Qabbani Criticizes Film Mocking Islam, Calls on Muslims and Christians to Condemn it
Grand Mufti Sheikh Mohammed Rashid Qabbani urged on Thursday the Lebanese people to unite in denouncing the film mocking Islam, calling on Christians and Muslims across the world to reject attempts to create incitement among them.
“If they succeed in their attempts we will only sow useless bloody conflicts,” Qabbani said in a statement.
He called on the Lebanese to demand authorities to take all the necessary diplomatic action in the name of Muslims and Christians against the U.S. that is the incubator for the production of this movie.
The low-budget movie, "Innocence of Muslims" in which actors have strong American accents, portrays Muslims as immoral and gratuitously violent.
It pokes fun at the Prophet Mohammed and touches on themes of pedophilia and homosexuality, while showing him sleeping with women, talking about killing children and referring to a donkey as "the first Muslim animal."
“The U.S. is the strongest nation in the world and is trying to control it, it should be aware of the repercussions of such a film,” Qabbani noted.
He called on the U.S. to assume its responsibilities and hold those who are behind it accountable to ensure that such offenses will not happen again.
Mystery has deepened over the film, with conflicting accounts from backers and promoters but no one owning up to having actually directed it.
U.S. media initially cited someone claiming to be an American-Israeli calling himself Sam Bacile as saying he made the film on a $5 million budget with the help of 100 Jews, but no record of such a person has been found.
“This kind of offense terminates the human freedom of belief under the guise of counterfeit legislation and laws,” he added.
Qabbani stated that Lebanon, “the message”, should remain a “model of coexistence between all religions.”
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