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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 guide that might 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 guide 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 guide.

Cut up into seven chapters — a quantity usually 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 attempting to piece collectively the narrative utilizing geography, storytelling, and landscapes together with high-resolution photographs of the particular route.

Writing within the guide’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 concerning the Hijrah, we might be inspired to emulate the values and follow 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 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 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 essential 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 id of those individuals from as far aside as Morocco, all the best way 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, crucial 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, 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.

“At the side of 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 all over the world, together with Dr. Abdullah Alkadi, who is taken into account the authority on the Hijrah and some of the essential 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 mentioned.

“What’s distinctive about this guide, and totally 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. Lots of what they shot is included on this guide, so unbelievable panorama images.

“Additionally, we wished to take a look at methods during which individuals creatively expressed the Hijrah story throughout the generations. So, we seemed on the inventive heritage and the literature from the Islamic world and we included lots of these items on this guide, and within the exhibition.

“However we additionally wished 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 guide,” 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 point out the footwear the Prophet was sporting throughout his journey. These sandals are primarily based on early written sources and there are lots 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 in a position to join with the Prophet in a really particular method by way of his possessions.

“So that they’re in a position to relate to the story much more — in a more in-depth method,” he added.

The guide is now accessible 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.