NEW YORK, Oct 18: The first animated film on the life of The Holy Prophet (PBUH) is set to be released in North America on Nov 14 to mark the end of Ramazan.

"Mohammed: The Last Prophet", will be premiered in theatres in 37 US and Canadian cities for one week, says a report on Islamicity.com, a Los Angeles-based website.

The film was scheduled to be released two years ago, but was delayed following the Sept 11 attacks in the United States which fuelled anti-Muslim sentiments. The 90-minute film, which chronicles the early life and teachings of the Holy oly Prophet (PBUH), was produced for Badr International by RichCrest Animation Studios, the creators of animated classics like "The King and I" and "The Fox and the Hound".

Film director Richard Rich is a well-known American director who worked for Disney studios.

Because of Islamic traditions prohibiting the visual representation of religious figures, no images of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) appear in the film.

Oussama Jammal, president of the film's distributing company Fine Media Group, said it was an irony that Americans would be watching a US-produced movie long after much of the world had already seen it.

Endorsing the film, the Council on American Islamic Relations, America's largest Islamic civil liberties group, said the movie was an excellent opportunity for parents and children of all faiths "to learn more about a historic figure like the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and events that shaped today's world".