As the first Arabic Calligraphic public artwork, they chose a very significant verse from The Holy
Quran. The first word revealed to Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be Upon Him ), by
Angel Gabriel, was “Iqra” meaning “Read”. This is how the Islamic system was born. It talks
about opening yourself up to knowledge-based progression. There is a renewed enthusiasm
for the academic study of the Quran. This lead us to the concept of “ Iqrah Bismi Rabbi
Kallathee Khalaq – READ, In the name of Your Lord who has created.(all that exists)” We
wanted to inspire people, especially youth through our message to seek knowledge. With
knowledge comes power. The power to overcome any obstacle. We wanted to showcase our
cultural heritage of the Cape Town Muslim Community by incorporating our fusion of cultures in
our design. We had chosen a fusion of modern and traditional style artwork to appeal to the
older and younger generation. Innovation of Islamic Art being done but in a positive manner
