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Egypt's Orthodox Church will ask Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad to intervene. |
CAIRO — A plan by a Syrian director to produce a movie about Jesus Christ is angering both Egypt's Orthodox Church, the largest in North Africa and the Middle East, and Al-Azhar, the highest seat of learning in the Sunni world.
"I am going to file a lawsuit in the name of the Church to get the production of the movie stopped or to have the script changed," Najeeb Gabriel, an adviser to Pope Shenouda, told the Gulf News on Monday, May 26.
"This film is an affront to Christianity, one of whose most important teachings is that Jesus was crucified."
He said the Church will send a letter to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad to intervene and force the film director to send the script to the Church first to revise it.
Syrian filmmaker Mohammad Aziziah has unveiled plans to shoot a $1.5-million film about Jesus Christ.
"I intend to show the glory of Christ in Islam, the fact that Islam recognizes all the prophets and the fact that Christ has a big place and enjoys much respect among Muslims."
Muslims believe in Jesus as one of the great Prophets of God and that he is the son of Mary but not the Son of God. He was conceived and born miraculously.
Muslims believe that Jesus was not crucified but was lifted up to heaven and that he will come back to earth before the end of time to restore peace and order.
The true followers of Jesus will prevail over those who deny, misrepresent and reject him.
Ban
Aziziah's plan to have the role of Jesus played by Arab actor drew fire from Al-Azhar, the highest Islamic seat of learning in the Sunni world.
"There is a general consensus at Al-Azhar to reject movies personifying prophets, because films only detract from prophets' spiritual value," Ebrahim Al-Fayoumi, Secretary General of Al-Azhar's Islamic Research Academy, told Gulf News.
He said Al-Azhar, which has the authority to license religious dramas in Egypt, will ban the movie.
Muslim-majority Malaysia slapped a one-month ban on a local daily in August for commissioning an offensive caricature of Jesus Christ clutching a cigarette and a can of beer.
In 2006, Pakistan banned the screening of the Da Vinci Code in cinema houses or possession of it on video cassettes or discs because it contravened Islamic teachings.
Islam prohibits the personification of any prophet of God in movies or dramas.
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