Malaysian artist Abdulhalim bin Omar uses Zamzam holy water to paint art that is distinguished for its unique Islamic style.
Abdulhalim told Al Arabiya that he began drawing using Zamzam water five years ago after he attained a fatwa (religious edict) from Malaysia’s mufti.
“He told me it was permissible, and I began to use Zamzam water in my drawings,” he explained, adding that he then began holding several exhibitions across the country.
Abdulhalim voiced hope that his works will be famous in an Arab country such as Egypt, the UAE or Saudi Arabia.
“This art is my way of thanking God for the talents he gave me,” he added.
He also said that while drawing, he repeats short phrases or prayers silently – this is called “dhikr” in Islam.
“I feel reassured and comforted. And I also use dhikr in my drawings as I’ve drawn 4 million words of the names of Allah in Islam in one painting,” Abdulhalim said, adding that many Malaysians positively reacted to this piece.
He said that the biggest challenge was drawing the door and kiswah of Kaaba using Zamzam water as they included a lot of details.
Asked about his next project, Abdulhalim said it would be to draw the Quran surahs while adding the name Allah on every page.
“I hope I’ll be honored to pray and draw the Kaaba directly from there while drinking the holy water of Zamzam in Mecca. I pray to God to help me achieve this dream,” he added.
