Three Arab countries have banned the Hollywood film “Noah” on religious grounds because it depicts in images the Prophet Noah even, and several others are expected to follow suit, a representative of Paramount Pictures told Reuters on Saturday.

“Censors for Qatar, Bahrain and the UAE (United Arab Emirates) officially confirmed this week that the film will not release in their countries,” a representative of Paramount Pictures, which produced the $125 million film starring Oscar-winners Russell Crowe and Anthony Hopkins, told Reuters.

“The official statement they offered in confirming this news is because ‘it contradicts the teachings of Islam’,” the representative said, adding the studio expected a similar ban in Egypt, Jordan and Kuwait.

Noah, who in the Bible’s Book of Genesis built the ark that saved his family and many pairs of animals from a great flood, is revered by Judaism, Christianity and Islam. An entire chapter in the Koran is devoted to him.

Cairo’s Al-Azhar, the highest authority of Sunni Islam and a main center of Islamic teaching for over a thousand years, issued a fatwa, or religious brief, against the film on Thursday.

“Al-Azhar … renews its objection to any act depicting the messengers and prophets of God and the companions of the Prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him,” it announced in a statement.

Such depictions “provoke the feelings of believers … and are forbidden in Islam and a clear violation of Islamic law,” the fatwa added.   »»» Reuters

“We sent Noah to his people, saying: “Give warning to your people before there comes to them a painful punishment.” (…) After exhausting all his efforts Noah said: “O Lord! I have pleaded with my people night and day, but my plea has only added to their aversion. Each time I called on them to seek Your pardon, they thrust their fingers in their ears and drew their cloaks over their heads, persisting in sin and puffing themselves up with insolent pride. (…) Because of their wrong doings they were drowned in the great flood and made to enter the fire. They found no one besides Allah to help them. O Lord! Forgive me, my parents and every true believer who seeks refuge in my house, and all believing men and believing women (…).” Qur’an 71:1-28

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