"There is no compulsion in religion, it can take a man many years or only minutes.
It is God who decides the time. So respect his doubts."
It is God who decides the time. So respect his doubts."
There are many sayings like this throughout the movie "The Message." Sayings that cause you to scan back and replay them so you can fully ingest their meanings. This was my third time watching this movie and again I come away with new ideas as well as a greater respect for Muslims and their faith. When the Christian Abbysinnian King draws a line in the ground to show how thin the differences between Christianity and Islam are, you get a sense that you're watching a movie that can change peoples perceptions about other religions.
I thought not having an actor portray Mohommad (PBUH) was a signature theme of the respect this movie shows for Allah and his messenger. While Anthony Quinn seemed to thrive in his role as the Lion Hunter, his dialogue with the camera as Mohommad was brilliant. The supporting cast, though a bit stiff (1977), takes nothing away from the overall performance. There is no misunderstanding the messenger's message. He continues to remind followers that he is just a man. An illiterate man who received the word of God with a duty to reveal it to man.
Regardless of your ethnicity or religious beliefs, this movie is a joy to watch simply because it teaches while telling a very revelatory tale about the man who brought the message of Islam to Arabia and the struggle to have it take root in the culture. Don't be afraid to learn about Islam and/or expel preconceived notions you may have about its beliefs and practice. There is no room for prejudicial judgment in this movie, just brotherly confirmation amongst mankind.
