Experiencing the feeling of text

As Ma Dexin’s travelog tells us – the fickle nature of the ocean presents another opportunity to demonstrate the piety (strength) of your faith. To take opportunities such as being marooned in India or Myanmar because poor weather provides yet another instance from which faith can be demonstrated. This helps the reader understand the importance of scale and difficulty to this journey. Time is a key factor.

The ship’s calligraphic hull (the structure of a ship) is written in the direction of travel. This reminds the viewer that hajj is a process specifically mobile and directional in nature. This calligraphy is illustrated formed of shimmering gold which introduces a dynamism and noble quality. The reader is reminded of the authenticity a pilgrimage provides to Muslim identity. Mostly incomprehensible, this sailing ship’s calligraphic composition “romanticises” the arduous journey in a semi-mythologised way. Placed among a writhing serpentine sea the reader is prompted to imagine the experience first-hand. The carefully composed, eloquent visual language of this image provides us with an illustratively lyrical version of hajj - one which inspires our mind’s eye. Readers are capable of travelling both land and sea routes simultaneously unlike those physically taking part in hajj. This heightens our appreciation as readers for the centrality of hajj to how we might consider or negotiate a sense of belonging to one culture, place or religion towards a more hybridised perspective. The flow of text in the direction of the boat’s movement is similar to later illustrations of prayer around the Ka’ba in the following image…