Hajj. The Journey through Art. Exhibition Album

This richly-illustrated volume 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. 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. This catalogue, accompanying a major exhibition in Doha, Qatar, charts the history of this deeply personal journey. The exhibition explores the history of this pilgrimage through the centuries, focusing on the routes taken by pilgrims, the rituals of Hajj as depicted through art, the experiences of pilgrims after completion of Hajj, and includes a special section dedicated to the oral histories and objects of Qatari pilgrims. Beautiful objects, including historical and contemporary art, textiles and manuscripts from the collections of the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha 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.