The Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is the largest pilgrimage in the world today and a sacred duty for all Muslims. Each year, millions of the faithful from around the world make the pilgrimage to Makkah, the birthplace of Islam where the Prophet Muhammad received his revelation. With contr[...]
Proclaim the pilgrimage to all people. They will come on foot and on the backs of swift camels from distant corners of the earth. Quran, surat al-Hajj vs 27-30 It is a sacred duty for Muslims, wherever they may reside, to go at least once in their lives to Makkah, the heartland of Islam where the Pr[...]
The first stroke-by-stroke guide ever produced for learning to write Naskh, one of the six major cursive Arabic scripts. Its origins can be traced back to the late eighth century AD and it is still in use today, over 1300 years later. The Ottoman Turks considered Naskh the script most suited for cop[...]
The initial aim of the Danish archaeological campaigns in Bahrain was to look for settlements contemporary with the "Hundred Thousand Gravemounds". After the first few campaigns it was evident, however, that the island was such a rich archaeological field that investigation of all periods from the e[...]
Following on the British Museum's critically acclaimed exhibition Hajj: journey to the heart of Islam, this volume provides over thirty papers on the history and significance of the Hajj, spanning history, politics, archaeology, pilgrims' journeys, art, architecture, photography and material culture[...]
Hassan Massoudy's elegant calligraphy depicts the four seasons of the garden. From the icy palettes of winter and the fading hues of autumn to delicate spring growth and the dazzling sunshine and blooms of summer, he captures in calligraphy what countless poets have wrought with words. Massoudy draw[...]