Journey to the Heart of Islam

Journey to the Heart of Islam

from The Diplomat by Amy Foulds

The pilgrimage to Mecca, which forms the fifth pillar of Islam, is a ritual that, whilst representing a spiritual journey all Muslims should make once in their life if possible, can seem unfathomable and even irrational to many Westerners. Indeed, non-Muslims aren’t allowed into the city itself, let alone participate. In light of this, and the fear of fundamentalism in the post 9/11 world, an exhibition examining the rituals themselves and the journeys undertaken to get there through history is an almost unmissable opportunity for enlightenment. The British Museum’s “Hajj: Journey to the heart of Islam,” curated by non-Muslim Venetia Porter in partnership with the King Abdulaziz Public Library in Riyadh, is the first major exhibition ever to focus on the Hajj. Aiming to draw crowds both Muslim and non-Muslim, the exhibition features objects from a number of different countries, continents and collections, as well as newly commissioned contemporary art works, to ... Read More...