Marvel's first Muslim superhero is coming to our screens with the new series, Ms Marvel. Set to release on June 8, it follows Kamala Khan, a 16-year-old Pakistani American girl.
The poster for #MsMarvel is giving us Pakistani truck art vibes…
A thread on this artform…
1/ If you’ve spent time in Pakistan you’ve surely seen colorful, ornate trucks rumbling down roads & highways. In Pakistan, truck art is more than just cultural expression, it’s also a deeply rooted tradition. So what is the history & meaning behind these movings pieces of art?…
2/ Pakistani truck art has origins dating back to the 1920s, when Bedford trucks imported from England invaded the country’s streets.
In the late 1940s, when trucks began long-haul journeys, each company designed ornate logos so that people would understand who owned the truck…
3/ Over time these logos became increasingly ornate. They were badges of competition; the more flamboyant the design the better business became. In the 1950s Karachi became a hub of truck art—when Hajji Hussain, an artist known for his elaborate palace frescoes, settled in town…
4/ Artist Hajji Hussain, was renowned for his enormous palace frescoes. After the Partition of India it was clear no more palaces were being made, so he relocated to Karachi and turned to decorating trucks. His lavish, floral, elaborate style propelled the genre ahead…
6/ Decked in vibrant colours & bells, inscribed with romantic couplets, spiritual & political images, each truck tells a unique tale. But with the arrival of transportation companies, traditional truck art is becoming less common…
7/ To decorate a truck, drivers can easily spend up to $2,500, which is two years’ salary. Truck art for many is more than a business expense; it’s also a ritual that harkens back to the Sufi tradition of painting shrines to carry religious favour - as a mark of gratitude…
8/ Truck art is a way of gaining religious value, similar to the way Sufis decorate religious sites. Owners who decorate their trucks in this way hope that their trucks will remain stable on the road without breakdowns or accidents. An example of a painting of a Sufi saint…
9/ This truck features an image of Burāq. In Islām it is believed Buraq transported Prophet Muḥammad (PBUH) to heaven. In some traditions he became a steed with the head of a woman and the tail of a peacock…
10/ Truck art is connected to and reflect the Islamic values and beliefs of the painters and truck owners. This front face decor of a truck features the miniature of Masjid-e-Nabvi in the centre…
11/ Some academics have suggested Pakistani truck art is also influenced by Mughal art and architecture. These frescoes from Wazir Khan Mosque in Lahore reflect similar colours, patterns and compositions found in truck art…
12/ In the 1960s, a strand of truck art in Pakistan began to incorporate politics…
South American revolutionary, Che Guevara, on a truck
A driver wipes off dust from the portrait of Ayub Khan which was originally painted on this truck in 1966.
13/ Internationally renowned Karachi Artist Haider Ali uses truck art is a tool to brighten people’s mood & spread love & peace. He painted a portrait of George Floyd, who was murdered by police officers in Minneapolis - which led to Black Lives Matter protests around the globe…
14/ The images and designs that appear on a Pakistani truck reflect the wishes of its owner and driver, but ultimately, the artists are the ones whose imagination dominates the truck art, and can convince the owner if they want…
15/ The truck art details are meticulous and highly embellished with mirrors, bells and tassels. Here are some truck details…
16/ with truck art, the interiors of decorated trucks are equally as elaborate…
16/ At night the ornate trucks glow in the dark with luminous reflections from mirror works, embellishments and strategically placed patterned lights…
17/ Truck art inspires design across the world, and is popular in Europe. Italian fashion giant Dolce & Gabbana in collaboration with Smeg launched a vividly colourful series of kitchenware, which looks almost like something a desi Pakistani truck artist would have created…
18/ The art in the background of the #MsMarvel poster is by Pakistani illustrator, @shehzilm Shehzil took to social media & shared how things aligned for her to work on this project.
@shehzilm also created this amazing artwork for @msmarvel official Eid celebration posts…
19/ We are excited to celebrate the first Muslim @marvel Superhero.
We really admire how in the story Ms Marvel draws strength from the Qur’an.
Here is our favourite Ms Marvel moment so far…
Credit @MsMarvelUK
20/ In the #MsMarvel trailer we spotted an Eid Mubarak banner outside the mosque confirming one of the episodes will take place on Eid!
21/Looking forward to the first @marvel Muslim superhero on our screens soon…
The Qur’an was first revealed during the month of Ramadan. This blessed month is also known by Muslims as the month of Fasting
To celebrate the arrival of #Ramadan here are 24 beautiful Qur’anic manuscripts found in museum collections across the world #RamadanMubarak
A thread…
1/ Folio from a Manuscript of the Qur'an
Iran, Shiraz, 1550-1575
Ink, colors and gold on paper
@LACMA #Ramadan
@LACMA 2/ Double Folio from a Qur'an
c. 1330-1350, Central Asian or Turkish
Early Muslim settlers from central and western Asia carried Islamic book traditions into India, especially in the form of Qur'ans, such as the one from which these pages come
Shah-i-Zinda is one Samarkand’s most beloved sites, which contains some of the richest tile work in the world. The magnificent architecture draws inspiration from multiple periods & styles, taking you back through time & across cultures
A thread on the beauty of Shah-i-Zinda…
1/ The Shah-i-Zinda ensemble includes mausoleums, mosques & other ritual buildings of 11-15th & 19th centuries. The name Shah-i-Zinda (meaning The living king) is connected with the legend that Qutham ibn Abbas, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad PBUH is buried here
📷 Ash Diler
2/ Shah-i-Zinda is a world-famous example of a continuously constructed historical site. Over 1,000 years ago, it was founded with a single religious monument. Between the 11th & 19th centuries, mosques & mausoleums were continuously added
From Spain to Azerbaijan, to Germany to Bosnia, Europe has some of the finest mosques.
The presence of Islam in Europe is not a new phenomenon, with Muslims residing in the continent as early as the 8th century.
Here are 24 mosques across Europe #JummahMubarak
A thread…
1/ Koski Mehmed-Pasha Mosque, Mostar, Bosnia
Dates back to 1617 & features numerous multicolored windows, a minaret with a lookout spot & a courtyard with several tombs. Although the original Ottoman mosque was heavily damaged during the attacks of the 1990s it has been restored
2/ The Shah Jahan Mosque, Woking, England
This is the first purpose built mosque that was built in the UK.
It was built in 1889 by Dr Gottlieb Wilhelm Leitner, an orientalist of Jewish descent from Hungary. Money was donated by Begum Shah Jahan, the Nawab Begum of Bhopal.
Welcome to Al-Mutanabbi Street the ‘Book Market of Baghdad’, where books remain in the street at night because Iraqis say:
“The reader does not steal and the thief does not read.”
A thread on the rich heritage of the historic book market on Al-Mutanabbi Street…
1/ Al-Mutanabbi Street is the historic center of Baghdad bookselling, that dates back to the time of the Abbasids. Located near the old quarter of Baghdad, Al-Mutanabbi Street was Baghdad’s first book traders’ market.
2/ Al-Mutanabbi Street has been, since time immemorial, the historic heart and soul of the Baghdad literary and intellectual community.
Libraries developed in the Islamic Golden Age due to a commitment to literacy & seeking knowledge. One of the oldest libraries in the world Al-Qarawiyyin library, was founded by a Muslim woman, more than 12 centuries ago!
A thread on the greatest libraries in Islamic history…
1/ Al-Qarawiyyan Library, Fez, Morocco
Founded by a Muslim woman, Fatima El-Fihriya in 859, it is one of the oldest libraries in the world & the oldest library in Africa. It also holds the distinction of being the world’s oldest working library, & is still in use today…
1.1/ The Al-Qarawiyyan Library houses a collection of 4,000 rare books & ancient Arabic manuscripts written by renowned scholars of the region. The manuscripts include a 9th century version of the Quran and a manuscript on Islamic jurisprudence written by philosopher Averroes.
Designed to imitate the heavens, Islamic gardens are lush oases of scent, water and sacred geometry. They are a cool place of rest and a reminder of paradise.
Here are 20 beautiful Islamic gardens from across the world…
A thread….
1/ Gardens @CambCentMosque
A harmonious balance between Islamic structure & relaxed English herbaceous and naturalistic planting. A concern for sustainability, biodiversity & insect-friendly planting has also been a constant theme in the selection of plants.
@CambCentMosque 2/ Jardin Majorelle, Morocco
The garden, started in 1924, contains a psychedelic desert mirage of 300 plant species from five continents.