999 (English)

Islamic arts take centre stage at Majlis Mohamed bin Zayed

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HIS Highness Lieutenant General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, attended the inaugural session of this year’s Majlis Mohamed bin Zayed Ramadan lectures titled ‘Islamic Artworks: History and Heritage.’

The Majlis was also attended by HH Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, along with several sheikhs, ministers, senior officials, and Islamic arts specialist­s.

Held at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the lecture was delivered by Dr Ibrahim Shabouh, a renowned researcher, historian, and expert in Islamic archaeolog­y, widely recognised for reinterpre­ting the works of the 14th century historiogr­apher and philosophe­r Ibn Khaldun.

Dr Shabouh shared anecdotes, including the fascinatio­n of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE’S Founding Father, with the Great Mosque of Kairouan during a visit to Tunisia in the mid-1970s.

The lecture explored examples of unique artworks and architectu­re from the dawn of Islamic civilisati­on, including intricate mosaics – such as those found in the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus – that depict early interpreta­tions of paradise.

Another topic covered in the talk was early Arabic calligraph­y, with the speaker giving detailed descriptio­ns of the methods used in the production of centurieso­ld copies of the Quran, produced on leather parchment and painstakin­gly written in gold.

Highlighti­ng the significan­ce of Islamic arts in fostering cultural understand­ing, the lecture underlined the UAE’S commitment to preserving religious and cultural values and promoting intercultu­ral dialogue through art.

The lecture was moderated by calligraph­y artist Maryam Al Balooshi and featured pre-recorded contributi­ons from Khalid Aljallaf, President of the Emirates Society for Arabic Calligraph­y; visual media artist Alya Alsanad; and visual artist Patricia Millns, discussing how Islamic arts, such as calligraph­y, architectu­re, and decoration continue to influence artists and designers in the UAE and beyond.

 ?? ?? HH Sheikh Saif bin greets globally renowned historian and expert in Islamic archaeolog­y, Dr Ibrahim Shabouh
HH Sheikh Saif bin greets globally renowned historian and expert in Islamic archaeolog­y, Dr Ibrahim Shabouh

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