Akbar Ahmed - Two Plays: Noor and The Trial of Dara Shikoh

Noor is the tale of three brothers attempting to rescue their sister Noor, who has been kidnapped during Ramadan. Each brother represents a different ideological position in the contemporary Islamic world. While exploring the crisis of modern Islam, Noor is a heartfelt treatise for religious tolerance. Ahmed points out that the play could be set in Baghdad but also Cairo, Karachi or Kabul. The Trial of Dara Shikoh tells the story of the eldest son of 17th century Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan. Heir apparent, Dara Shikoh is a learned scholar with a strong belief in the unity of different faiths: Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Christianity and Judaism. Ahmed’s play highlights the complex issue of religious interpretation within a human context, set in the 17th century, its text resonating just as strongly for the contemporary reader.