Thousands attend ninth annual Palestinian film festival

DHAHRAN: A Saudi journey exhibition opened in August to mark the Islamic new yr 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 yr.

Dr. Idries Trevathan, a scholar of Islamic research and curator of the Ithra show, additionally performed a key position in curating and modifying 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 consultants 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, stated: “We humbly imagine that this quantity and this exhibition signify actual steps ahead and information, scholarship, and understanding amongst all peoples and faiths.

“It’s our hope that as we study extra concerning the Hijrah, we can be inspired to emulate the values and observe of those that traveled and that this can result in higher 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 had been written by Farah Abushullaih, the top 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 informed 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 yr 622, which is strictly 1,400 years in the past.

“The Hijrah occasion is necessary for Muslims around the globe; it marks the passage of time, the start of the Islamic calendar.

“It’s very vital 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 best way to Indonesia.

“After we regarded 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, effectively, Ithra, we determined to treatment the scenario and we created an exhibition on the Hijrah. And the exhibition right this moment is the fruits of our labor.

“It’s been an actual labor of affection, it entails 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.

“Along 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 some of the necessary dwelling biographers of the Prophet Muhammad right this moment.

“We even have a chapter by Sheikh Hamza Yusuf from Berkeley, California. And we even have chapters by Ithra students,” he stated.

“What’s distinctive about this ebook, and completely different from different books printed 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. Loads of what they shot is included on this ebook, so unbelievable panorama pictures.

“Additionally, we needed to take a look at methods through which folks creatively expressed the Hijrah story throughout the generations. So, we regarded on the inventive 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 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 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 needed to point out the footwear the Prophet was sporting throughout his journey. These sandals are based mostly on early written sources and there are a whole lot of them which describe each final element of what they regarded like.

“The response to seeing the sandals has been unbelievable. I feel folks reacted so positively as a result of they’re in a position to join with the Prophet in a really particular means via his possessions.

“In order that they’re in a position to relate to the story much more — in a better means,” he added.

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