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Patterns from the Al Aqsa Mosque

Al Aqsa Mosque
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Subject

Geometry

Dates

25 April – 23 May 2025

Time

10:00 – 13:00

Full price

£180

Tutor

Mohammad Abdul Aziz

About

Explore geometric patterns from the Al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem. This site is unique in that construction of its various buildings spanned a number of Islamic caliphates, including the Umayyad, Mamluk and Ottoman periods. Craftspeople and artisans not only applied geometric patterns across time, but also a variety of materials, including woodwork, marble, glass, and stucco carving. This course gives students an understanding of how the fundamentals of Islamic geometry were used to create a beautiful place of worship, across different buildings and time periods. We will look at how patterns from the same family are expressed in different ways as stars or rosettes and also how patterns from different Islamic periods share the same construction.   

Key Information

Who is this course for?

All levels of ability and experience are welcome. You must be aged 18 or over to participate in our online programmes.

When will the workshop take place?

This workshop will take place on Fridays, 25 April, 2, 9, 16, 23 May 2025, 10:00 – 13:00

What materials do I need?

  • a range of pencils, 6B – 4H
  • Eraser, sharpener and ruler (at least 30 cm)
  • Coloured pencils and/or coloured fine-liner markers
  • A standard compass. We recommend the Mars Staedtler 551 02 Comfort Bow Compass.
  • A3 paper
  • A3 tracing paper
  • Masking tape

Online Learning

How do I attend the online class?

This class will take place on Zoom, an online meeting platform. A link for joining the Zoom meeting will be sent before the start date.

Handouts and recordings of sessions will be made available via Thinkific, our online learning platform, for a period of 3 months after the end of the workshop.

What if I have questions during the workshop?

Students will be able to ask questions via chat or unmuting themselves. Students will also have access to our online learning platform, Thinkific, where we share supplementary content.

I live in a different time zone, can I still attend?

We encourage you to attend the course in real time to really benefit from instruction; however, if you are unable to attend live due to the difference in time you can catch up via recordings on our online learning platform, Thinkific. These recordings are available for a limited time after the course.

Recordings cannot be purchased separately if the course is fully booked or if the course has already started.

Tips:

You must download the Zoom app and create a free account before the class begins, so that you can use the full range of features:

  • You can create your free account here
  • You can download the Zoom app onto your computer or device here

FAQs

Do you offer concessions?

Yes, we offer concessions for full-time students and Seniors/60+.

Concessions cannot be applied in retrospect. To receive a concession, please apply via our online form. We will then send you a discount code to use when booking your space.

What if I need to change or cancel my booking?

No refunds, unless cancelled by the School. If you cancel up to 1 week before the workshop starts, we can offer a transfer to another workshop of equivalent value, subject to availability.

Tutor Biography

Mohammad Abdul Aziz is a geometer and scholar in Islamic sciences, theology and jurisprudence. He is a graduate of the Institute of Islamic Education, Dewsbury, receiving the titles of Qari’ and Alim. In 2020 he graduated with a Masters in Visual Islamic and Traditional Arts from The Princes Foundation School of Tradition Arts, where he focused on Islamic geometry and the spiritual aspect of the art.

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