Curated by Ferial Marlie and Shameelah Khan
Artwork by Firdous Hendricks, Shameelah Khan, and the MPhil (Department for the Study of Religions and African Feminist Studies) Cohort 2023
Collage Work by Shameelah Khan
Photography by Sara Lagardien Abdullah
Workshop sponsored by The Centre for Contemporary Islam, UCT, Co-Directors: Prof Sa'diyya Shaikhand A/Prof Fatima Seedat
Date: 4 - 5 October 2023

Hajar or Hagar, an enslaved black woman from Egypt and the second wife to Abraham, occupies a significant place in the Islamic tradition. She is celebrated for her unwavering faith, resilience, and her role as the mother of Isma'il. She is predominantly known for her journey in the Makkan desert where she was left by her husband Abraham or Ibrahim who was ordered by God to do so. In an act of resistance, once she had run out of any sustenance that was left for her, she decided to run between the two hills of Safa and Marwa, which has come to be known as Sa’i. On the seventh run, water began to spring fourth from the ground where Isma’il lay. Her faith and determination led to the discovery of the well of Zam Zam, translated to “stop” from Arabic, because of the abundance of its flow. Even today, the well of Zam Zam continues to gift Makkah with water. Hajar’s act of resistance provided a source of sustenance and hope for her son as well as future generations. Hajar's story symbolises the strength and spiritual devotion that resonates deeply within Islamic teachings.

Today, millions of people travel for the annual pilgrimage known as Hajj to perform various acts of rituals surrounding the Abrahamic Tradition. However, Hajar has often been rendered somewhat invisible in this narrative. In recognition of the epistemicide of Hajar’s narrative, this exhibition was brought to life. Hajar’s Water is the untold story of the significance of Hajar and her resistance to the structures which had failed her. As an embodied figure, Hajar represents the strength and resilience that women have to undertake to survive in perilous conditions, with very little resources. Out of the imaginary, flows the water of Hajar’s life, her lineage and it is the lineage which we carry with us today.

Hajar’s Water was conceptualised by Shameelah Khan and Ferial Marlie when invited by Dr Ala Alhouranito consider a student-led creative exhibition. It was a threefold process-led project. The first iteration comprised a workshop hosted through the work of the Centre for Contemporary Islam (CCI) at UCT,and led by artist Firdous Hendricks who then collaborated with Shameelah Khan to form the second and third iteration which comprised of a geographical mapping- locating Hajar between Safa and Marwa.

Ferial Marlie’s scholarly interests are in the areas of Gender, Sexuality, and Islam. She is currently completing her Honours at the Department for the Study of Religions at UCT. Shameelah Khan is a visual artist, curator, writer, film maker, and researcher in the areas of Islam, visual arts, activism,memory work, and the archive. She co-founded the NGO The Women of Waqf Futurist Collective and is currently completing her second Masters Degree (MPhil) in the Department for the Study of Religions at UCT.

Firdous Hendricks is an artist, writer, and activist focused on youth development through the arts.She is the Executive Director at Lalela, an award-winning NGO where she has spent the past 12 years developing multi-disciplinary arts-based programmes for young people. Firdous is a 2020 fellow of theSalzburg Global Forum for Young Cultural Innovators for rising talents in the creative sector to drive social, economic and urban change.

Conceptual Design

Drawing from the 99 Divine Attributes of the Divine Creator, we highlight how Hajar's history can be reimagined and understood through her relationship with Allah and her experience of the sacred ritual of Sa’i, the act of running between Safa and Marwa. Focusing on the connection between the maternal sacrifices of Hajar, the Divine and the water that sprung out as a result, the workshop explored the multifaceted aspects of Hajar's narrative.Through a dynamic and interactive approach, participants engaged in a creative journey culminating in the crafting of unique artworks using a water-based approach.

The workshop began with a symbolic candle lighting ritual, breathwork, yoga and sound journey session led by Storm Joy Cookson and Yusra Roberts Rajap. The candle lighting ritual promoted a sense of unity and helped maintain a sense of connection to Hajar -connecting a diverse sisterhood but that echoed some of her experiences in their own lives.The breathwork and yoga session that followed helped return a focus on the strength,flexibility, and self-awareness that exists within the unity of sisterhood. This session served as a reminder that the group has the inner strength and resilience to overcome challenges,as inspired by Hajar’s internal process running from Safa to Marwa. Yusra Roberts Rajapthen led the group on a sacred sound journey. The deep, resounding notes echoing through the participants’ bodies and although the notes evoked a deeply healing and relaxing response, the vibrations inspired a joyful and celebratory emotion, which we may imagine were reminiscent of the tears of joy elicited from Hajar as the water spouted forth.

After these stimulating sessions, the participants were tasked to choose a Divine attribute and a trinket that best described and symbolised their feelings towards Hajar’s journey and her state of faith and mind during these hard moments. After sharing their thoughts about what they’d chosen, the group entered a poetry writing session with Firdous Hendricks.Starting with a free writing exercise, participants paired with each other and then honed their thoughts into a poem-prayer about Hajar and the Divine attribute which they chose.The pairs then participated in a ritualised handwashing exercise, signifying their readiness to approach the divine and engage in sacred activities with a purified heart and clean hands.Speaking the poem-prayer into the water-bowls, these blessed waters were used to craft a watercolour painting. Firdous Hendricks, who presented the watercolour session,illustrated the ways in which the process was not only able to communicate one’s personal spiritual experiences, beliefs, and connections with the divine, but that the sacralised water and intentionally abstract process reflected Hajar’s connection between the sacred and the natural world through water.

The creative process illustrated the intersections of healing, embodiment, ritual, and ceremony experienced by Hajar and echoed in the workshop. The rituals encouraged connection, embodiment and the expression of emotions from the past and in the present.The workshop facilitated healing by grounding individuals in their physical bodies and connecting them with a sense of purpose and spirituality. Ultimately, the relationship between healing, embodiment, ritual, and ceremony was shaped by the specific intentions in which these sessions were employed. They complemented each other and offered meaningful ways to think about the Divine when navigating life's challenges and to celebrate moments of transformation and growth.

The Workshop

Title: Hajar Embodied
Material: Watercolour on Water Paper
Led by Firdous Hendricks
Curated by Firdous Hendricks, Shameelah Khan and Ferial Marlie
Photographed by Sara Lagardien Abdullah
Yoga/Sound Meditation by Rising Wild
Yusra Roberts Rajap
Storm Joy Cookson

Participants present:
Aqeelah Bray
Aaqielah Pillay
Charli Sitong Zhang
Faaria Theba
Ferial Marlie
Firdous Hendricks
Lorena Roberts
Maya Ghanem
Sa’diyya Shaikh
Sara Lagardien Abdullah
Shafieka Moos
Shameelah Khan
Sponsored by The Centre for Contemporary Islam, UCT, Co-Directors: Prof Sa'diyya Shaikh and A/Prof Fatima Seedat

Hajar’s Water (i)

Title: Ar-Rahman
Art by: Firdous Hendricks and Shameelah Khan
Material: Water Colour and Ink on Water Colour Paper

The creation of the seven pieces in this series, executed with watercolours on watercolour paper, is a breathtaking exploration of warm and earthy tones that weaves the profound narrative of Hajar.Drawing inspiration from the concept of "the Palimpsest," the artists employed layering techniques, akin to the pages of an ancient manuscript being written and rewritten, to give birth to entirely new forms, creating each iteration from its predecessor. This series, aptly titled "Ar-Rahman - The Merciful," delves deep into the Arabic root word "Ra-Ha-Ma," signifying the womb. Through this series, the artist bridges the profound connection between Hajar's innermost maternal sacrifice, her unwavering determination to preserve Ismail's life in the barren wilderness, and the arduous run she embarks upon between the two hills. Ink, thoughtfully employed in varying shades and textures, skilfully narrates the complex journey of Hajar, encapsulating pivotal moments along her path. In each piece, the layers unfold like chapters in a sacred story, inviting viewers to contemplate the depths of mercy, sacrifice, and resilience that are inherent to the human experience.

Hajar’s Water (ii)

Title: Sai
Art by: Firdous Hendricks and Shameelah Khan
Material: Mixed-Media Collage; Water Colour and Ink on Canvas

The series titled "Sai" derives its inspiration from the poignant act of Sai, the ritualistic running between the hills of Safa and Marwa,which is an integral part of the Hajj pilgrimage and Umrah. This series delves deep into the geographical embodiment of Hajar's experience, seeking to locate her presence through meticulous map work. By precisely identifying the coordinates of Safa and Marwa, the artists meticulously illustrate the tangible connection between these two sacred landmarks. The symbolic act of running between them, spanning approximately 450 meters, is a profound expression of devotion. It's worth noting that this distance symbolises the remarkable journey of Hajar, who would have traversed a total of 3.6 kilometers back and forth between the two hills, performing this sacred ritual seven times. Through "Sai," the artists captures the essence of Hajar's physical exertion and dedication, masterfully translating the geographical account of her running into new forms of worlding and locating her, thus creating a deeply moving and evocative narrative both through collage work as well as on canvas.