Senior Conservator of the British Library David Jacobs displays a copy of the 8th century Qur'an, one of the earliest in existence, during a media event at the British Museum in London. — Reuters LONDON – The British Museum in London opened its doors Thursday to the first major exhibition in the world on Haj. Using priceless artifacts, video footage, personal audio recordings and photographs, the show explores the history, journeys and experiences of pilgrims who travel from around the world to reach the holy city of Makkah. “For me personally it's been a huge learning curve over the past two years,” said Qaisra Khan, co-curator of the exhibition. The show takes visitors on a journey that starts with how Muslims prepare for the pilgrimage, including settling outstanding debts and asking for the forgiveness of others. The exhibition traces some of the main routes Muslims have followed over the centuries to get to Makkah, including from Kufa, Cairo and Damascus, and seeks to explain some of the rituals associated with the Haj. It features recorded accounts of what the journey meant to Muslims around the world and includes loaned items from Saudi Arabia such as a “sitara” which covers the door of the Ka'ba. Among the artifacts on display is a “Mahmal”, one of the ceremonial curtained transports in which the Sultans were carried from Cairo to Makkah, and a copy of the holy Qur'an from the eighth century. Also on show is “Milestone”, one of the stone slabs once used by pilgrims in Iraq to mark their route to Makkah, so they could find their way home. “Magnetism”, a minimalist piece of art by Saudi artist Ahmed Mater of the Ka'ba, adds a modern touch. “We had to contact museums from all over the world to request if we could borrow some of their artifacts, and if there were items that related to the routes of Haj,” said curator Venetia Porter. Many of the artifacts were donated by Nasser Khalili, one of the biggest collectors of Islamic art in the world. “This exhibition is a journey that sends out a religious, spiritual, ritual and cultural message that proves how harmonious Islam is,” Khalili said. “Haj: Journey to the Heart of Islam” opened at the British Museum on January 26, and runs until April 15.
