Saudi Arabia’s Ithra To Release ‘Hijrah: In The Footsteps Of The Prophet’ Tome
DHAHRAN: A Saudi journey exhibition launched in August to mark the Islamic new 12 months has been summarized in a brand new ebook to be printed in December.
At 240 pages, “Hegira: In the Footsteps of the Prophet” paperwork the historic journey of the Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina 1,400 years in the past.
The exhibition, the content material of which the ebook relies on, can be on show on the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra) in Dhahran till spring subsequent 12 months.
Islamic research scholar and curator of the Ithra exhibit, Dr Idries Trevathan additionally performed a key function in curating and enhancing the ebook.
Divided into seven chapters, a quantity typically related to spirituality, Trevathan introduced in revered students Abdullah Alkadi, Kumail Almusaly, Daoud Stephen Casewit, Hamza Yusuf, Ovidio Salazar, and Thalia Kennedy as contributors.
He additionally enlisted the assistance of consultants to attempt to piece collectively the narrative utilizing geography, storytelling and landscapes together with high-resolution photos of the particular route.
Writing within the ebook’s foreword, Ithra Director Abdullah Al-Rashid stated: “We humbly imagine that this quantity and this exhibition characterize true steps in direction of information, scholarship and understanding amongst all peoples and religions.
“We hope that as we study extra about Hijra, we can be inspired to emulate the values and observe of those that traveled and that this may result in larger understanding, empathy and tolerance.
“We are assured that our efforts will result in extra analysis and insights as future students construct on this work and use it to study extra.”
Other forwards have been written by Farah Abushullaih, director of the Ithra museum, Anas Saleh Serafi, secretary normal of Dar Al Funoon Al-Islamiyya, and Laila Al-Faddagh, director of the National Museum of Saudi Arabia.
Trevathan informed Arab News: “Hijrah interprets as migration and refers back to the migration of the Prophet, alongside together with his closest companion Abu Bakr, from Mecca to Medina within the 12 months 622, which is strictly 1,400 years in the past.
“The Hijrah occasion is essential to Muslims everywhere in the world; marks the passage of time, the start of the Islamic calendar.
“It’s very vital within the sense that it is a pivotal story for a billion Muslims around the globe. It actually defines the identification of those individuals from Morocco to Indonesia.
“When we seemed on the historical past of Hijrah, we realized that an exhibition or a movie had by no means been made about this very, essential occasion. So, rather less than 4 years in the past, we thought, nicely, Ithra, we determined to treatment the state of affairs and created an exhibition on Hijra. And right this moment’s exhibition is the fruit of our labor.
“It has been a real labor of affection, involving students, artists, individuals, people and establishments from everywhere in the world. It actually has been a collective effort. And we’re actually proud and honored to have the ability to share it with the general public.
“In conjunction with this exhibition, we additionally produced an exhibition catalogue. And what is exclusive about any such catalog is that it has chapters by many invited authors, many extremely revered students from around the globe, together with Dr. Abdullah Alkadi, who is taken into account the authority on Hijra and probably the most essential . dwelling biographers of the prophet Muhammad right this moment.
“We even have a Sheikh Hamza Yusuf chapter from Berkeley, California. And we even have chapters of students from Ithra,” he stated.
“What is exclusive about this ebook, and totally different from different printed books on the Hijra, is its deal with the Hijra panorama, the sacred panorama.
“We work with many filmmakers and photographers to doc the panorama. Much of what they shot is included on this ebook, so the panorama images is wonderful.
“Also, we wished to search for methods for individuals to creatively categorical the historical past of Hijrah all through the generations. So, we analyzed the creative heritage and literature of the Islamic world and included many of those items on this ebook and within the exhibition.
“But we additionally wished to know how present generations expressed their reminiscences or their emotions about historical past. We commissioned new artworks to be included within the exhibition; a few of them are additionally included on this ebook,” she added.
One of the reproduction items featured within the exhibition lately went viral on social media.
Trevathan stated: “As a part of the exhibition, we commissioned a facsimile of the Prophet’s sandals to be made, as a result of we wished to point out the footwear worn by the Prophet throughout his journey. These sandals are based mostly on early written sources and there are lots of that describe in minute element how they seemed.
“The response to seeing the sandals has been unbelievable. I believe individuals reacted so positively as a result of they’ll join with the Prophet in a really particular method by means of their possessions.
“Then they’ll relate much more to the story, in a more in-depth method,” he added.
The ebook is now obtainable for pre-order in English, with an similar Arabic model as nicely, and is on sale for $70 on the Ithra retailer and at main on-line shops.