French satire magazine has published a special issue containing cartoons on the life of Islam’s Prophet Mohammed. Similar images, which are deemed blasphemous by Muslims, have sparked international protest in the past.

Followers of Islam believe that Mohammed cannot be captured in an image by human hand, and that to attempt to do so is an insult to Allah.

But the publisher of Charlie Hebdo magazine said the 64-page issue, titled 'The Life of Mohammed,' is “halal” because it was researched and edited by Muslim scholars and historians.

"It is a biography authorized by Islam since it was edited by Muslims…I don’t think higher Muslims could find anything inappropriate," publisher Stephane Charbonnier told AFP.

The response has been largely muted so far, though many Twitter users have criticized the magazine, claiming the cartoons were an attempt to provoke unrest.