Hajj: Journey to the Heart of Islam

Labbaika Allahomma Labbaik. "Here I am at thy service, O Lord, Here I am" So begins the Talbiyah, the pilgrim's prayer to God, announcing his arrival in service to and for the glory of God. It is with the sound of this incantation that the visitor is greeted in the latest of the British Museum's series on spiritual journeys.

The performance of Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, is one of the five pillars of Islam, which is to be undertaken at least once in the lifetime of every Muslim, provided s/he is able.

The exhibition probably brings the non-Muslim as close to the experience of Hajj as is possible, forbidden as s/he is from visiting Mecca. This is an understandably didactic exhibition, addressing a subject which will probably be quite unfamiliar to many visitors - the story comes first, with the objects exhibited becoming illustrations, and means through which that story is told. The difference between this, and Grayson Perry's Tomb of the Unknown Craftsman, which was all about the objects is radical. It documents the rituals of Hajj, the history of journeying to Mecca, stories of significant pilgrims, and the homecoming from Hajj. The design of the space is particularly clever; at the centre of the circular space, black walls recall the kaaba - the black cubic structure, believed to have been built by Abraham, which is the centre of the shrine at Mecca and that which Muslims face in prayer wherever they are in the world. Thus, the visitor's progress around the exhibition evokes tawaf, the sevenfold circumambulation of the kaaba during the rituals of Hajj. At the very centre is a display of kiswa - cloths which cover the kaaba.

There are also lighthearted and surprising moments - a charming toy theatre set of a caravan to Mecca resting in the desert, a section on Thomas Cook travel agents, and garish modern wristbands like those worn for a music festival. However, the overwhelming sense is of the profound, even life-changing nature of Hajj, reflected in the honorific title Hajji, given to one who has made the pilgrimage. A visit to this exhibition might not only inform visitors of all faiths (or none) about this sacred journey, but also inspire us to reflect anew on our relationships with place, journey and the sacred.

Hajj is at the British Museum until 15 April. For more information, details of related displays, and tickets, visit: www.britishmuseum.org

'The Hidden Art of Islam', a BBC documentary relating to the exhibition is currently available on BBC's iPlayer: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01dczjj/The_Hidden_Art_of_Islam/