Who We Are

The MENARAH Initiative (Middle Eastern and North African Research in Art and History) at The University of Texas at Dallas is an interdisciplinary platform devoted to exploring Islamic art, architecture and material culture through creativity, digital innovation and public engagement. 

Directed by Dr. Ali Asgar Alibhai, assistant professor of art history in the Harry W. Bass Jr. Bass School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology and affiliate of the Edith O’Donnell Institute of Art History (EODIAH), MENARAH serves as both a research hub and a creative lab where students transform academic study into hands-on, community-driven projects in film, design, calligraphy and digital heritage.

Since its founding in 2024, MENARAH has produced international collaborations, student-led exhibitions and digital reconstructions of medieval monuments while also beginning production of a feature-length documentary on the history of the city of Fez, titled Beyond the Blue Gate, and a video-game learning experience, Muqaddima: Exploring the Great Mosque of Kairouan, a pedagogical tool for teaching Islamic art. Together, these initiatives express MENARAH’s mission: connecting the past and present while training the next generation of scholars, artists and storytellers to interpret history through creative and technological means.

What We’re Doing and Why It Matters

This year, MENARAH is expanding its reach with a set of public programs, workshops and digital-heritage projects that bring Islamic art and architecture to the UT Dallas campus and the greater Dallas-Fort Worth community. 

Islamic Art Workshop Series: Calligraphy and Ornament

Our Islamic Art Workshop Series consists of six-hour hands-on experiences that introduce participants to the sacred discipline of Arabic calligraphy and the geometry of Islamic ornament. Led by trained calligraphers and UT Dallas PhD students Mahdi Dolatyari and Farzana Razzaque, each session invites participants to write with the traditional qalam (bamboo pen), prepare ink and explore the proportional beauty of scripts such as Riqāʿ, Thuluth and Nastaʿlīq.

Building on this foundation, MENARAH will expand the series to include modules on pattern, design and material craft, helping students and community members engage deeply with the philosophical and visual traditions of Islamic aesthetics.

Public Talk on Islamic Architecture (Spring 2026)

MENARAH will host a public lecture and conversation on Islamic architecture, featuring a distinguished international author and scholar. Open to all, this event will highlight the architectural legacy of the Islamic world and its enduring influence today. The talk will be recorded and shared online, creating a freely accessible educational resource for students, educators and the wider community.

Student Exhibitions at UT Dallas

MENARAH students have already curated two successful public exhibitions in the ATEC Dean’s Suite Gallery: Art of the Margins (fall 2024) and Arts of Mughal India (spring 2025). Our next student exhibition (2026) will be focused on the Artistic Legacy of Islamic Sicily, exploring cross-cultural exchange, ornament and symbolism through art, architecture and digital design.

These exhibitions allow students to practice curation, design and research presentation — skills that prepare them for professional success while enriching campus culture.

The MENARAH Digital Heritage Initiative

We are building an interactive ArcGIS database to document the art, architecture and material culture of historic Islamic cities. This project includes a growing digital archive of 19th- and early 20th-century postcards, maps and images, beginning with Fez (Morocco) and Kairouan (Tunisia).

By participating in these research projects, MENARAH students develop professional portfolios that combine art history, GIS mapping and digital curation. All student stipends provided by MENARAH directly support their participation in this research initiative, helping them gain valuable experience, publishable outcomes and stronger CVs for future careers.

Our Fundraising Goal and How Funds Will Be Used

Our goal is to raise $3,500 to sustain MENARAH’s workshops, public talks, exhibitions and digital-heritage initiatives.

 Your gift will:

• Provide stipends for student researchers, instructors and curators leading MENARAH programs.
•  Fund materials and tools for Islamic art workshops (qalam, ink and paper).
•  Cover honoraria and logistical support for the public Islamic architecture lecture.
•  Support printing, mounting and design for student exhibitions.
•  Sustain digital archiving and mapping work for the Fez and Kairouan databases.

Every contribution helps our students grow as scholars, artists and professionals while expanding MENARAH’s mission of merging creativity, scholarship and technology.

Stretch Goals

 If we surpass our $3,500 target, additional funds will allow us to:

• Produce short social-media videos on Islamic art and architecture, created by MENARAH students.
•  Host additional art workshops and community classes in Fall 2026.
• Develop open-access lesson plans and digital resources for educators and museums worldwide. 

Our Impact

MENARAH students have presented their work at prestigious national and international conferences, showcasing UT Dallas as a leader in innovative, student-driven humanities research. Each project fosters critical thinking, cultural literacy and creative confidence — core values of a global education.

By supporting this campaign, you help build bridges between art and technology, past and present, Dallas and the wider world. You help sustain an academic space where creativity becomes a form of scholarship and scholarship becomes a public good.

Help us GROW!

Together we can expand opportunities for students, strengthen community engagement and keep Islamic art, history and creativity alive at UT Dallas.

 Learn More and Stay Connected

 Website: www.menarah.com 

 Instagram: @menarahcenter