Shoulder to Shoulder
Shoulder to Shoulder
In congregational prayer, we stand shoulder to shoulder. It does not matter where you are from, what you own, or what language you speak. You stand as equals. That has always been one of the things I find most beautiful about Islam.
In this painting I painted the pilgrims doing tawaf. The figures are not tightly defined, they are expressive outlines, loosely painted in different colours, all merging into one another. Red, green, blue, orange, teal. All of them pressing inward towards the Kaabah, which sits at the heart of it in black with its gold band. That merging is the whole point. This is what pilgrimage is about.
100 × 120 cm Acrylic on canvas
Shoulder to Shoulder is held in a private collection.
In circumambulation around the Kaaba, our differences vanish. Shoulder to shoulder, equal before Allah, regardless of colour, wealth or status. This painting captures that unity, the oneness that binds us on our shared spiritual path.
NOW IN A PRIVATE COLLECTION
Commission an original painting
This painting is now in a private collection. If you are looking for an original painting for your home, I would be happy to discuss a commission with you.