Meditative Moon Walk

 

Yesterday we zipped up to Toronto to take advantage of free admission into the Aga Khan Museum on Wednesday evenings. We were keen to take in the exhibit The Moon: A Voyage Through Time, which was designed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the first lunar landing and moon walk in 1969. 

As the brochure indicates (above), the exhibit takes us through the wonder, beauty, and knowledge of the moon in the Islamic tradition. As with Judaism, Muslim festivals and holy days are often tied to the phases of the moon. The Islamic practice of praying five times a day comes from a vision of the Prophet Mohammad who ascended at night-time into the heavens. 

 

We were also impressed by the significant advancements in astronomy by Muslim observers. As with Judaism and Christianity, a sense of awe and wonder in surveying the night skies led to scientific observation and discovery. 

Of course, this year the Jewish Passover begins on April 19th, the evening of the full moon. This is Good Friday for Christians and Easter is always on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the Spring equinox.

I would certainly recommend a trip to the Aga Khan for both this exhibit and the general collection. This museum is a tranquil jewel, a place of beauty and revelation about the history and contributions of Islam. It is an important antidote to creeping suspicion and anti-Islamic sentiment in North America. 

Oh yes, the Israelis landed a small spacecraft on the moon today!



  Moon sculpture Aga Khan Museum