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DHAHRAN: A Saudi journey exhibition opened in August to mark the Islamic new 12 months has been encapsulated in a brand new ebook that shall 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 primarily based 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 enhancing the ebook.

Cut 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 photos of the particular route.

Writing within the ebook’s ahead, Ithra director, Abdullah Al-Rashid, mentioned: “We humbly imagine that this quantity and this exhibition signify actual steps ahead and data, scholarship, and understanding amongst all peoples and faiths.

“It’s our hope that as we study extra in regards to the Hijrah, we shall be inspired to emulate the values and observe of those that traveled and that it will result in better 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 study extra.”

Different forwards have 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 along with his closest companion, Abu Bakr, from Makkah to Madinah within the 12 months 622, which is strictly 1,400 years in the past.

“The Hijrah occasion is essential for Muslims around the globe; 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 around the globe. It actually defines the id of those folks from as far aside as Morocco, all the way in which to Indonesia.

“After 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, just below 4 years in the past, we thought, nicely, Ithra, we determined to treatment the scenario and we created an exhibition on the Hijrah. And the exhibition immediately is the fruits of our labor.

“It’s been an actual labor of affection, it includes students, artists, folks, people, and establishments from all around the globe. 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.

“Together with this exhibition, we additionally produced an exhibition catalog. And what’s distinctive about this sort of catalog, is that it has chapters by many visitor authors, many very well-respected students from around the globe, together with Dr. Abdullah Alkadi, who is taken into account the authority on the Hijrah and one of the crucial essential residing biographers of the Prophet Muhammad immediately.

“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 completely different from different books revealed on the Hijrah, is its give attention to 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 unimaginable panorama images.

“Additionally, we needed to have a look at methods wherein folks 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 whole lot of these items on this ebook, and within the exhibition.

“However we additionally needed to know how the present generations expressed their reminiscences or their emotions in regards to 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 just lately 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 needed to point out the footwear the Prophet was carrying throughout his journey. These sandals are primarily based on early written sources and there are a whole lot of them which describe each final element of what they seemed like.

“The response to seeing the sandals has been unimaginable. I believe folks reacted so positively as a result of they’re capable of join with the Prophet in a really particular method by his possessions.

“So that they’re capable of relate to the story much more — in a better method,” he added.

The ebook is now obtainable for pre-order in English, with an similar Arabic model too and is on sale for $70 on the Ithra retailer and all main on-line retailers.