Hajj: journey to the Heart of Islam
Major exhibition opens at the British Museum.
One of the five pillars of Islam central to Muslim belief, Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca that every Muslim must make at least once in their lifetime if they are able.
Examining the extraordinary travel logistics involved and how the wider operation of the event has changed over time, this exhibition compares how pilgrims over the centuries negotiated this often monumental undertaking and how it continues to be experienced by people from all corners of the globe today.
Beautiful objects, including historical and contemporary art, textiles and manuscripts, bring to life the profound spiritual significance of the sacred rituals that have remained unchanged since the Prophet Muhammad’s time in the 7th century AD.
Book now
Tickets are now available for the exhibition which opened earlier this week and runs until 15 April 2012.
Further information
Image credits
This page: Ivory sundial and Qibla pointer, made by Bayram b. Ilyas. Turkey, 1582-3 © The Trustees of the British Museum
Home page wide and thumbnail image: The Ka’ba in Mecca shown as the centre of the world. Illustration from Tarih-i Hind-i Garbi. Turkey, 1650 © Leiden University Library
Culture homepage carousel: Ahmed Mater (b. 1979). Magnetism. Photogravure etching. 2011 © Ahmed Mater and the Trustees of the British Museum