Zaid ibn Aslam related that the prophet (pbuh) saw a vision and told his companions about it. The Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) said, (in a dream): “I saw myself following a herd of black sheep. Then a group of white sheep came (and mixed with the black sheep) until they (the white sheep) became so many that the black sheep could no longer be seen in the herd of sheep.” Abu Bakr, the companion of the Prophet (pbuh) and the interpreter of dreams, said, “Oh Messenger of Allah, as for the black sheep, they are the Arabs. They will accept Islam and become many. The white sheep are the non-Arab Persians, etc. They will accept Islam and become so many that the Arabs will not be noticed amongst them.” The Prophet Mohamed (pbuh) then said that an angel had interpreted the dream the same way.” ~Tarikh Khulufa of Imam Suyuti.
Description: 40″x30″ oil & acrylic on canvas. This piece entitled “Sabia the Arabian Mystic” is the sixth one of the series Luminous Dark Matter. My intention in painting “Sabia the Arabian Mystic” was to celebrate Black Arabia whose descendants’ glorious standing in history has been forgotten. There is a deep-layered meaning to this intricately detailed piece: the subject “Sabia” is enrobed in light, the book she holds is a metaphor for her heart, the seat of Knowledge which is the very foundation of the native Arabs’ rich culture. What compelled me to conceive this painting is the prejudice against the dark skin Arabs (in Arabia, Yemen, Iraq, Somalia, Mauritania, Sudan, North Africa) who for centuries have been oppressed and called “slaves” on a land that is originally and historically theirs as the Arabian peninsula was part of East Africa (the Kush empire) until it was invaded. Thus “Sabia the Arabian Mystic” symbolizes the exalted ancestry of the native Arabs whose great history has deliberately been obscured and whose dignity and rights are violated on a daily basis. It’s primordial to reestablish authentic history so that the sublime common origin of all beings subsides the centuries-old lowliness and criminality of racism. May the Divine fill our heart with humility, grace and love so that we gain greater understanding of our unified origin and thus realize the equality of all.
~ Sabia the Arabian Mystic ~
From the Black Light,
you blew particles
to the souls of the first soul,
gracefully holding the pen
of existence itself,
you dictated these secrets
to the euphoric beings
who embodied your cosmic,
whirling obscurity,
the very sign of Luminosity~
Look, your ancient Scrolls
scurry across space still,
and moved, we shed tears!
O Eastern Wind,
you who selflessly taught
the Way of the pure Heart,
we rejoice for you have come
anew to mirror the glory
of Allahu’s Love!
© 2013 Aïda Touré
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