Flow of the Kaaba
Medina
Available sizes:
$200 • Large: 16×11 print, matted to 20×16 2mm Styrene board
$100 • Medium: 8x10 print, matted to 11x14 2mm Styrene board
$55 • Small: 5×7 print, matted to 8×10 3/4" foam board
Production time is 3-4 days.
Printed on Moab Estrada Bright Rag, a 100% cotton, museum-grade archival paper known for its soft texture, depth, and tonal richness.
The 5x7 print matted on 8x10 3/4" foam board is an intimate, shelf-ready piece designed to be propped or leaned. Beautiful on a desk, nightstand, bookshelf or entryway table. Due to its thickness, it does not fit standard frames and is best styled in non traditional frames or displayed unframed.
The medium and large sizes are matted and mounted to 2mm styrene board, perfect for traditional framing.
Tawaf (circumambulation of the Kaaba) is one of the most recognizable parts of Hajj. To complete a Tawaf you must walk around the Kaaba 7 times. During Hajj I completed 3 separate Tawafs and each one was a vastly different experience.
They say the answer to the first prayer you make after you set your eyes on the Kaaba is granted. Here I was thousands of miles away and Nadia was still at the top of my mind. It only makes sense since Nadia has been such a light in my life... so naturally my first prayer was for her. I completed the first Tawaf and it felt utterly serene, dreamlike. So many Muslims never get to complete this journey for one reason or another and here I am.
Several days passed and it was time for my second Tawaf. This time I kept getting pushed and elbowed which was honestly infuriating. I was so disappointed and found myself grappling not just with those around me, but more importantly with my heart. The grappling of my heart continued for several days. The upset and anger was deep but Hajj is not a vacation, Hajj is a journey into your heart - and Hajj was Hajjing. These circumambulations could be done with ease, they could be gentle without pushing or shoving and yet here we are jockeying for no reason at all. I found myself disappointed in those around me while forgetting that being disappointed is a choice.
“Hajj is Hajjing” became a saying for me. It’d remind me that I wasn't here for comfort, I was here for the work of my soul. This presence gave me a level of peace I’ve never felt before. The third Tawaf felt almost like I was floating, not touched by another person - yet it was packed. I wasn't trying to force my way, I was allowing myself to be guided and I think that was the biggest difference.
This photo was shot on Kodak Portra 400 on a Canon P and was developed and scanned by Photovision. Aside from cropping adjustments, these photos are completely unedited. In a day when artificial intelligence can make aesthetically perfect images I wanted these images to be exactly as my eye saw them. Real and authentic.
Wherever you go, there you are.
Unknown
Akbar Sayed is known for creating photographs that capture not only the image, but the soul of a moment. His path into photography began while in nursing school, where empathy and human connection shaped the way he learned to see.
His photography has been featured in Washingtonian, The New York Times, and numerous other publications, and he is a four-time Washingtonian Weddings Editors’ Choice recipient. He lives in Ellicott City, Maryland with his wife and three children, where love, legacy, and storytelling guide everything he creates.
Revered for his editorial, yet emotive imagery & published countless times.
Meet Akbar Sayed
