On Monday, musician AR Rahman talked about the fatwa against him. He was quoted saying by ANI: "I am not a scholar of Islam. I follow the middle path and am part traditionalist and part rationalist: AR Rahman on Fatwa against him. I didn't direct or produce the movie "Muhammad (PBUH), Messenger of God. I just did the music My decision to compose music for this film was made in good faith and with no intention of causing offence."

A Mumbai-based Sunni Muslim group, Raza Academy, has reportedly issued a fatwa against filmmaker Majid Majidi and Oscar-winning music director AR Rahman. Replying to Mohammed Saeed Noori (who asked for action) he wrote:

"My decision to compose the music for this film was based on a similar point of view expressed by Mr Noori. What, and if, I had the good fortune of facing Allah and he were to ask me on Judgement Day: "I gave you faith, talent, money fame and health...why did you not to do music for my Beloved Muhammad (sals) film? A film whose intention is to unite humanity, clear misconceptions and spread my message that life is about kindness, about uplifting the poor and living in the service of humanity and not mercilessly killing innocents in my name."

Here's his complete response on his Facebook page:

According to a report in The Indian Express, the fatwa is issued against Iranian filmmaker Majidi's upcoming film titled 'Muhammad: Messenger of God'. The film will be the first of the trilogy on the life of Prophet Mohammad. The fatwa demands that Muslims shun the film as it makes a mockery of Islam.

It also says that no visual or picture of Prophet be created in any way. The fatwa also claims that non-Muslim actors have been cast in key roles.

What is the Raza Academy?

The academy was set up in 1978, its main purpose was to print and publish books written by the Barelvi sect founder Alahazrat Imam Ahmed Raza and other writers of Ahlesunnat Jamaat. In 2010, they had welcomed the British government's decision to ban Dr Zakir Naik.

In January 2012, they were also in the news for offering Rs 1 lakh to anyone who was willing to hurl footwear at Salman Rushdie, the author of Satanic Verses. In August 2012, a rally organised at Azad Maidan turned violent, resulting in the death of two people and around 50 injuries.