ABSTRACT
In Islamic mythology, the prophet Muhammad journeys from Mecca to Jerusalem to the heavens, hell, and back again in a single night. Al Buraq, a human-headed flying steed, carries Muhammad on this “Night Journey.” Al Buraq is a liminal creature: grammatically, al Buraq is both masculine and feminine; additionally, al Buraq is able to move between the earthly and spiritual worlds. It is this double fluidity and in-betweenness that makes al Buraq a figure ripe for exploration of liminality. Analyzing works by artists such as Saba Taj, Chaza Charafeddine, Yasmine Kasem, Arshia Fatima Haq, and Mohamad Said Baalbaki, this chapter investigates the varying ways contemporary SWANA (South West Asia and North Africa) artists have incorporated al Buraq into their works, from articulations of queer and trans identities to ambiguities of fact and fiction.
