Muhammad: The Last Prophet. (2002)

Richard Rich, who directed several full-length animated features for Walt Disney Studios, helmed this ambitious cartoon feature about the founder of the Islamic faith. In the year 610 A.D., the city of Mecca had become overrun with criminal and immoral behavior, dominated by crooked businessmen, gamblers, and drunkards. The Quarysh, the ruling body that controlled Mecca, had been overtaken by corrupt men who served the needs of the wealthy at the expense of the common people. The lone exception among the Quarysh was the forthright and principled Abu Talib (Eli Allem), who championed the rights of the poor and disadvantaged. Abu Talib was also the guardian of Muhammad, his nephew, whose parents died when he was young. A man of deep faith, Muhammad prayed every day in a cavern on the outskirts of town, and one day he was visited by the angel Gabriel, who gave him the task of spreading a new faith to the world which would honor the one God who watched over all. Muhammad took this charge seriously and set out to tell the world of this new faith, but the men of the Quarysh were threatened by Muhammad's teachings, so much so that he was forced to exile himself to Medina in order for the new faith to survive. In accordance with Islamic law, Muhammad is never shown onscreen in this film. Muhammad: The Last Prophet was originally scheduled for release in the United States in early 2002, but following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the film was shelved in the U.S. due to widespread hostility and misunderstanding toward Muslims -- ironically, just the attitudes the film was created to confront.

The Message. (1976)

Epic historical drama film directed by Moustapha Akkad, chronicling the life and times of the Islamic prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam. The Message serves as an introduction to early Islamic history.
The film chronicles Islam's beginnings in Mecca in which the Muslims are persecuted, the exodus to Medina and ending with the Muslims' triumphant return to Mecca.

Al-Ghazali: The Alchemist of Happiness. (2004)

Exploring the life and impact of the greatest spiritual and legal philosopher in Islamic history, this film examines Ghazali's existential crisis of faith that arose from his rejection of religious dogmatism, and reveals profound parallels with our own times. Ghazali became known as the Proof of Islam and his path of love and spiritual excellence overcame the pitfalls of the organised religion of his day. His path was largely abandoned by early 20th century Muslim reformers for the more strident and less tolerant school of Ibn Taymiyya. Combining drama with documentary.

Bilal: A New Breed of Hero. (2015)

A thousand years ago, one boy with a dream of becoming a great warrior is abducted with his sister and taken to a land far away from home. Thrown into a world where greed and injustice rule all, Bilal finds the courage to raise his voice and make a change. Inspired by true events, this is a story of a real hero who earned his remembrance in time and history.

Mooz-lum. (2010)

Amid a strict Muslim rearing and a social life he's never had, Tariq enters college confused. New peers, family and mentors help him find his place, but the 9-11 attacks force him to face his past and make the biggest decisions of his life.

A Road to Mecca: The Journey of Muhammad Asad. (2008)

Director Georg Misch follows the remarkable journey of an Austrian Jew who grew up to become one of the most prominent Muslims of the 20th Century in this documentary that is half-travelogue and half-biography. The year was 1900, and a baby named Leopold Weiss was born in Lvov, Ukraine to strict religious parents. Twenty-six years later, fascinated by the orient and rejecting Western materialism, Weiss traveled to the Middle East on a journey that would ultimately alter the very course of modern history. It was during this time that Weiss converted to Islam and adapted the Muslim name Muhammad Asad, making his pilgrimage to Mecca and soon after becoming an advisor at the king's court of Saudi Arabia. Later, Asad would become one of the first proponents of the creation of Pakistan, serve as a UN advisor, and make a painstaking effort to translate the Koran into English. By tracing the life journey of this influential Muslim, filmmaker Misch offers deep insight into contemporary Islam.