad's side. But the masters couldn't let this happen, so they started to attack those weaker ones. Many slaves were harmed and even killed. People tend to believe in Islam because it promises good people heaven. So followers of Muhammad are more courageous to fight back. Even if they die, they will go to heaven. However, the prophet said that they must leave Mecca. So they crossed the desert and left.
People then informed Abby -lion of Judah - about this fight. Followers of Muhammad, mostly slaves, are regarded as rebels in religion. They said that for many years, they worshipped wood and stone and lived in ignorance of God, there were no heavenly laws. They believe in God, but Muhammad is only a man.
For three years, followers of Islam suffered from hunger and cruelty of the desert. Abu talib, Muhammad's old protector, still tried to persuade others to believe in Islam before he died.
People who are against him tried to kill him. But one person thought that his body contained too much, including his mind and his words. Because of untrackable routes and heat in June, people can't find Muhammad. Eventually, he turned out to be a man who cannot be killed.
People in Medina believed Muhammad and asked him to bring his followers there. They welcomed him very passionately. Everyone wanted him to live in their house. Later, they let the camel decide where they will build a house for him. So they planned to build the first mosque of Islam where the camel stopped. Then people began to pray in the mosque.
When the leader of Medina heard that people in Mecca took what were theirs, they fought back. So there was a war between people in Medina and people in Mecca.
There are no different races in Islam, there is no one ethinicity superior than another. They all return equally to God. If one doesn't desire for his neighbour that he desires for himself, he is a man without faith. All muslims should learn to read, and then teach others. They should respect followers of other religions.
In the end, Muhammad didn't take revenge. He declared Mecca a holy place. No one can shed blood. No one can cut a tree. No one can kill living things. Later, all arabians were converted to muslims, to the new worship, new laws, new manners, and new attitudes. The prophet finally became true. However, Muhammad will die very soon. For the last time, he declared the message of God that the weak should not be abandoned, people should be equal among themselves, people will take responsibility for their actions, all muslims are brothers. He left the book that was revealed by God to all muslims - the quran. It should be the guidance and light of all muslims. The words are not Muhammad's words but God's words.
Well made and quite engaging, even for non-Muslims.
grantss24 April 2018
(Based on the English version).
A highly ambitious film, capturing the life of Muhammad. Due to the nature of the subject, director Moustapha Akkad had to thread his way between many restrictions. Not only did the film have to be accurate in its depiction of Muhammad, as anything short of this would be sacrilegious, but, in order to reach a wider audience, it had to appeal to non-Muslims too. Furthermore, his main character could not be shown at all!
Despite these requirements and limitations, Akkad ultimately made a fine movie. Epic in scale, lavish in production and engaging in plot. It clocks in at a touch under three hours but doesn't feel like it, it moves along so smoothly.
Akkad gets around the inability to show Muhammad through some clever devices, often concentrating on his senior aides rather than the man himself, and when he does have to have him present, doing it from a first person perspective. Not as engaging as if we actually had the main character visible, but I can't think of a better way he could have made the film, given that restriction.
As a person who does not know much about the history of Muhammad and Islam, quite edifying.
Good cinematography and battle scenes. Decent performances too.
A highly ambitious film, capturing the life of Muhammad. Due to the nature of the subject, director Moustapha Akkad had to thread his way between many restrictions. Not only did the film have to be accurate in its depiction of Muhammad, as anything short of this would be sacrilegious, but, in order to reach a wider audience, it had to appeal to non-Muslims too. Furthermore, his main character could not be shown at all!
Despite these requirements and limitations, Akkad ultimately made a fine movie. Epic in scale, lavish in production and engaging in plot. It clocks in at a touch under three hours but doesn't feel like it, it moves along so smoothly.
Akkad gets around the inability to show Muhammad through some clever devices, often concentrating on his senior aides rather than the man himself, and when he does have to have him present, doing it from a first person perspective. Not as engaging as if we actually had the main character visible, but I can't think of a better way he could have made the film, given that restriction.
As a person who does not know much about the history of Muhammad and Islam, quite edifying.
Good cinematography and battle scenes. Decent performances too.
An ecumenical effort that has been largely forgotten... and the reasons are understandable.
filipemanuelneto22 February 2021
For this film, I will take advantage of most of the review I made for the film in English, since there are virtually two twin versions of the same film, with a different cast and in a different language. However, even though it is a film aimed at the Muslim audience, I will speak from the perspective of someone who saw it in the West.
This film is absolutely forgotten today. We are all tired of seeing, at Easter and Christmas Eve every year, biblical films or involving Jesus in some way. This does not happen, however, with films about Islam, which for us in Portugal is a religion that tells us little (although we spent a good part of our history, as a country, at war with Muslim peoples). I think that the skewed way in which we see the Muslim faith, the result of recent events, terrorism and fundamentalism, also helped to bury these films. This, in particular, also has the disadvantage that the central character of the plot - Muhammad - cannot be shown or heard. Islamic religion rules.
The film briefly recounts Muhammad's life and preaching, and the way he became a religious and military leader, going against the authorities of Mecca, the current polytheistic religion and his family until he imposed himself, by the word and - not least - by the strength of the weapons. A true story, therefore, but one that is never explored by Western cinema due to religious rashes. It is understandable: most Muslims can be understanding, but the fear of the West is radicalized minorities, willing to blow bombs in the cinema studio that dare to show the Prophet. Personally, I coped well with the character's absence, but the overwhelming majority of the Western audience quickly dismissed the film.
The effort to co-produce this film was remarkable at the time. We have Americans, English, Arabs, Moroccans, Libyans and other nationalities involved. The difficulties were also many, and part of the money for the film ended up coming from the hands of Libyan President Gaddafi, which is quite unusual, but understandable, at the time it was. I also appreciated the effort that the production made to be historically rigorous and faithful to the events described.
The film features a vast cast which, of course, stands out Abdallah Gheith, in the role of an uncle of the Prophet, Mona Wassef, who gave life to the vindictive Hind, wife of the Mecca ruler, Abu Sofyan, played by Hamdy Gheith. The three actors were the ones that stood out the most and did a competent job with the material they received. Still, I don't think it will be the best movie of any of the three.
Technically, it is a very well-made film and at the level of epic super-productions of its time: the sets were exquisitely well done, the costumes are detailed, everything exudes a certain atmosphere of credibility and respect, both for the history and the religion of those who believe in Muhammad's message. Cinematography is a little dated and the colors seem washed out, but that did not detract from the film's visual beauty. The soundtrack is quite good and is in the ear, and the initial credits are interesting, with the representation of the faithful from various places in the world where Islam is present today.
This film is absolutely forgotten today. We are all tired of seeing, at Easter and Christmas Eve every year, biblical films or involving Jesus in some way. This does not happen, however, with films about Islam, which for us in Portugal is a religion that tells us little (although we spent a good part of our history, as a country, at war with Muslim peoples). I think that the skewed way in which we see the Muslim faith, the result of recent events, terrorism and fundamentalism, also helped to bury these films. This, in particular, also has the disadvantage that the central character of the plot - Muhammad - cannot be shown or heard. Islamic religion rules.
The film briefly recounts Muhammad's life and preaching, and the way he became a religious and military leader, going against the authorities of Mecca, the current polytheistic religion and his family until he imposed himself, by the word and - not least - by the strength of the weapons. A true story, therefore, but one that is never explored by Western cinema due to religious rashes. It is understandable: most Muslims can be understanding, but the fear of the West is radicalized minorities, willing to blow bombs in the cinema studio that dare to show the Prophet. Personally, I coped well with the character's absence, but the overwhelming majority of the Western audience quickly dismissed the film.
The effort to co-produce this film was remarkable at the time. We have Americans, English, Arabs, Moroccans, Libyans and other nationalities involved. The difficulties were also many, and part of the money for the film ended up coming from the hands of Libyan President Gaddafi, which is quite unusual, but understandable, at the time it was. I also appreciated the effort that the production made to be historically rigorous and faithful to the events described.
The film features a vast cast which, of course, stands out Abdallah Gheith, in the role of an uncle of the Prophet, Mona Wassef, who gave life to the vindictive Hind, wife of the Mecca ruler, Abu Sofyan, played by Hamdy Gheith. The three actors were the ones that stood out the most and did a competent job with the material they received. Still, I don't think it will be the best movie of any of the three.
Technically, it is a very well-made film and at the level of epic super-productions of its time: the sets were exquisitely well done, the costumes are detailed, everything exudes a certain atmosphere of credibility and respect, both for the history and the religion of those who believe in Muhammad's message. Cinematography is a little dated and the colors seem washed out, but that did not detract from the film's visual beauty. The soundtrack is quite good and is in the ear, and the initial credits are interesting, with the representation of the faithful from various places in the world where Islam is present today.
The best movie I ever watched
nahyz17 January 2019
The first time I watched this movie is in the early 1980's. As it's based on the true authentic story of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) the story is not fiction. The image of Prophet Muhammad is not shown. It is suitable for all ages and doesn't contain nude scenes and respects the Islamic and Muslim ways of life.
highly recommended
halajabbar4 October 2018
The Story of Islam Packed in 3 Hours
theforager19 June 2020
Very nice film I advice everyone to watch
mohmzm19 October 2018
The MEssage
aruzhansaparbayeva28 October 2018
Warning: Spoilers
"The Message" or "Al-risâlah" is a historical depiction of Islamic genesis. Interestingly, it was filmed simultaneously at two different languages with two different casts. The Arabic version was released earlier in 1976 followed by the English one in 1977 (1). In correspondence with Muslim traditions, the movie didn't portray Mohammed's face and voice, so the main character was his uncle, Hamza ibn Abdul-Muttalib (2).
Produced by Filmco International Production in collaboration of Egypt with Libya, and featuring 28 different nationalities and cultures, it was initially banned in some Middle Eastern countries. The reason was that some religious leaders did not approve the story of Prophet Muhammed being put into a movie (1, 2).
"The Message" told the story the Messenger of God, who received revelations in the mountains. That times, in the 7th century AD, the Arabic world was polytheistic. Therefore, Mohammed's message of the sole God was considered radical. Moreover, it faced harsh resistance. Many episodes of the movie reviled fights between Muslims and conservative Arabs that were willing to stick to idolatry. Nonetheless, it started gathering followers and eventually, became one of the world religions.
In a truly fascinating way, "The Message" had shown that a new for that times religion faced numerous obstacles. Resistance of the Arabs to the new religious idea of a sole God brought a gap between citizens of Mecca - "dividing the city, dividing the generations: children from parents". Such struggles of splitting people at the beginning and reuniting through war reminded me of foundation of the Protestant Church by Martin Luther. His ideas were also considered radical, and he met the resistance in the face of Pope and the Emperor.
One of the first scenes of the movie was a disclaimer asserting its historical accuracy. For instance, the age at which the Prophet started receiving revelations, the Hijra - migration of Prophet Mohammed and his companions from Mecca to Medina, and other depicted events corresponded to agreed scholar's findings.
Though the movie was filmed far after the events it depicted, it fully immersed to the atmosphere of the 7th century AD. The setting of ancient city of Mecca took more than four month (2). The scenery of deserts, camels and slaves gave the insight into lifestyle of the population. Moreover, the accompanying music was dramatic and full of wind instruments, which gave that Middle East mood. Especially, at the ending, when the Mohammed's army marched into Mecca, enhanced sounds of drums conveyed powerful feeling of victory. Noteworthy, the costumes of people on two sides - Muslim and Polytheist portrayed disagreement between them. The Muslims, robed white pilgrimage clothing stood out from the others. Turns out, it had a particular meaning. The Ihram clothing of the white color implied equity of everyone in front of the God. Mohammed taught that "slave is equal to his master", "before God, all men are equal as the teeth of a comb". These ideas sounded ridiculous to the population, and were considered very convenient for slaves and beggars to have an illusion of equity. Apparently, equity was not the feature of Arabic community at that time. For instance, newborn girls were buried, slaves were bought and sold.
Going back to the movie, the production team and cast have done a great job. Memorable episode in my mind was when a slave, even ordered, did not whip Ammar. For refusing to follow the order, he was punished with a heavy hand. Even being beaten up, he would claim that the God was one. Seemingly, this scene showed that the faith was not given up in the fear of human authority; despite all the beatings and anger, the man stuck to his faith.
Talking about teaching of Prophet Mohammed, it was thrilling how a man that could not read and write transmitted words of God to those who could. Moreover, encouraged his companions to learn reading and writing, and further, teach others. Same as me, Arabs were surprised with illiterate man who conveyed words of God in Quran. Prophet Mohammed was suspected for conveying his own ideas and actually receiving the revelations. Later, his companions delivered that those were the words of God, similarly to Christianity and Judaism. It also worth noting, that spreading of the Islam went through conquering. Notably, the battles were within Arabs, not from someone outside. From the movie, it seemed that there were no political interest in conquering Mecca. Indeed, it was an intended transmission of religion through forceful destruction of relics of idolatry. Not only the movie depicted events happening in Mecca and Medina, but also narrated other historical events. These narrations gave a context of all of the events, and enhanced comprehension. The same narration was observed in above mentioned "Martin Luther" film, which I guess is a common feature of majority of historical movies. Finally, "The message" lasted for almost three hours portraying early Islamic history in its best, including all of the struggles and battles.
Talking about teaching of Prophet Mohammed, it was thrilling how a man that could not read and write transmitted words of God to those who could. Moreover, encouraged his companions to learn reading and writing, and further, teach others. Same as me, Arabs were surprised with illiterate man who conveyed words of God in Quran. Prophet Mohammed was suspected for conveying his own ideas and actually receiving the revelations. Later, his companions delivered that those were the words of God, similarly to Christianity and Judaism. It also worth noting, that spreading of the Islam went through conquering. Notably, the battles were within Arabs, not from someone outside. From the movie, it seemed that there were no political interest in conquering Mecca. Indeed, it was an intended transmission of religion through forceful destruction of relics of idolatry. Not only the movie depicted events happening in Mecca and Medina, but also narrated other historical events. These narrations gave a context of all of the events, and enhanced comprehension. The same narration was observed in above mentioned "Martin Luther" film, which I guess is a common feature of majority of historical movies. Finally, "The message" lasted for almost three hours portraying early Islamic history in its best, including all of the struggles and battles.
Educational Film
S_Ibrahim_K10 June 2020
Kaaba as a sacred place
zhaniyaseitkhan21 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
"The Message" as a documentary movie has engaged the viewer with its plot throughout the three hours that it lasts. It can be claimed that film has succeeded in most of the aspects. The actor's performance is very convincing and portrayed the characters fully. The representation of scenes is very realistic and conveys information about the culture of that time. The major aspect as factual consistency was at the highest level as the historical facts and their continuity is well-organized and gives the viewer sufficient ground on understanding the pre-Islamic Arabic Peninsula and the rise of new religion along with the empires and states thereafter. "The Message," tells us the story of early Mecca where Prophet Muhammed receives his first revelations from Gabriel and calls upon the pagan public to follow God. In this review, I would like to demonstrate that the illustration of Kaaba and wholly Mecca in the movie can be seen through the prism of Eliade's sacred place.
Let us refer to the importance of Kaaba and examine the pre-Islamic period Kaaba's significance that was portrayed in the film. The polytheistic worship that was illustrated included all types of Gods from all parts of the world which were worshipped during the annual pilgrimage. In the movie, one can see how the various totems were symbolically collected in the Kaaba and diverse rituals were performed in front of it to show the paganistic nature. People who commit the pilgrimage are depicted as very devoted in the process of worship. Historically these diversified influences are constituted to the commerce from the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, Eastern Africa, and Byzantine Empire (The Origins of Islam lecture). Such diversified waves were very beneficial for the local rulers of the Quraysh tribe who had major control of commerce. The illustration of these local authorities in the film as mercantile people who took advantage of the Kaaba pilgrimage is consistent with the historical representation. It can be seen that the Quraysh tribe was against Muhammed's appeal as it menaced their authority. In the movie, they offered Muhammed social status and keys from Kaaba so that he would not spread his message of One God. So it can also be observed that the religious importance of Kaaba for Quraysh was not as strong as the economic advantage. Overall, before the spread of Islam Kaaba was depicted as a center of paganism which was beneficial for Quraysh.
Before examining the role of Kaaba after the spread of Islam, let us refer to some of the historical consistencies and parallels observed in the movie. Once Muhammed received revelations, he got some followers who were mostly his friends and close ones. The movie's explanation of the first Islam converters Khadija, Abu Talib, and Abu Bakr is consistent with Ibn- Ishaq's work of "The Life of Muhammed". This illustrates another major historical fact consistency among many. The popularization of Islam which Muhammed and his early followers missioned was a very chaotic process. The depicted battle for Kaaba implies the significant role of it for both polytheistic society which were predominant and the monotheistic group followed by Muhammed. These particular scenes of chaos represent the historically referred beginning of Jahaliyya (The Origins of Islam lecture). This Jahaliyya continues with all types of cruelty as murders, tortures, and mockeries of those who have joined Muhammed. As the persecuted group of Muslims left Mecca they appealed to the Christian Abassynian King who sheltered them from Quraysh. One can observe that the mercy and grace of the Christian King implies a shared belief in One God and an illustration of similar ideas between the two world religions. In the movie, there is a scene of a comparison of Prophet Muhammed with other Prophets and especially Jesus Christ which resembles the Apology of Patriarch Timothy of Baghdad before the Caliph Mahdi when the Caliph questions the Catholicus about the faith. A prominent parallel can be drawn between these two narratives. Abyssinian King's metaphor of "two rays" is similar to the Caliph's metaphor of "pearl". It might be that these contexts are indeed interchanged. These factual inferences can be observed and compared.
Let us now examine the Kaaba's significance for the Islam followers. Despite the peaceful environment of Medina and the first mosque that was built there, it was not as significant as Mecca. Mecca resembles the motherland for Muhammed and his early followers. Whereas the Kaaba in Mecca is the sacred place that reveals some fixed point, the central axis from which other continuation follows (Eliade 21). In the movie, one can see how the Muslim empire conquers Mecca, surrounds the Kaaba, and destructs all the idiolatry by symbolically setting a fixed point of a monotheistic sacred place which gave the latter continuation. As Eliade Mircea points out (22), the discovery of a fixed point is equivalent to the creation of the world. Hence the illustrated transformation of Kaaba gives the sense of a starting point and the rise of an Islamic world. Thus the Kaaba in Mecca represents a triumphal sacred place of pilgrimage which once conquered by Muhammed and his followers are proclaimed as a center of Islamic dominance.
To conclude, the film "The Message" not only embraces the critical periods of the emergence of Islam but also gives sufficient historical details for creating the full picture. Film as mentioned and illustrated before is historically consistent, and the delivery of these facts is quite remarkable. An underlying religious theory of sacred place that I have presented in this review is another food for thought. The movie illustrates the emergence and transformation of today's center of Islamic religion in a very commendable way. For a viewer who has little or no knowledge of Islam's emergence history, I would recommend the movie as a ground start. Personal rating for this film would be 10/10.
Let us refer to the importance of Kaaba and examine the pre-Islamic period Kaaba's significance that was portrayed in the film. The polytheistic worship that was illustrated included all types of Gods from all parts of the world which were worshipped during the annual pilgrimage. In the movie, one can see how the various totems were symbolically collected in the Kaaba and diverse rituals were performed in front of it to show the paganistic nature. People who commit the pilgrimage are depicted as very devoted in the process of worship. Historically these diversified influences are constituted to the commerce from the Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, Eastern Africa, and Byzantine Empire (The Origins of Islam lecture). Such diversified waves were very beneficial for the local rulers of the Quraysh tribe who had major control of commerce. The illustration of these local authorities in the film as mercantile people who took advantage of the Kaaba pilgrimage is consistent with the historical representation. It can be seen that the Quraysh tribe was against Muhammed's appeal as it menaced their authority. In the movie, they offered Muhammed social status and keys from Kaaba so that he would not spread his message of One God. So it can also be observed that the religious importance of Kaaba for Quraysh was not as strong as the economic advantage. Overall, before the spread of Islam Kaaba was depicted as a center of paganism which was beneficial for Quraysh.
Before examining the role of Kaaba after the spread of Islam, let us refer to some of the historical consistencies and parallels observed in the movie. Once Muhammed received revelations, he got some followers who were mostly his friends and close ones. The movie's explanation of the first Islam converters Khadija, Abu Talib, and Abu Bakr is consistent with Ibn- Ishaq's work of "The Life of Muhammed". This illustrates another major historical fact consistency among many. The popularization of Islam which Muhammed and his early followers missioned was a very chaotic process. The depicted battle for Kaaba implies the significant role of it for both polytheistic society which were predominant and the monotheistic group followed by Muhammed. These particular scenes of chaos represent the historically referred beginning of Jahaliyya (The Origins of Islam lecture). This Jahaliyya continues with all types of cruelty as murders, tortures, and mockeries of those who have joined Muhammed. As the persecuted group of Muslims left Mecca they appealed to the Christian Abassynian King who sheltered them from Quraysh. One can observe that the mercy and grace of the Christian King implies a shared belief in One God and an illustration of similar ideas between the two world religions. In the movie, there is a scene of a comparison of Prophet Muhammed with other Prophets and especially Jesus Christ which resembles the Apology of Patriarch Timothy of Baghdad before the Caliph Mahdi when the Caliph questions the Catholicus about the faith. A prominent parallel can be drawn between these two narratives. Abyssinian King's metaphor of "two rays" is similar to the Caliph's metaphor of "pearl". It might be that these contexts are indeed interchanged. These factual inferences can be observed and compared.
Let us now examine the Kaaba's significance for the Islam followers. Despite the peaceful environment of Medina and the first mosque that was built there, it was not as significant as Mecca. Mecca resembles the motherland for Muhammed and his early followers. Whereas the Kaaba in Mecca is the sacred place that reveals some fixed point, the central axis from which other continuation follows (Eliade 21). In the movie, one can see how the Muslim empire conquers Mecca, surrounds the Kaaba, and destructs all the idiolatry by symbolically setting a fixed point of a monotheistic sacred place which gave the latter continuation. As Eliade Mircea points out (22), the discovery of a fixed point is equivalent to the creation of the world. Hence the illustrated transformation of Kaaba gives the sense of a starting point and the rise of an Islamic world. Thus the Kaaba in Mecca represents a triumphal sacred place of pilgrimage which once conquered by Muhammed and his followers are proclaimed as a center of Islamic dominance.
To conclude, the film "The Message" not only embraces the critical periods of the emergence of Islam but also gives sufficient historical details for creating the full picture. Film as mentioned and illustrated before is historically consistent, and the delivery of these facts is quite remarkable. An underlying religious theory of sacred place that I have presented in this review is another food for thought. The movie illustrates the emergence and transformation of today's center of Islamic religion in a very commendable way. For a viewer who has little or no knowledge of Islam's emergence history, I would recommend the movie as a ground start. Personal rating for this film would be 10/10.
Not bad
chera_khalid20 September 2023
"Al-Risalah," a cinematic portrayal of Islamic history, offers a unique perspective on the life of Prophet Muhammad and deserves recognition for its historical significance. While the film's cinematography may feel somewhat dated, it effectively captures the essence of the era and the vast desert landscapes. The acting conveys a sense of authenticity, allowing viewers, regardless of their religious background, to connect with the characters and the religious narrative. However, the film's pacing can be slow at times, and the music, while suitable, may not be particularly memorable. Overall, "Al-Risalah" serves as an insightful cultural and historical piece, shedding light on the life and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, making it worth a watch for those interested in exploring different facets of world history.
mustafa akkad best work
anoooos15 February 2021
the message review
akgulussenova28 October 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Review of the film "The Messenger", 1977.
Moustapha Akkad's film, "the messenger of God", is the account of the history of birth and rise of Islam. It shows the story of the spread of Islam, starting from the revelation of Quran to Muhammad, the prophet of God, in Mecca, continuing with his fight with the rulers of the Mecca for Kabaah and finally the establishment of Islam in all of the Arabia.
At the time when Muhammad got a revelation of the words of Quran, which first of all states that there is only one God and Muhammad is the messenger of God, from Gabriel in the cave of Mecca, polytheism was flourishing in Mecca. Mecca was the town of trade, ruled by rich merchants. The religion of the town dwellers was polytheism, they believed in many Gods, each God being the protection to different kinds of social aspects of life of the people. Moreover, Mecca's rulers held religious feasts every year in which all the tribes of Arabia came to Mecca with their figures of Gods to be placed in Kaaba. This control of Kaaba by city rulers of Mecca who were also the merchants, made them rich and maintained their power and wealth, because those tribes who come to Mecca once in a year to embrace their Gods, also buy things from the local merchants making them richer and richer. Thus, Muhammad's teachings that were against the polytheism, against believing in statues of gods, and his callings to abolish those gods threatened not only the religion of city dwellers, but also threatened the wealth of city rulers. Moreover, Muhammad preached that the loyalty to Islam was above the loyalty to tribal families. So that his teachings caused the tensions between the conservative polytheists fathers and the young sons of Mecca who are now following the teachings of Muhammad. Furthermore, Muhammad preached that all people are equal in the face of God, so that slaves were now equal to their owners and women were equal to men. However, Mecca was the city of inequality and oppression where the slaves were slaves and women had no right. Therefore, Muhammad and his followers met fury resistance from the rulers of Mecca and by the indigenous city. The followers of Muhammad were tortured, killed, and were kicked out of the town, to the desert. Disposed of their houses, the followers of the prophet suffered the hunger, thirst, cruelty in the desert, for 3years. However, when Muhammad thought that his mission failed, the rulers of Medina, came to him with and offer to allow him to preach in Medina, if Muhammad's teachings will unite people and end the civil war in the city. Taking the word of rulers of Medina that they believe in one God, Muhammad and his followers start to move to Medina. This mass flight of Muslims from Mecca to Medina, Hijra, was later called the event that put the beginning of Islam. Upon arrival, Muhammad sets the first Islamic prayer house in the city of Medina, declares all human equal and give rights to women. Now, the rulers of Medina are worried that Muhammad changes the city and its rules, so they with the help of rulers of Mecca start to think about the ways of how to get rid off the prophet.
After the selling by Mecca's rulers of all the left properties by the followers of Muhammad, the prophet announces that Muslims will fight in the name of God against the rulers of Mecca in order to kick out of the town those who did this to them and to abolish all the gods from the Kaaba. Mecca was the important city for Muslims, because it is the place where the revelation of God was sent to a man, and the abolition of gods in Kaaba was the main goal of Muslims, in order to announce there the existence of one God and no more. Thus, the army of Muslims and Mecca fought in the battle of Badr, in which the Muslims won. And after the series of battles, Muslims seized Mecca and announce Mecca to be the sacred place of Islam and all the Muslims, so that no man can be killed in Mecca, and everyone are equal in Mecca. Moreover, the figures of gods in Kaaba were destroyed and the reign of one God was announced. Thus the rulers of Mecca were not killed and were allowed to live there as long as they don't question the existence of one God. With its emphasis on peace, equality, and love and forgiveness to all creatures, Islam found place in the hearts of many Arabians, and soon it became the religion of all the Arabia. Thus the film "the Messenger" shows the history of birth of Islam in the town of West Arabia, called Mecca. It was filmed by the Muslim who tried to respect all the Islamic traditions and doesn't even showed the prophet as an actor and did not even tried to show his voice. The film was approved by the major scholars of Islam. Thus, it can said that the film shows the rise and birth of Islam from the perspective of Muslims themselves, which can or cannot be close to the real formation of Islam. However, the film still remains a good and popular representation of Islam's formation.
Moustapha Akkad's film, "the messenger of God", is the account of the history of birth and rise of Islam. It shows the story of the spread of Islam, starting from the revelation of Quran to Muhammad, the prophet of God, in Mecca, continuing with his fight with the rulers of the Mecca for Kabaah and finally the establishment of Islam in all of the Arabia.
At the time when Muhammad got a revelation of the words of Quran, which first of all states that there is only one God and Muhammad is the messenger of God, from Gabriel in the cave of Mecca, polytheism was flourishing in Mecca. Mecca was the town of trade, ruled by rich merchants. The religion of the town dwellers was polytheism, they believed in many Gods, each God being the protection to different kinds of social aspects of life of the people. Moreover, Mecca's rulers held religious feasts every year in which all the tribes of Arabia came to Mecca with their figures of Gods to be placed in Kaaba. This control of Kaaba by city rulers of Mecca who were also the merchants, made them rich and maintained their power and wealth, because those tribes who come to Mecca once in a year to embrace their Gods, also buy things from the local merchants making them richer and richer. Thus, Muhammad's teachings that were against the polytheism, against believing in statues of gods, and his callings to abolish those gods threatened not only the religion of city dwellers, but also threatened the wealth of city rulers. Moreover, Muhammad preached that the loyalty to Islam was above the loyalty to tribal families. So that his teachings caused the tensions between the conservative polytheists fathers and the young sons of Mecca who are now following the teachings of Muhammad. Furthermore, Muhammad preached that all people are equal in the face of God, so that slaves were now equal to their owners and women were equal to men. However, Mecca was the city of inequality and oppression where the slaves were slaves and women had no right. Therefore, Muhammad and his followers met fury resistance from the rulers of Mecca and by the indigenous city. The followers of Muhammad were tortured, killed, and were kicked out of the town, to the desert. Disposed of their houses, the followers of the prophet suffered the hunger, thirst, cruelty in the desert, for 3years. However, when Muhammad thought that his mission failed, the rulers of Medina, came to him with and offer to allow him to preach in Medina, if Muhammad's teachings will unite people and end the civil war in the city. Taking the word of rulers of Medina that they believe in one God, Muhammad and his followers start to move to Medina. This mass flight of Muslims from Mecca to Medina, Hijra, was later called the event that put the beginning of Islam. Upon arrival, Muhammad sets the first Islamic prayer house in the city of Medina, declares all human equal and give rights to women. Now, the rulers of Medina are worried that Muhammad changes the city and its rules, so they with the help of rulers of Mecca start to think about the ways of how to get rid off the prophet.
After the selling by Mecca's rulers of all the left properties by the followers of Muhammad, the prophet announces that Muslims will fight in the name of God against the rulers of Mecca in order to kick out of the town those who did this to them and to abolish all the gods from the Kaaba. Mecca was the important city for Muslims, because it is the place where the revelation of God was sent to a man, and the abolition of gods in Kaaba was the main goal of Muslims, in order to announce there the existence of one God and no more. Thus, the army of Muslims and Mecca fought in the battle of Badr, in which the Muslims won. And after the series of battles, Muslims seized Mecca and announce Mecca to be the sacred place of Islam and all the Muslims, so that no man can be killed in Mecca, and everyone are equal in Mecca. Moreover, the figures of gods in Kaaba were destroyed and the reign of one God was announced. Thus the rulers of Mecca were not killed and were allowed to live there as long as they don't question the existence of one God. With its emphasis on peace, equality, and love and forgiveness to all creatures, Islam found place in the hearts of many Arabians, and soon it became the religion of all the Arabia. Thus the film "the Messenger" shows the history of birth of Islam in the town of West Arabia, called Mecca. It was filmed by the Muslim who tried to respect all the Islamic traditions and doesn't even showed the prophet as an actor and did not even tried to show his voice. The film was approved by the major scholars of Islam. Thus, it can said that the film shows the rise and birth of Islam from the perspective of Muslims themselves, which can or cannot be close to the real formation of Islam. However, the film still remains a good and popular representation of Islam's formation.
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