A number of international artists taking part in the “Imam al-Mahdi Art” event spoke of their happiness and pride in participating in this artistic festival. They emphasized that the event carries an important message that should be placed in the service of society and its preparation—particularly with regard to the defining features of awaiting the Imam al-Mahdi (may God hasten his noble reappearance), which they described as one of the most significant realities of the contemporary world.
They further noted that the “Imam al-Mahdi Art” event was filled with positive energy for them, especially as they depicted, with their own hands and in the vicinity of the shrine of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him), artistic visions inspired by the blessed advent.
Artist Muhsin Gharib from Bahrain stated:
“On my own behalf and on behalf of the other artists participating in this gathering and this heavenly artistic event, I extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to Imam Ali Holy Shrine and the Qaf Art and Media Foundation for organizing this program.”
He added:
“Throughout my life, I have participated in nearly seventy events, yet I consider this program the most significant in terms of its distinction and the positive energy we receive from this sacred place—the shrine of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him)—a place of immense value to us. As artists who walk in the path and thought of the Ahl al-Bayt (peace be upon them), we hope to live up to the responsibility entrusted to us.”
Chinese visual artist Haj Noor al-Din Mingo from China said:
“I am a calligrapher from China, and for the first time I have been granted the honor of visiting this sacred place—Najaf al-Ashraf and the Holy Alawi Shrine. I witnessed the lofty Islamic art created by the hands of creative Iraqi artists, and I am very pleased to be present at this festival and to participate in this important event, which brings together Islamic arts alongside calligraphy and illumination.”
The Chinese artist presented an artistic work bearing the phrase “In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate” and donated it to the Holy Alawi Shrine.
Masoud Nejabati, an artist from the Islamic Republic of Iran, also remarked:
“We have been granted the honor of being in the vicinity of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him), and this is truly a blessing. We consider this festival a valuable event in terms of its artworks, paintings, content, and the diversity of the artistic forms presented, and we hope it will serve as a gateway to future artistic projects. Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) stands at the pinnacle of eloquence and rhetoric and occupies an exalted linguistic position. We hope that this festival will authentically reflect the art of expectation—an art that moves toward shaping modernity. We will also address how modernity can be produced and employed in the service of religion, faith, and society, for art is a powerful instrument for conveying the right message, unlike certain Western approaches that sometimes employ art through negative methods.”
