The MIAH Foundation is delighted to announce that our next exhibition at the MIAH Islamic Arts & Heritage Gallery in Balsall Heath, Birmingham will be Fabric of Faith: the Arts & Textiles of the Hajj. Although the majority of the exhibition will display historical objects, we would like to give people the opportunity to be a part of the exhibition by submitting objects that can be used to demonstrate either the rites of the Hajj or how their own pilgrimage (or that of loved ones) inspired them.

The exhibition will explore how the annual pilgrimage of Hajj has inspired pilgrims, artists and art over the centuries through historic artworks, textiles, ephermera, and the memoribilia of pilgrims from the West Midlands. Bringing together objects from private collections to be displayed together for the first time, some of the highlights of the exhibition include a stunning mahmal (processional palanquin), which carried the new kiswa for the Kaaba and led the pilgrim caravan from Cairo, and a textile covering (sitāra) of the door to the Kaaba – both from the rule of the Ottoman Sultan, Abdul Majid II; other textiles from the holy sites in Makkah and Madinah; old photographs of pilgrims and the holy sanctuary; historical objects and artworks that were inspired by the holy sites and a few selected contemporary works of art. These will be displayed alongside personal objects of memorabilia and ephemera from the local community.

Dates: 8th May - 28th June 2025 on Thursdays to Saturdays (subject to interest - initially only the first four weeks of slots will be released. Further weeks to be released according to demand).

To register your interest for free early release tickets, please click on the 'register' button on this FREE EARLY RELEASE TICKETS page before 10th April and you will be contacted shortly after with a link to book your slot before any remaining tickets are released to the public.

OPEN CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:

DO YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF THE EXHIBITION? SUBMIT YOUR PHOTOS & SOUVENIRS FROM HAJJ

Do you have a souvenir, photo or object that captures a part of your Hajj? Would you like to add it to our exhibition in Balsall Heath, Birmingham? Perhaps a photograph that captures a moment of reflection? Or a souvenir you brought back? Did you (or a family member) bring back souvenirs for the Zam Zam water? Do you have something from a Hajj that was completed in the 60s or 70s - or more recently? Whether it is old or more recent, we would love to reflect your personal stories of Hajj.

You can submit anything you like for consideration. There are also a few specific items we are looking for: an ihram that has been used for Hajj (for a man and for a woman); Hajj guidebooks that have been used; a bag that was used to collect the pebbles for jamarat, an old 'Hajj passport'; a haircutting after the completion of Hajj or the scissors that were used? A money bag?

We are focussing our open call to people from Birmingham and the West Midlands. Submissions are welcome from other parts of the UK, but please note that we don't have the funds to cover postage/transportation costs. Due to the limitation of space, we can only select a limited number of items. If you are interested in having your items included, please send us an email with the high resolution photo (if the photo is recent) or image of the object and a caption or description of no more than 200 words that tells us about how the object was used and what it means to you: [email protected]. If you are submitting an object, please include the dimensions of the object. For photographs, please include a note in your email to say that you have permission of the subject for their photograph to be displayed.

If your entry is meets our entry criteria but is not selected due to limitations of space, we may include it in a future digital exhibition instead.

Deadline for expressions of interest to submit an object: Thursday 10th April 2025. You must be able to deliver objects to the gallery by 22nd April 2025.

HEADER IMAGE: Metal-threaded embroidery from the kiswa of the Kaaba, dated 1796, which will be on display as part of the Fabric of Faith exhibition. ©MIAH Foundation