Charlie Gard'ner wanted all to know that the Athens video library now contains the DVD entitled "The Message." It is the story of the life of the Prophet Mohammed. To view the DVD or check it out from the library, please contact Charlie Gard'ner at 706-546-6492.
Here's an overview of the movie from Barnes & Noble:
"This handsomely-mounted historical epic concerns the
birth of the Islamic faith and the story of the prophet Mohammed --
who, in accordance with the tenants of Islam, is never seen or heard any
physical depiction of the prophet is considered a heinous sin within
the faith. In Mecca in the 7th century, Mohammed is visited by a vision
of the Angel Gabriel, who urges him to lead the people of Mecca to cast
aside the 300 idols of Kaaba and instead worship the one true God.
Speaking out against the corrupt political and military leaders who rule
Mecca, Mohammed and his followers struggle to worship God as they see
fit, which eventually leads them into exile in Medina. However, one day
God gives Mohammed a message to return to Mecca and take up arms against
their oppressors -- while recruiting as many followers as they can
along the way. With the help of his uncle, a brave warrior named Hamza
Anthony Quinn, Mohammed and his followers return to Mecca to liberate
the city in the name of God. The Message originally screened in the U.S. as Mohammed, Messenger of God
proved to be highly controversial during its production and initial
release. Unfounded rumors had it that Mohammed would not only be
depicted in the film, but that he was to be played by Charlton Heston or
Peter O'Toole. This resulted in angry protests by Muslim extremists,
until director Moustapha Akkad hired a staff of respected Islamic
clerics as technical advisors. The advisors butted heads with Akkad, and
they quit the production, which led the Moroccan government to withdraw
their permission to film in their country. In time, Akkad ended up
shooting on location in Libya under the sponsorship of Muammar Qaddafi,
which presented a whole new set of political and practical problems for
the filmmakers. Finally, when the film was scheduled to premier in the
U.S., another Muslim extremist group staged a siege against the
Washington D.C. chapter of the B'nai B'rith under the mistaken belief
that Anthony Quinn played Mohammed in the film, threatening to blow up
the building and its inhabitants unless the film's opening was
cancelled. The standoff was resolved without explosion or injuries,
though the film's American box office prospects never recovered from the
unfortunate controversy. The Message was shot in two versions, one in English and one in Arabic entitled Al-Ris-Alah, with different actors taking over some of the roles due to language requirements."
