But in Islam, portraying the Prophet Muhammad has long been taboo for many. Islamic tradition is full of written descriptions of Muhammad and his qualities – describing him as the ideal human being.

'Muhammad: The Messenger of God,' which is Iran's Oscar entry, depicts the early years of the founder of Islam Speaking on stage at the Opera House in Bydgoszcz Wednesday evening, Majidi said ...

Muhammad: The Messenger of God is an 2015 Iranian film directed by Majid Majidi. The story revolves around the childhood of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.

At the time, there was no reported backlash over the portrayal, but a later depiction of the Prophet on the show, in a 2010 episode “201,” drew attention to the earlier spoof of Muhammad.

And other aspiring filmmakers might have to consider the example of “The Message,” a 1977 movie that, as Aslan points out, made the creative choice to use the camera as Muhammad’s eyes ...