Saudi Arabia’s Ithra to launch ‘Hijrah: In The Footsteps of The Prophet’ tome
DHAHRAN: A Saudi journey exhibition opened in August to mark the Islamic new 12 months has been encapsulated in a brand new ebook that can be launched in December.
In 240 pages, “Hijrah: Within the Footsteps of the Prophet” paperwork the historic journey of the Prophet Muhammad from Makkah to Madinah 1,400 years in the past.
The exhibition, the contents of which the ebook has been based mostly on, will run on the King Abdulaziz Heart for World Tradition (Ithra) in Dhahran till spring subsequent 12 months.
Dr. Idries Trevathan, a scholar of Islamic research and curator of the Ithra show, additionally performed a key function in curating and modifying the ebook.
Break up 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 was additionally assisted by specialists in making an attempt to piece collectively the narrative utilizing geography, storytelling, and landscapes together with high-resolution pictures of the particular route.
Writing within the ebook’s ahead, Ithra director, Abdullah Al-Rashid, mentioned: “We humbly consider that this quantity and this exhibition characterize actual steps ahead and data, scholarship, and understanding amongst all peoples and faiths.
“It’s our hope that as we be taught extra concerning the Hijrah, we can be inspired to emulate the values and follow of those that traveled and that this may result in larger understanding, empathy, and tolerance.
“We belief that our efforts will give rise to nonetheless extra analysis and insights as future students construct on this work and use it to be taught extra.”
Different forwards had been written by Farah Abushullaih, the pinnacle of Ithra’s museum, Anas Saleh Serafi, secretary-general of Dar Al Funoon Al-Islamiyya, and Laila Al-Faddagh, director of the Nationwide Museum of Saudi Arabia.
Trevathan instructed Arab Information: “Hijrah interprets as migration, and refers back to the Prophet’s migration, collectively together with his closest companion, Abu Bakr, from Makkah to Madinah within the 12 months 622, which is precisely 1,400 years in the past.
“The Hijrah occasion is vital for Muslims all over the world; it marks the passage of time, the start of the Islamic calendar.
“It’s very important within the sense that it’s a foundational story for 1 billion Muslims all over the world. It actually defines the identification of those individuals from as far aside as Morocco, all the way in which to Indonesia.
“Once we seemed on the Hijrah story, we realized that there’s by no means been an exhibition or a movie made about it, this very, essential occasion. And so, slightly below 4 years in the past, we thought, properly, Ithra, we determined to treatment the state of affairs and we created an exhibition on the Hijrah. And the exhibition in the present day is the fruits of our labor.
“It’s been an actual labor of affection, it includes students, artists, individuals, people, and establishments from all all over the world. It’s actually been a collective endeavor. And we’re actually proud and honored to have the ability to share it with the general public.
“Along with this exhibition, we additionally produced an exhibition catalog. And what’s distinctive about this type of catalog, is that it has chapters by many visitor authors, many very well-respected students from all over the world, together with Dr. Abdullah Alkadi, who is taken into account the authority on the Hijrah and probably the most vital residing biographers of the Prophet Muhammad in the present day.
“We even have a chapter by Sheikh Hamza Yusuf from Berkeley, California. And we even have chapters by Ithra students,” he mentioned.
“What’s distinctive about this ebook, and totally different from different books printed on the Hijrah, is its deal with the panorama of the Hijrah, of the sacred panorama.
“We labored with many filmmakers and photographers to doc the panorama. A number of what they shot is included on this ebook, so unbelievable panorama images.
“Additionally, we wished to take a look at methods wherein individuals creatively expressed the Hijrah story throughout the generations. So, we seemed on the creative heritage and the literature from the Islamic world and we included a number of these items on this ebook, and within the exhibition.
“However we additionally wished to grasp how the present generations expressed their recollections or their emotions concerning the story. We commissioned new artworks to be included within the exhibition — a few of these are additionally included on this ebook,” he added.
One of many duplicate items featured within the exhibition not too long ago went viral on social media.
Trevathan mentioned: “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 indicate the footwear the Prophet was sporting throughout his journey. These sandals are based mostly on early written sources and there are a number of them which describe each final element of what they seemed like.
“The response to seeing the sandals has been unbelievable. I feel individuals reacted so positively as a result of they’re capable of join with the Prophet in a really particular means via his possessions.
“In order that they’re capable of relate to the story much more — in a better means,” he added.
The ebook is now obtainable for pre-order in English, with an equivalent Arabic model too and is on sale for $70 on the Ithra retailer and all main on-line retailers.
