Sharjah has launched its celebrations to mark the Sharjah Islamic Culture Capital 2014 with an epic musical show titled ‘Clusters of Light’ which depicts the true story of Islam.

The 90-minute-long show that aimed to rebrand the religion was mesmerizing for its use of many projectors that bathed the entire stage.

The show, which featured more than 200 actors and 70 musicians with cinematic visuals and live performances, narrated the story of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) from his birth to his death.

The show started with the pre-Islamic period, showcasing the worship of idols and the popularly-known Year of the Elephant, in which Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was born.

The production also illustrated the historical journey of Isra wal Miraj, the first migration to Abyssinia and the major migration to Medina, the different Islamic battles, and finally the death of the Prophet.

Renowned Arab singers Hussain Al Jassmi, Ali Hajar, Lotfi Bouchnak, and Mohammed Assaf blew the crowd away with their impressive vocals as they sang the story of Islam’s beginnings.

The opening was inaugurated by Sharjah ruler Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, at the newly constructed Roman-styled amphitheater on Al-Majaz Island.

The 4,500-seater amphitheater, worth AED140 million, will be the official venue for the Sharjah Capital of Islamic Culture (SICC) 2014 celebrations and other international cultural and art events in future.

Clusters of Light was written by Abdul Rahman Al Ashmawi, a Saudi poet, and composed by the Bahraini artist Khalid Al-Shaikh.

The soundtrack was recorded by the German Film Orchestra Babelsberg in Berlin, led by the German composer Christian Steinhauser.

The show will be staged until April 4 at the amphitheater and will be staged in many other countries including Malaysia and Turkey.

AbdulAziz Othman Al-Twaijiri, director general of the Islamic Education Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), said the selection of Sharjah as the Islamic culture capital had been reached after the emirate fulfilled all the criteria of its contribution to the science and culture of Islam.

Sources told Arab News that there are tentative plans to translate the show into other languages with a view to attracting non-Muslim audiences worldwide.

The opening ceremony was attended by a number of sheikhs, UAE ministers and top officials from different countries.