I've only just read thisTrippy & I studied Islamic art at one time, and copied it/drew & painted in similar style. I remember going to an exhibition of Islamic art with school, either 1976 or 77, at Goldsmiths College.
I haven't seen the programme with Rageh Omar but will try to get it on iplayer. I know I'll love it.
Regarding the Kaabah, there is a story about it. Up to individuals whether or not they believe it but most observant Muslims do. I found this online, in something called the Quora, which explains it better & more concisely than I can do from memory :-
'The Kaaba is a building at the center of Islam's most sacred mosque. The Kaaba is built around a sacred black stone, a meteorite that Muslims believe was placed by Abraham and Ishmael in a corner of the Kaaba, a symbol of God's covenant with Abraham and Ishmael and, by extension, with the Muslim community itself. It is embedded in the eastern corner of the Kaaba. It is considered the "House of Allah" and has a similar role to the Tabernacle and Holy of Holies in Judaism.
Every year millions of Muslims travel to Mecca for the hajj, umrah, one of the five pillars of Islam. Muslims travel to Islam’s most sacred mosque, al-Masjid al-Haram, during the six-day pilgrimage. Mecca is thought to be the place where Ishmael and his mother Hagar were provided with a spring of water in the desert.'
There are similarities between that and certain things - places, objects - which are revered in Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism by many adherents of those religions but others do not place too much significance on them, preferring a simpler, more cerebral faith.
From my pov, I wouldn't go out of my way to visit anything of that kind, or go on a pilgrimage, but I can see how a lot of people coming together to pray en masse is useful for believers. Those I know who have done so have returned refreshed & renewed (I'd come back knackered and be longing for a bit of peace & quiet on my own but different strokes & all that).
I'll come back when I've watched 'The Hidden Art of Islam'
PS - can't access the programme,which is quite an old one, not available on iplayer. Should've guessed that as it was on BBC4. Might be repeated yet again though. In the meantime I'll see if I can find it anywhere else.
Bingo, it's on youtube. Will watch it but not now, bedtime. Nighty nighty.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQm10zfoFCMEdit - still haven't watched, lot happened but seeing as I am a lady of leisure until middle of next week, I can assure Iwill look at it before then.
