And moving down…

This scroll has some water damage throughout. In a pleasant coincidence, the largest water stain in the scroll, just behind the domes on the background structure of the Masjid al-Haram, looks like a cloud formation in the sky.

In this part of the vertical scroll, we see the archway connecting the two minarets. The word “Allah” (God) repeats in each segment of the arch. “Allah” is a frequently used Islamic inscription and would be easily recognizable by Muslims in China. Recurrent exposure to Arabic words helped Chinese Muslims learn the language. These possible pedagogical concerns coincided with the Islamic Revival movement from Central Asia, which reinvigorated an interest in learning Arabic within Muslim communities in China.

The Arabic script just under the arch proclaims the Basmala, “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful” (بِسْمِ ٱللَّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ , bismillahi rahmanir rahim), the phrase that marks the beginning of all chapters of the Qur’an and Muslim prayers. Muslims today commonly recite the Basmala before any journey or other significant occasion, as the phrase signifies a request to God for safe passage. The use of this phrase here could signify the beginning of the long journey from China to Mecca, and the hope for a secure traveling experience.

This combination of the Basmala and the repetitive “Allah” on the arch might be intended as an evocation of the sounds of the hajj. During the tawaf, the ritual of circling around the Kaaba, pilgrims chant the Basmala followed by Allahu Akbar (“God is the Greatest”) every time they begin one counterclockwise circle in front of the Black Stone of the Kaaba. The text on the arch repeats the word “Allah,” perhaps encouraging the audience to complete the full phrase of Allahu Akbar in their heads. At the same time, this emphasizes the meaning of the phrase – the greatness of Allah – through the repetition of God’s name.