Milton Keynes Cineworld cancels screening of film following protests from Muslim community

A film slammed as racist and disrespectful by the Muslim community has been cancelled by Cineworld venues in MK and elsewhere.
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The Lady of Heaven was released on June 3 and immediately became the subject of protests outside cinemas nationally.

The film tells the story of Lady Fatima, Prophet Muhammad's daughter, and it is intertwined with that of a young Iraqi orphan in the present day.

However, the Muslim community has expressed anger over its plot, which they say disrespects the prophet by putting his ‘face’ on screen.

Cineworld has cancelled the filmCineworld has cancelled the film
Cineworld has cancelled the film

They also claimed that it is a “deeply racist film” with all of the main negative characters played by black actors and the prophet's companions portrayed in a “bad manner”.

Protesters last week demanded the screening be cancelled. An online petition demanding the complete removal of the film from all cinemas has been launched and has received It has received more than 120,000 signatures thus far.

The petition states: “This film has been created to cause heartache for all Muslims as well as spread false information on Islam.

“We demand the cinemas to remove this film from their screens and understand that airing it will cause protests throughout the country and will not be accepted by Muslims.”

The independent film has also been banned in countries with a Shia majority, including Iran, Pakistan, and Egypt.

A senior editor for Muslim-generated news site 5 Pillars has been another vocal critic of the film after he watched it.

He said: "Lady of Heaven is two hours plus of the most extreme Shia sectarian narratives about how the caliphate was supposedly "usurped" by the Ahl ul Bayt (family of the prophet).

"And most Muslims will find the invective against three of the most beloved companions of the Prophet Muhammad shocking and disgusting."

For the majority of Muslims, depicting Muhammad or any of the other prophets of Islam is strictly forbidden.

In a statement, Cineworld has confirmed that the screenings of the film have been cancelled nationwide.

A spokesperson for the cinema chain said: "Due to recent incidents related to screenings of The Lady of Heaven, we have made the decision to cancel upcoming screenings of the film nationwide to ensure the safety of our staff and customers."