Hijrah was the most important historical event to shape the beginning of Islam. Now, Hijrah Exhibition: In the Footsteps of the Prophet is celebrating it as the region marks Hijri, or Islamic new year, this weekend.
The exhibition showcases the Prophet Mohammed's migration from Makkah to Madinah over eight days and 400 kilometres.
The exhibit was curated by Ithra’s in-house team, Idries Trevathan and Kumail Al Musaly, while the Prophet's biographer Dr Abdullah Al Kadi contributed with his research and knowledge of the Hijrah route.
It showcases numerous artefacts in collaboration with the National Museum of Saudi Arabia, the House of Islamic Arts, the King Abdulaziz Complex for Waqf Libraries and The Prince of Wales' charity Turquoise Mountain.
“My own life has been determined by my quest to study and experience not only the exact route the Prophet and his companions took across the desert but also the wider story, life and legacy of this journey," says Alkadi.
"It has been a journey that has occupied me for some 40 years and, with this exhibition, we are presenting new research, methodologies and findings based on extensive fieldwork that will redefine perspectives on this historic migration. The relevance of this story is just as strong today; it serves to demonstrate and remind us of the reasons people choose to move from one place to another and asserts the right to practice your beliefs."
An immersive experience
The exhibition looks at the history and legacy of Hijrah from different perspectives, including those of science, physical geography, material culture, theology, art and cultural memory.
Scholars and artists help to narrate and depict the journey through immersive audiovisual works, using text, light, art, theatrical performances and film with academic research and storytelling.
Several collective works have been created by commissioned regional and international artists and numerous documentaries and books are on display that tell the story of Hijrah.
Saudi artist Zahrah Al Ghamdi is showcasing her artwork at the exhibition, for example, and she's used natural materials such as earth, clay, rocks, leather and water to create knot-like structures reflecting "brotherhood ties" that were forged when people came together in Madinah during Hijrah.
“As one of the most detailed studies ever of the history and topography of the Hijrah, this exhibition exemplifies Ithra’s wider mission to tell the world’s defining stories through art, heritage, culture and research,” says Ithra director Abdullah Al-Rashid.
"This exhibition represents significant advances in academic research around the history of Islam, while its focus on the human story surrounding the journey and our shared human values will also promote greater understanding, empathy and tolerance."
Ovidio Salazar, an award-winning director from California, will also be revealing a documentary at Ithra in December. Salazar, who has worked on various Islamic films, was approached by Ithra two years ago to work on a documentary and travelled along the path of Hijra to document the significant journey.
"The theme of migration and refugees is still relevant today, which makes the topic interesting to not just regional but international audiences," he tells The National. "But the vision was bigger" for the exhibition, he says, and he hopes "its rich and immersive nature" engages audiences from across the world.
What is Hijrah?
Hijrah, meaning migration, is a seminal point in Islamic history. It occurred in the year 622, when the Prophet Mohammed and his companion Abu Bakr fled Makkah to Madinah (then Yathrib) upon invitation by the city's leaders and to escape persecution by Makkah's ruling Quraysh tribe.
Fearing for their lives, more Muslims eventually made the similar journey and, as a result, the first Muslim society was born. Madinah also became the stage from which the Prophet Mohammed and followers would return to conquer Makkah in 629.
“The learning here is the unity we want in the world,” Farah Abushullaih, head of Ithra museum, tells The National.
In the exhibition, which was conceived more than three years ago, you see a blend of cultures and contributions, from contemporary art to artefacts incorporated that make "it extremely unique and relative to all”, says Abushullaih.
The universality of the concept was extremely crucial to Ithra, she explains, and says that the important topic was to be handled with extreme sensitivity. “You have to ensure you have the collective consensus of the experts, of those who have studied this for years, who endorsed the content we have and making sure the masses are happy with the story you’re telling,” she says.
The beauty of the exhibition, says Abushullaih, is in the "magical" way it's curated, "the untold stories, the journey’s chronological order, and the way it ties up at the end”.
The future of the exhibition
Hijrah will run for nine months at Ithra. The exhibition will be showcased around the kingdom, the region and the world over a period of five years, according to Ithra officials.
Korean Film Festival 2019 line-up
Innocent Witness, June 26 at 7pm
On Your Wedding Day, June 27 at 7pm
The Great Battle, June 27 at 9pm
The Witch: Part 1. The Subversion, June 28 at 4pm
Romang, June 28 at 6pm
Mal Mo E: The Secret Mission, June 28 at 8pm
Underdog, June 29 at 2pm
Nearby Sky, June 29 at 4pm
A Resistance, June 29 at 6pm
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1. Dubai silk road
2. A geo-economic map for Dubai
3. First virtual commercial city
4. A central education file for every citizen
5. A doctor to every citizen
6. Free economic and creative zones in universities
7. Self-sufficiency in Dubai homes
8. Co-operative companies in various sectors
9: Annual growth in philanthropy
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AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
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Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
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Stars: Zakaria Inan, Sabrina Ouazani
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Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
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Cyber crime - This includes fraud, impersonation, scams and deepfake technology, tactics that are increasingly targeting infrastructure and exploiting human vulnerabilities.
Cyber terrorism - Social media platforms are used to spread radical ideologies, misinformation and disinformation, often with the aim of disrupting critical infrastructure such as power grids.
Cyber warfare - Shaped by geopolitical tension, hostile actors seek to infiltrate and compromise national infrastructure, using one country’s systems as a springboard to launch attacks on others.
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Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
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6pm: Emirates Fillies Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m
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7pm: The President’s Cup – Group 1 (PA) Dh2,500,000 (T) 2,200m
7.30pm: The President’s Cup – Listed (TB) Dh380,000 (T) 1,400m
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Ingredients
1 tbsp Spirulina powder
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat preferable)
1 tbsp fresh turmeric or turmeric powder
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
½ cup vegan broth
2 crushed ice cubes (optional)
Method
Blend all the ingredients together on high in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
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Henrik Stenson's finishes at Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship:
2006 - 2
2007 - 8
2008 - 2
2009 - MC
2010 - 21
2011 - 42
2012 - MC
2013 - 23
2014 - MC
2015 - MC
2016 - 3
2017 - 8
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- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
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- At 9.16pm, three suicide attackers killed one person outside the Atade de France during a foootball match between France and Germany
- At 9.25pm, three attackers opened fire on restaurants and cafes over 20 minutes, killing 39 people
- Shortly after 9.40pm, three other attackers launched a three-hour raid on the Bataclan, in which 1,500 people had gathered to watch a rock concert. In total, 90 people were killed
- Salah Abdeslam, the only survivor of the terrorists, did not directly participate in the attacks, thought to be due to a technical glitch in his suicide vest
- He fled to Belgium and was involved in attacks on Brussels in March 2016. He is serving a life sentence in France
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Manchester United 4
(Pogba 5', 33', Rashford 45', Lukaku 72')
Bournemouth 1
(Ake 45 2')
Red card: Eric Bailly (Manchester United)
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The five pillars of Islam
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Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
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Slow loris biog
From: Lonely Loris is a Sunda slow loris, one of nine species of the animal native to Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore
Status: Critically endangered, and listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list due to growing demand in the global exotic pet trade. It is one of the most popular primate species found at Indonesian pet markets
Likes: Sleeping, which they do for up to 18 hours a day. When they are awake, they like to eat fruit, insects, small birds and reptiles and some types of vegetation
Dislikes: Sunlight. Being a nocturnal animal, the slow loris wakes around sunset and is active throughout the night
Superpowers: His dangerous elbows. The slow loris’s doe eyes may make it look cute, but it is also deadly. The only known venomous primate, it hisses and clasps its paws and can produce a venom from its elbow that can cause anaphylactic shock and even death in humans
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