Bukhari: Islamic Art Exhibition Launched for Malaysian Audiences

THE virtual tour to the “Bukhari: Islamic Art Exhibition” has been jointly launched by the

Imam Bukhari International Scientific-Research Centre (Uzbekistan), Institute of Islam Hadhari, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Dacore IT LLC, University of Leicester, United Kingdom in partnership with the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Malaysia on 31st May 2021 for the Malaysian audiences. The event brought together more than 120 participants from Uzbekistan, Malaysia, Australia, Germany, Indonesia, Thailand, Turkey and United Kingdom.

In this Islamic art exhibition, a variety of artistic expressions are used to express appreciation for Imam al-Bukhari's heritage. This virtual exhibition aims to share the noble message of Islam as a peaceful, kind, and tolerant religion that is based upon universal values, drawn from the research and journey undertaken by Imam al Bukhari in collecting and identifying authentic (sahih) hadiths. The virtual exhibition features a variety of contemporary art pieces inspired by Prophet Muhammad’s hadiths represented by al-Bukhari’s hadith collection.

In this virtual exhibition, renowned masters and young artists who had participated in international festivals were brought together by a common connection to their spiritual roots. The virtual exhibition features amazing miniature artist Davlat Toshev, talented orientalist Kamoliddin Abdullaev, and talented young artists Sheikha Abdullaeva and Yokub Beknazarov, as well as photographer Mukhiddin A Lee. As part of the exhibition, the internationally renowned chamber orchestra of Uzbekistan's national instruments "Sogdiana" composed a new composition, "Zikr."

During his remarks for this event, Uzbekistan's Ambassador to Malaysia, H.E. Ravshan Usmanov insisted the intellectual discourse is part of ongoing cooperation and will help promote the legacy of Islamic civilization, as well as provide a better understanding of Uzbekistan's vast tourism potential.

“I believe today this will be a wonderful opportunity to rediscover the rich cultural heritage of Uzbekistan, its ornate and symbolic arts and crafts, as well as gain insight into the legacy of one of the great medieval thinkers – Imam Bukhari,” said Mr Usmanov.

Prof Fariza Md Sham, Director of the Institute of Islam Hadhari (Institue of Islamic Civilization), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia saw the event as a stepping stone for further collaboration with Uzbekistan’s institutions, notably Imam Bukhari International Scientific-Research Center. Additionally, initiatives such as furthering research collaboration, staff and student mobility, and promoting mutual tourism should be explored.

The Director of Institute of Islam Hadhari, UKM ended her speech with a quotation from Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani regarding Imam al-Bukhari:

"If the door of praise and admiration to al-Bukhari is still open for future generations, all the papers and breath will be gone because the admiration is like an endless ocean."

Sheikh Atabek Shukurov, Islamic Scholar founder of Maturidi Institute, United Kingdom also gives his comment during the event. He preferred to call that period of time as a golden age of human history which was created by Muslim scholars in Central Asia. He gave a summary of al-Bukhari’s life, who is a top leading Athary movement, his family, the intellectual discourse and rivalry, and his scholarship endeavours. al-Bukhari's other book entitled ‘Adab al-Mufrad’, is a sign of affection and attachment of him with his mother who significantly contributed to his amazing scholarship quality. To him, al-Bukhari is the man of heart, who loves people and holds appreciation. As a result of his popularity, he became more influential in the wider Muslim community. There are many lessons in his life for the current generation, as Sheikh Atabek Shukurov put it.

In this program, several scholars from Malaysian leading universities provided their insights regarding the virtual exhibition. Associate Prof. Dr Roziah Sidik @ Mat Sidek, Research Fellow, Institute of Islam Hadhari, UKM commended the event as an unprecedented initiative that connects art with hadith and the Quran. Through this virtual exhibition, she was intrigued by the composed music. According to her, music has functions in the spiritual journey of Muslims that extend beyond discourses about halal and haram. The second discussant, Prof. Dr Kamaruzaman Yusof of University Technology Malaysia argued that Imam al-Bukhari is not only the man of Hadith but also a great Sunni Imam scholar. A historian such as him pondered on Bukhari’s influence on Middle Eastern culture. His question received a long response from Sheikh Atabek Shukurov. The third discussant, Prof. Dr Mohd Roslan Mohd Nor from the University of Malaya, argued that al-Bukhari's work is considered trustworthy after the Quran, and preachers in Malaysia need to disseminate more of his work.

The virtual exhibition and this intellectual discourse are only a few drops of water in the ocean of al-Bukhari's contributions. There are expected to be more collaborative works between Malaysia's Institute of Islam Hadhari, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, and Uzbekistan's academic and research institutions in the near future.