WASWASA: A unique immersive multi-displinary experience exploring Islamic spirituality and society
Celebrating creativity in Birmingham as part of 2022 festival
May 13, 2022, 8:18 pm

WASWASA: A unique immersive multi-displinary experience exploring Islamic spirituality and society

Unique multi-disciplinary theatrical experience from awarding winning Birmingham artist Mohammed Ali - Waswasa his biggest production to-date

Cutting edge and authentic exploration at Islamic Faith

At the Birmingham Hippodrome, 25 August- 03 September 2022

Waswasa – Whispers in Prayer, is one of the ten major commissions for the Birmingham 2022 Festival happening in this Summer. This immersive theatrical experience, by artist Mohammed Ali, will run for ten days at the Birmingham Hippodrome from 25 August – 3 September 2022.

Waswasa – Whispers in Prayer - explores the ritual of Islamic prayer and how the act places itself within a modern, secular society. The show aims to shed light on the true meaning behind the physical act of Islamic prayer, which has long been misunderstood.

Waswasa will be a unique, multi-disciplinary, live theatrical immersive experience combining art, music, movement, and spirituality, placing its audience at the core of the Islamic religion and at the very heart of the story.

The physical act of prayer extends beyond religious spaces and spills over into our everyday worlds. It is even visible in sports arenas with athletes prostrating to the ground or raising hands to the sky in moments of triumph. Waswasa is the Arabic word used to describe distractions from prayer. In these busy, tech-driven times many seek that elusive ‘flow state’ in other ways, whether through the gym, mediation, or yoga, but also fail because life is simply too busy.

Waswasa will draw parallels between the act of personal faith and the quest to achieve that calm. In this age of distraction, a simple act of worship can become a revolutionary act, a time to let go of ego and clear our minds of ‘waswasa’.

The audience will have time to explore an art installation lined with Islamic prayer mats graffitied with writings of dreams, visions and prayers created within the community before entering an intimate theatrical performance featuring music and film further exploring the theme of prayer, the physical act of Islamic prayer, the triumphs, and the struggles. Finally, the audience will have time to pause, reflect or pray and to see up close a replica of the famous Birmingham Qur’an, considered to be one of the world’s oldest manuscripts dating back to the 6th or 7th century.

Through the gathering of different communities coming to Waswasa to experience this unique show, Mohammed Ali together with the team at Soul City Arts hopes to demystify this familiar yet misunderstood physical tradition of Islamic prayer and challenge the audiences’ perception.

Artistic Director of Soul City Arts Mohammed Ali MBE says, “We’re incredibly proud to have been given this opportunity in B2022 to explore the concept of Islamic prayer, something we’ve wanted to do for some time and celebrate our voice in Waswasa, an uplifting cultural experience that welcomes everyone. We hope this immersive multi-disciplinary theatrical performance at the Birmingham Hippodrome will give the audience a window into the Islamic world and in some small way bring communities together. Gratitude goes to the B2022 team led by Martin Green for commissioning and supporting us on this epic project allowing us to tell this story which we hope will inspire, educate, surprise, and entertain our audiences. Thanks also to our partners at the Birmingham Hippodrome, University of Birmingham, University of Warwick and Guidhall Live Events, part of Guildhall School of Music & Drama.”

For more further information, press tickets and images please contact:

Borkowski Arts & Ents: +44 (0) 203 176 2700

George Franks / [email protected]

Notes to Editors

// INFO

Tickets here or contact the Box Office by calling 0844 338 5000

To find out more about Waswasa please watch the video here

Listings Information

Waswasa

Thursday 25 August – Saturday 03 September

Tickets start from £8

Performance: £15

Walk Through Experience: £8

Age Guidance: 11+

Running Time: 50 minutes

Max Numbers: 50

Waswasa Community Outreach Programme

Working with academic partners at the Universities of Warwick and Birmingham, the producers are inviting the public to contribute to Waswasa through a series of events, where they will be able to share their thoughts onto graffitied prayer mats. These prayer mats will be an integral part of the experience. These events will include a film screening, a curated discussion and food and refreshments will be provided.

Dates: 01/05/08/15/22 June 2022 Times TBC

About Mohammed Ali MBE: Mohammed Ali is a street artist, using art to share his reflections on the importance of faith, religion, and community. He has done this by fusing street art with Islamic scripts and patterns. His work serves as a bridge, bringing together communities that may divided by culture, faith, and ethnicity. Ali’s complex exploration of challenging social issues through art provides transformative and radical tools to counteract the challenges facing society.

Ali has created immersive theatrical experiences for audiences throughout the world, from the streets of New York, Amsterdam, London, and Melbourne, through to performances in the Vatican.

He is currently a Trustee at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and works strategically across different sectors to embed the arts into our daily lives. He is also an educator and passionate speaker, often advocating on the power of art to heal and grow.

About Soul City Arts: Soul City Arts, an arts organisation established by Mohammed Ali MBE in 2008, brings together artists, activists, academics, and communities. Its work is characterised by its commitment to connecting people through the arts in brilliant form. By celebrating their shared humanity, Soul City Arts seeks to reverse the isolation felt by some communities and thus build pride, civic engagement, and confidence.

Soul City Arts presents issues that are pertinent to all minority communities, whilst being sensitive to the specific of needs of individual communities. Themes of Islamophobia, segregation, poverty, racism, sexism, violence, and classism run throughout much of the organisation’s work – experiences which hold special meaning for some groups, though relevance for all.

Soul City Arts’ trademark involves bringing diverse communities together and using the arts to create platforms for all to speak. They capture the stories and themes reflecting individual and community experiences and engage their public as co-producers and co-authors in this work. Soul City Arts believes that collaboration and representation are key to building stronger, more connected communities.

For more about Soul City Arts and the WASWASA project please press here

About the Partners:

Waswasa is delivered in association with Birmingham Hippodrome, University of Birmingham, University of Warwick and Guidhall Live Events, part of Guildhall School of Music & Drama. Students and Academics are engaged in the process of building this show with Mohammed Ali and his Soul City Arts team.

Waswasa is presented by the Birmingham 2022 Festival, that is a part of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.