Akbar Ahmed Two Plays

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; the play could be set in Baghdad but also in Cairo, Karachi or Kabul. While exploring the crisis of modern Islam, Noor is a heartfelt treatise for religious tolerance. 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. Dara Shikoh highlights the complex issue of religious interpretation within a human context. Although the time frame is four centuries ago, its text resonates just as strongly for the contemporary reader.