Craftsmen of Kiswa, the Ka'ba cloth cover, are on their way from Makkah to London to give a live demonstration on how the Kiswa is prepared at the ongoing Haj exhibition being held in the British Museum, a statement from the Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) said Monday. The expo, the first major one on Haj, has been lauded by Prince Charles, who was given a 20-minute tour of some of the key exhibits last month. “This unique Haj exhibition and other relevant cultural activities, (organized) with the help of Saudi Arabia, are highly appreciated and welcomed by the British Muslim community. The efforts will send a positive message, to the indigenous population in the UK and Europe, towards Islam,” said Khalid Pervez, General Secretary of Association of British Hujjaj (Pilgrims) UK. “It will help to create a better relationship between the Muslim world and the West,” he added. The exhibition 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. It 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. The expo 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.
