Journey to the Soul of Islam

Baroness Pola Uddin celebrates a unique parliamentary exhibition exploring the sacred journeys to Makkah and Medina.

Page 37
Q-News, Issue 358
December 2004

There are a thousand events organised by parliamentarians each year, but rarely does a unique idea come along. This Ramadan, I was proud to have hosted a photographic exhibition called The Journey to the Soul of Islam. Thousands of visitors, including many of my honorable colleagues, have since witnessed breathtaking photographs of the pilgrimage to Makkah and Medina. Accompanying the photographs, taken by celebrated photographer Peter Sanders, was the Cloth of the Kabbah - a stunning visual focal point for the exhibition.

I have just finished taking down the exhibition in the Royal Gallery, House of Lords where it spent one week after having been in the Upper Waiting Hall of the House of Commons.

In recent years, the Muslim community has faced much hostility. I was deeply frustrated at seeing Muslims taking on the burden of terrorism and other brutalities committed in the name of Islam. So many Muslim feel they are voiceless, unable to say this is not the Islam they know and love.

I genuinely believe the exhibition will have been significant in demonstrating the peace of our faith and humility amongst our brethren particularly as they gather at the most holiest of places.

I am also confident it will create a space for further dialogue where Muslims can be viewed in the context of true context of Islam, one that embraces peace, contemplation and brotherhood.

On my return from Makkah last year, feeling inspired, I wanted to put together a visual journey to demonstrate my viewpoint of our faith, hence the exhibition was born. Alhamdulillah, the time given to the exhibition was during Ramadan and we were able to “break bread” and share iftar with our fellow parliamentarians and many others.

The exhibition has been seen by thousands of visitors. People who have little understanding or knowledge of Islam have had an opportunity to see these vivid images of Muslim devotion. I can only hope this will provide a glimpse of the powerful spiritual bond that unites people of the Muslim faith.

It was particularly important for me that the team that helped me put the exhibition together were young, British Muslims. They rose to the challenge demanded of them in Parliament and were professional, committed and creative.

I would like to express my gratitude to my friend Peter Sanders for allowing the use of his beautiful pictures to portray so eloquently what is in our vision and heart about our pilgrimage to Saudi Arabia. My thanks also go to my brother Mohammed Sarwar MP for hosting this special event with with me in the Commons, and not least to say it was a great privilege to work with HRH Prince Turki Al-Faisal and his unstinting support for the project and without whose support it would not have been possible for us to put together the exhibition.