Squeamish Bikini
  • Home
  • Squeamish Features
  • Squeamish Reviews
  • Squeamish News
  • Squeamish Contact
  • About Squeamish

Journey to a Lady's heart

26/1/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
The British Museum Image:Eduardo Otubo
Oh the British Museum must be paying a little more attention to celebrity news. Liam Neeson could not have timed his comment that he’s considering a conversion to Islam any better. Today marks the opening of the museum’s new exhibition, Hajj: journey to the heart of Islam opens today.

The exhibition examines the importance of the Hajj as one of the Five Pillars of Islam for Muslims and how this spiritual journey has changed over time. 

No non-Muslims are welcome to observe the rituals described by the exhibition. Nor can they visit the sites. It is the sacred duty of all Muslims to complete the pilgrimage to Mecca. The rituals have remained the same for centuries. The exhibition displays ancient scrolls and more recent travel diaries, from the explorer Richard Burton, whose accounts of travelling in disguise in 1853 became a best seller.

But it’s the story of Lady Evelyn Cobbold that I find fascinating. Not interested in the princess exhibition? This lady ain’t no princess, as they say…

Lady Cobbold was the daughter of the 7th Earl of Dunmore and converted to Islam in the late 1800s, believing Islam to be the “religion of common sense”.

Lady Cobbold had spent many childhood winters in North Africa and it is during those visits she became familiar with Islam. After her marriage to John Dupius Cobbold in 1891 soured she turned to the place of her formative years, North Africa, for succour. The couple separated in 1922. She later wrote: "It seems that I have always been a Moslem."

Her interest did not develop into conversion until a visit to Italy, where some Italian friends organised an audience with the Pope. Lady Cobbold wrote:

"Of course I was thrilled. When His Holiness suddenly addressed me by asking if I was a Catholic I was taken aback for a moment then replied that I was a Moslem. What possessed me I don't pretend to know as I had not given a thought to Islam for many years. A match was lit and then and there I determined to read up and study the faith."

The Mayfair socialite changed her name to Zainab, sharing the name with the eldest daughter of the Prophet Mohammed.

In 1933 at the age of 65 Lady Cobbold made the required pilgrimage to Mecca and became the first British born Muslim woman to do so.

Lady Evelyn Cobbold died in 1963 aged 96. She was buried on her Scottish estate at Glencarron, Wester Ross.

The exhibition runs from 26 January to 15 April 2012
Admission charges apply


Squeamish Kate
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011

    Categories

    All
    Books
    Booze
    Cinematic
    Dress Up
    Educating Sue
    Educating Sue
    Friday 5
    Friday 5
    Geekery
    Gender Agender
    Gender Agender
    Glitter And Twisted
    Glitter And Twisted
    History Repeating
    History Repeating
    How To
    Just A Thought
    Just A Thought
    Let's Get Political
    Let's Get Political
    Music
    Nom Nom Nom
    Nostalgia
    Tellybox
    Why You Should Love

    RSS Feed


Squeamish Bikini

About
Contact us
Write for us

Newsletter

Picture
     Copyright © 2013