exhibition islam Muhammad f a mercy to mankind permanent exhibition gallery london 2011 EXHIBITION PARTNERS EXHIBITION ISLAM
Lord Sheikh of Cornhill and H.E. Dr. Abdullah Al-Turki take a tour of Muhammad f - A Mercy to Mankind exhibition gallery
Exhibition Islam Report on Muhammaddf A Mercy to Mankind exhibition gallery Central London 2011 Contact Us: Mobile: +44 (0)7787 570 560 Email: mail@exhibitionislam.com Web: www.exhibitionislam.com www.exhibitionislam.com
Exhibition islam - at the heart of London Islam is London s largest and most significant minority religion. There were 607,083 Muslims reported in the 2001 census in the Greater London area, and today in 2011 there are an estimated over 1 million Muslims who have made London their home. In England, 40% of Muslims live in London, where they make up 8.5% of the population. London, a global centre for multiculturalism, ethnic and religious diversity and pluralism boasts one of the most vibrant communities in the world. The London Central Mosque (also known as the Islamic Cultural Centre, ICC or Regent s Park Mosque) is located near Marylebone station, the Baker Street Underground station, Regent s Park and Lords cricket ground in the City of Westminster, central north London. It was designed by Sir Frederick Gibberd and completed in 1978. Exhibition Islam is based near London and averages the delivery of 100 exhibitions UK wide on an annual basis. The London Central Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre, London. Venue for Muhammad- A Mercy to Mankind exhibition. Created by Exhibition Islam Due to its central location and high attendance of visitors, The London Central Msoque was identified as the prime location for the installation of a hallmark Islamic permanent exhibition gallery titled Muhammad (peace be upon him)- A Mercy to Mankind. Exhibition Islam is widely credited for it s contribution to community service, thus the organisation was selected as the exhibitor of choice by the London Central Mosque. Exhibition Islam also enjoys a wellearned standing in the British Muslim community and is noted for it s effort to create a great platforms for promoting dialogue and better understanding between peoples of different cultures and communities. Exhibition Islam delivers a great platform to improve community relations 1
Exhibition Islam Exhibition Islam is a world leader in delivering Islamic exhibitions. To date, the service has delivered more than 1000 exhibitions and has attracted over a million visitors. The exhibition service has worked in partnership with governmental departments, councils, religous and social groups, prisons, hospitals, universities, schools, mosques, churches, museums, trade shows and a variety of other events to present museum-style exhibitions around the world. Since 2005, Exhibition Islam has hosted a number of extremely succesful exhibitions at the London Central Mosque. In addition to the public events, a range of private viewings of exhibitions and artifacts have also been displayed at the centre. Due to its longstanding reputation as a leader in community services, Exhibition Islam was commissioned to install a permanent exhibition at the centre in 2008 Exhibition Islam has been working closely with the London Central Mosque on various exhibitions since 2005 Exhibition Islam has been at the forefront of introducing Islamic heritage and history to the British public. Since it s inception in 2003, the exhibition has helped to foster a greater understanding of the Islamic faith as well as build strong community relations.
Design and Layout Muhammad (peace be upon him)- A Mercy to Mankind exhibition gallery took the Exhibition Islam Design team 3 years to develop. This exhibition, the first of its type in the United Kingdom was installed in 3 main stages. These were: 1- Research and Development 2- Refurbishment and Design 3- Installation and Opening The Exhibition Islam Design team crafted a meticulous plan of action which required immense thought and planning. This purpose-built exhibition had to take into consideration the many purposes of the building, as well as the stipulated time slot made available for the installation. The exhibition was designed to compliment the fine architecture of the entire centre, thus contributing positively to the visitor experince. This thematic exhibition showcases the below topics: * Basic Beliefs of Islam * Who is Allah? * Concept of the Creator * Call of the Prophets * Life of Prophet Muhammad f * The Noble Qur an * Qur an and Science * Muslim contribution to Science * Living Islam * Women in Islam The exhibition is also kitted with 8 plasma screens, each screen playing a presentation related to the exhibition section. The exhibition also displays models of ancient scientific appliances such as agricultural technologies, surgical tools and other appliances. Women in Islam Hall B The Qur`an Muslim Contribution to Science Call of the Prophets Hall C The Creator What is Islam Initial floorplan for the permanent exhibition gallery at the London Central Mosque and Islamic Culutral Centre. The exhibition occupies more than 60 meters of wall space, displaying 8 plasma screens and 4 integrated artifact cabinets. 2
Refurbishment and Installation The installation process took more than 7 months. A team of 3 exhibition developers along with painters, decorators, fitters and lighting specialists worked at the site to build this exhibition. The exhibition was installed with great calculation and thought. The steel structures were installed over a period of 5 weeks, with each section being stabilised to comply with the high health and safety standards of Exhibition Islam. 3
Completed Installation The exhibition completely transformed the basement area of the London Central Mosque and now displays a modern, exciting and highly enjoyable exhibition. Muslims Inventions Cabinet The exhibition showcases a well layed-out plan which takes visitors on a structured tour of the Islamic faith
Project history and objectives Muhammad f - A Mercy to Mankind is a unique initiative that has been launched as a partnership between The Global Commission for Introducing the Messenger, The Islamic Cultural Centre and Exhibition Islam. The aim of this exhibition is to disseminate greater awareness and understanding of the noble life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his Divinely revealed message to humanity. Designed to be a purposebuilt, modern and permanent exhibition, the facility provides a colourful and rich overview of the various tenets of Islam which can be viewed by the many visitors to The Islamic Cultural Centre. The exhibition has been designed to compliment the various other functional and operational requirements of the mosque, thus allowing the centre to use the same hall space for multipurpose usage. This exhibition provides an overview of the fundamental beliefs of the Islamic faith, the life of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the revelation and preservation of the Noble Qur an and the origins of creation. This exhibition, the first of its kind to be built in the United Kingdom, occupies over 60 metres of wall space and provides visitors with a visual journey through the Islamic faith. The wall-based exhibition spans across two of the basement halls and incorporates video screens, models and posters to provide a multidimensional viewing experience for visitors. This is the first custom built permanent museum style Islamic exhibition gallery at a Muslim centre in London. It is a major milestone for the Muslim Community in the United Kingdom to help promote greater understanding, encourage meaningful dialogue and improve community relations. The concept of such an exhibition was introduced three years when The Global Commission for Introducing the Prophet of Mercy approached Exhibition Islam to investigate options for developing such an exhibition. Various designs were put together based upon budgets and the day-to-day needs of The Islamic Cultural Centre and eventually a single outline design was agreed which allowed the centre to use the halls as part of its daily needs but also established a permanent exhibition. This permanent exhibition serves many purposes in allowing the wider community to come together at a wonderful location in the heart of London. Muslims have lived, ruled over various parts and contributed to European and World civilisations for over 1,400 years, helping to advance sciences and benefit wider society. In the current times Muslims form an integral part of the British society and approximately 2.5 million Muslims live in the United Kingdom. Shahid Munir, from Exhibition Islam addresses guests at the opening of the exhibition in June 2011 www.exhibitionislam.com 4
Opening speeches Right to left: Zaheer Ali and Shahid Munir (Exhibition Islam), Dr. Adil Al-Shiddy (Global Commission), H.E. Dr. Abdullah Al-Turki, Secretary General, Muslim World League, H.E. Khalid Al-Duwaisan, Ambassador of Kuwait, Rabbi Dayan, Ivan Binstock, Senior Rabbi of St John s Wood Synagogue and Mr. Julian Bond (Director - Christian Muslim Forum) H.E. Dr. Abdullah Al-Turki, Secretary General, Muslim World League, speaks about the need for faith in modern times The opening ceremony attracted over 150 guests from all faith groups and was an immense success Dr. Adil Al-Shiddy - Secretary General of The Global Commission for Introducing the Messenger 5
Opening ceremony & exhibition tour Right to left: Shahid Munir (Exhibition Islam), H.E. Khalid Al-Duwaisan, Ambassador of Kuwait, Lord Sheikh of Cornhill, H.E. Dr. Abdullah Al-Turki, Secretary General, Muslim World League, Dr. Ahmed al Dubayan, Director of London Central Mosque at the opening of Muhammad f -A Mercy to Mankind permanent exhibition gallery. Dr. Ahmad Al Dubayan takes H.E. Dr. Abdullah Al-Turki on a tour of the exhibition Shahid Munir takes the guests on a tour of the exhibition www.exhibitionislam.com 6
Opening ceremony The exhibition displays a variety of Islamic manuscripts that date back to many centuries. The exhibition gallery utilises as much space as possible to deliver a well-presented exhibition. The exhibition displays a variety of scientific exhibitis that demonstrate Muslim contribution to civilisation. Visitors admire a genuine Maghribi script Qur an leaf from Islamic Spain.
Guests The opening of the exhibition was attended by well-known community leaders. Sheikh Haytham al Haddad, Director of MRDF, London The Revd Deacon Meliton Oakes from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Great Britain, and Sheikh Khalifa, Imam of the Central London Mosque Mr. Muhammad Ali (CEO Islam Channel) Rabbi Dayan Ivan Binstock, Dr Abdul Karim, Director Al-Manar Centre and Mehri Niknam Mehri Niknam MA, MBE (Founder & Executive Director) of The Joseph Interfaith Foundation Iqbal Sacranie - ex-president of the Muslim Council of Britain
Guests Shahid Munir shows HE Dr. Al Turki and Ambassador Duwaisan a rare selection of Qur anic manuscripts Guests view the Exhibition Islam interactive model of the town of Madina in the 7th Century. The exhibition attracted immense interest from the major faith centres in London. Guests inspect a model showing a cross-section of the Holy Mosque in Mecca The Exhibition Islam Qur an collection is a major display at the Muhammad (peace be upon him) exhibition gallery at the London Central Mosque
Media coverage The opening ceremony of Muhammad f A Mercy to Mankind permanent exhibition gallery was covered by international media. Media agencies and broadcasters included: 1- Al Jazeera 2- Al Arabiya 3- Quds Press 4- Islam Channel 5- Islam online 6- The Muslim Post 7- The Muslim News 8- IQRA TV Sound proof room for simultaneous translation 7
Summary Imtiaz Alam, Director of Operations at Exhibition Islam presents H.E. Dr. Abdullah Al- Turki, Secretary General, Muslim World League a copy of best-selling Exhibition Islam publication The Magnificent Qur an. Muhammad - A Mercy to Mankind is an exhibition that presents the message of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and provides a platform for all communities to visit in the future so that dialogue between faiths and cultures can be enhanced to build a better, stronger society. And our final thanks and praise are to Allah, the Almighty, without Whom none of this would ever have been possible. Team Exhibition Islam www.exhibitionislam.com 8
A close-up photo of the door to the Prophet s mosque in present day Madina 10
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