Film about Noah 'Not Forbidden' Under Sharia Law
(Al-Mogaz, Egypt)
"Our opinion is that under Islamic law, there
is no valid prohibition on personifying The Prophets in art. It would be
unreasonable to suggest that Allah fears the evil done to his Prophets from a mere
film. The claim of unlawfulness and prohibition undermines the image of Allah
and Allah's trust in His Prophets. How can we fear for The Prophet over a film,
when we know that the weaker fears the stronger? Is the film stronger than the message
of The Prophet and the heavens?"
Can Muslims go to see Noah starring Russell Crowe with a clear conscience? Sheikh Dr. Mostafa Rashid advises yes - and says there is no such thing as a 'prohibition on personifying The Prophets in art.'
Our Web site
received an inquiry from "Mr. Adel Imam" regarding the
Sharia legal ruling on personifying The Prophets in art. Is it forbidden or
permissible? To answer the question, with the grace and guidance of Allah, pursuing
His approval and requesting the aid and support of His messengers and loved
ones; we pray and greet Moses, the interlocutor of God, Peace Be Upon Him, and
send our love to the Word of God Jesus in his heavenly glory, and all peace and
obedience to the Prophet of God Mohammad son of Abdullah, and we also pray and
greet without prejudice all remaining prophets of God.
The issue has
surfaced again with the recent release of the film Noah, Peace Be Upon Him. Various opinions have emerged rejecting the
film, which personifies the Prophet Noah, and have reaffirmed the prohibition
on personifying The Prophets in art. There have been various reasons given for upholding
the prohibition. Some opinions are based on - they claim - a unanimous consensus
among clerical Islamic canonists. Some derive their views from Quranic verses
like, for example, in God's words (Be He Raised Far Above) from Surat Al Anám [a chapter of the Quran]:
[Chapter
6:Verse 84] And that is Our argument which We gave to Abraham against his
people. We exalt in degrees of rank whom so We please. Thy Lord is indeed Wise,
All-Knowing. [6:85] Say, ‘We believe in Allah and in that which has been
revealed to us, and that which was revealed to Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac
and Jacob and the Tribes, and that which was given to Moses and Jesus and other
Prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to
Him we submit.’ [6:86] And who so seeks a religion other than Islam, it shall
not be accepted from him, and in the life to come he shall be among the losers.
[6:87] How shall Allah guide a people who have disbelieved after believing and
who had borne witness that the Messenger was true and to whom clear proofs had
come? And Allah guides not the wrongdoing people.
Others base
their opinion on Surat Al Ahzab:
[Chapter
33:Verse 58] Verily, those who malign Allah and His Messenger - Allah has
cursed them in this world and in the Hereafter, and has prepared for them an
abasing punishment.
The foremost seat of Islamic learning in the world,
Al Azhar Al-Sharif,
of which we are honoured to belong, has banned the personification of The
Prophets in art, but without the provision or proclamation of any Sharia
evidence.
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With all due respect to the aforementioned
opinions, let us discuss and respond in turn to each one, based scientifically with
reference to Sharia evidence. To those who base their opinion to - what they
claim - is the unanimous consensus of clerical Islamic canonists, we say this
claim is incorrect. Never has there been such a unanimous consensus in any era
or age. Or else, do point to the specific incident in time wherein all of the
world's Islamic clerics met and made such a decision. It would be more accurate
to say that this is a claim by a majority of clerics. However,
that does not grant an absolute right to the validity of this opinion, since
these are human opinions and to err is human. The door to juristic discretion and
interpretation cannot be closed.
To those who derive their opinion from Quranic
passages in Surahs of Al Anám and Al
Ahzab, as well as other Surahs, we say that your interpretation is
incorrect and misplaced, as there is no relation whatsoever between these
verses and the personification of The Prophets in art. Asbāb al nuzūl
[revelatory occasions] of these verses are quite unrelated to this topic, which
is likely well-known to you. In case it is not, at their time of revelation, these
verses have been associated with well-known contexts and meanings that have no
relation to personifying The Prophets in art. One must not misinterpret the
text away from its original meaning. Your interpretation is merely an analysis
designed to lead to a desired conclusion, far from what the Divine Law
stipulates. The opinion of Al Azhar Al-Sharif has
been characteristically grand. Despite all of the pressure it is subjected to
from fanatics, radicals and extremists who even go so far as to excommunicate
Al Azhar, it has not produced unsubstantiated or misplaced evidence.
Our opinion is that under Islamic law, there is no
valid prohibition on personifying The Prophets in art. It would be unreasonable
to suggest that Allah fears the evil done to his Prophets from a mere film. The
claim of unlawfulness and prohibition undermines the image of Allah and Allah's
trust in His Prophets. How can we fear for The Prophet over a film, when we
know that the weaker fears the stronger? Is the film stronger than the message
of The Prophet and the heavens?
We seek the path of God and His gratification.
*Sheikh
Dr. Mostafa Rashid is an Azhari cleric, professor of sharia law, member of the Afro-Asian
Writers Union, the Egyptian and International Lawyers Associations and many human
rights organizations.
