Muhammad The Last Prophet, DVD, Special Edition Includes Bonus Song CD
Bringing (the Prophet's) story to life has been an enormous challenge but it has given me a great appreciation for what Muhammad has accomplished for the world - Director Richard Rich
More than fourteen centuries ago, Mecca was filled with gambling, drunkenness, superstition, slavery, the mistreatment of women, and greed. The holy Ka'bah was littered with idol gods. Pilgrims came by the thousands to worship them. Quarysh, Mecca's ruling body, reveled in their good fortune but cared little for the welfare of the pilgrims of Arabia.
Against this dismal scene, a man named Muhammad (pbuh) retreated to a cave high above Mecca to pray. The events that transpired in that cave changed the course of human history. The archangel Gabriel appeared to Muhammad (pbuh) and his prophetic mission began. He was to restore Mecca to the pure religion of Abraham, to the way of charity, and to the belief in the one and only God.
At first, Muhammad (pbuh) preached only in private. His words were recorded and collected as the Holy Koran. These powerful preaching were transforming the lives of humble Meccans everywhere. Rumors of his teachings began to swirl around the city. Quarysh became anxious. When Muhammad (pbuh) finally declared himself in public, Quarysh launched into a campaign of intimidation. But the new muslims were full of faith, not fear. Powerful converts like Bilal, Hamzah, and Abu Bakr were won each day.
The years that followed in Mecca were trying and bitter. Quarysh vacillated between pleading with Muhammad (pbuh) to stop his preaching and out and out violence against his followers. After a boycott against Muhammad (Pbuh) and his people was obliterated by a dramatic revelation, Quarysh finally attempted to assassinate Muhammad (pbuh) in his sleep. Rescued once again by the help of God and good friends, the Prophet escaped to nearby Medinah where fellow Muslims vowed to take him in and protect him if he would only bring peace to their strife-ridden city.
The Muslims prospered in Medinah. There, the first mosque was built and the new, young religion could worship in peace - and yet, Quarysh had confiscated much of their goods before their exodus from Mecca and began trading them to neighboring countries. An attempt to regain some of their badly needed resources resulted in the Battle of Badr in which three hundred Muslims under the direction of Muhammad (pbuh) defeated a well-equipped Meccan band three times their size.
The battle of Uhud would follow. Vastly outnumbered once again, the Muslims routed the Meccans at first, but when soldiers went against the inspired direction of Muhammad (pbuh) they suffered a crushing defeat.
Hoping to deal a final blow to the man who had caused them so much grief, the Meccans came again, this time with the greatest army Arabia had ever seen. Muhammad (pbuh) directed the digging of an enormous ditch around Medinah which kept the Muslims safe until an act of God dispersed the Meccan army for good.
Now the tables had turned. Whereas Mecca and Quarysh had once been mighty and invincible, Muhammad (pbuh) and Medinah had surpassed them. Converts flowed into Medinah as the message of the Holy Koran was spread abroad. Sensing their growing strength and the blessings of God, Muhammad (Pbuh) turned his sights back to Mecca.
Despite their superior strength, the Muslims returned to Mecca peacefully. Only the idol gods were dealt with harshly. They were purged from the holy Ka'bah and the establishment of a new order began. From Mecca would go the message and revelation that would transform the world.
Developing the screenplay for Muhammad (pbuh) The Last Prophet involved exhaustive research of the best historical materials available. The story itself was heavily supervised by UCLA-educated screenwriter, Ms. Firdosi Wharton-Ali, and UCLA professor of Islamic Law, Dr. Khaled Abou El Fadl. Each draft of the screenplay was scrutinized for its accuracy as well as its faithfulness to the mission and message of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The final screenplay was submitted to Al-Azhar Islamic Research Academy for review, and approval was received prior to production. A finished film was recently submitted to Al-Azhar Al-Sharief and a screenplay approval of the film was received pending a correction, that Badr is implementing.
**Is the Prophet Muhammad depicted in the film?: In Islam, representations of God and the prophets are prohibited. While the events surrounding the Prophet's life will be highlighted, the Prophet himself is never seen or heard. His representation is dealt with through sound and cinematography. We experience his story through point of view shots and through other people's interactions with him. In this sense, the film is similar to Mustapha Akkad's 1976 live-action film, "The Message."
03DV08-5
Muhammad, The Last Prophet DVD (With Bonus CD) - 25 Bonus Points
Adhan Clocks