Voices from The Albukhary Foundation Gallery of the Islamic World, British Museum

William Dalrymple is a Scottish historian and writer, art historian and curator, as well as a prominent broadcaster and critic. His specialism is the Asian subcontinent.

His books have won numerous awards and prizes, including the Duff Cooper Memorial Prize, the Thomas Cook Travel Book Award, the Sunday Times Young British Writer of the Year Award, the Hemingway, the Kapuściński and the Wolfson Prizes. He has been four times longlisted and once shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize for non-fiction. He is also one of the co-founders and co-directors of the annual Jaipur Literature Festival.

William Dalrymple on tobacco and the Mughal pursuit of beauty #Voices

Jim Al-Khalili on the astrolabe and the Islamic world's contribution to science #Voices

Afifi Al-Akiti: the Ka'ba tile - a blueprint for harmony #Voices

Qaisra Khan: the Ka'ba tile - a memento of pilgrimage #Voices

Yusuf / Cat Stevens is a British singer-songwriter and philanthropist, born and raised a stone's throw from the British Museum, WC1. He penned some of the most treasured songs in Pop/Folk history, including 'Father and Son', 'Wild World' and 'First Cut is the Deepest' selling over 80 million records in a career spanning over 50 years. He famously converted to Islam in 1977 turning his back on the Music industry to focus his attention on charity and education. In 2006 Yusuf returned to popular music and touring using music as a bridge between different cultures and faiths.

Yusuf/Cat Stevens: Music, Islam and why I still carry a guitar #Voices

Narguess Farzad: From tiles to bumper stickers, the lasting power of Persian epic poetry #Voices

Idris Khan: making '21 Stones' #Voices

James Allan on the history of Iranian alams #Voices

Seth Priestman is a former curator in the Middle East department where he led the British Museum Siraf Project. He is an experienced archaeologists and finds specialist focusing on the Late Antique and Medieval periods in the Middle East, Transcaucasia and the Indian Ocean world. His research addresses the themes of ancient economy, patterns of production and exchange and settlement dynamics using key archaeology datasets to interrogate the historical context.’

Seth Priestman on Siraf and the difficulty of understanding medieval Indian Ocean Trade #Voices

Reza Shah-Kazemi on the catharsis of the Muharram procession #Voices

Doris Abouseif on the legacy of the Mamluk sultanate #Voices

Mina Salama playing the ney #Voices

Irving Finkle: Chess and backgammon - world conquerors #Voices

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