Mohammad, Messenger of God

"There is no compulsion in religion. A man may take many years, or only need minutes. It is God who decides the time. "

- Bilal

A 1976 film directed by Moustapha Akkad, Mohammad, Messenger of God (US title: The Message), is the story of Islam on film. Actually, it can best be described as the story of Muhammad's impact on the lives of others. His uncle, Hamza, helps him spread the word about his teachings. This leads to their battle to reclaim the city of Mecca from corrupt leaders.

Akkad also filmed an Arabic version of the film (in which Muna Wassef played Hind) simultaneously with an Arab cast for audiences in the Middle East. He felt that dubbing the English version in Arabic would not be enough as Arabic acting style differed from Hollywood's. The actors would take turns doing the English and Arabic versions in each scene. Both the English and Arabic versions are now sold together in some DVDs.

This work provides examples of:

 * Leitmotif: Whenever Muhammad is present or very close by, his presence is indicated by light organ music.
 * Role Called
 * The Voiceless/The Ghost: For very obvious reasons, Muhammad is not shown once on screen or heard off camera.