I slept in a cave in the heart of Sparkbrook and it was magical

A cave has been created in the heart of Sparkbrook and it's offering a magical 'sleepover' - but act fast

The metal shutter clanged down behind me, a clap of a moment that marked the leaving of one world - a noisy, busy industrial estate in Sparkbrook - and arrival in another, all together more tranquil place.

I'd relied on the typical trappings of 21st century life to get here - my car, a website and sat nav directions - and was running late, like always. My blood pressure was probably up. I was already thinking ahead to my next appointment, and plotting my route out of here in my head.

Some time later, I was jolted awake by a clap of thunder overhead. I'd fallen asleep inside a sandy, desert cave, lit by flickering candles, everywhere dark, surrounded by strangers prone or seated on the hard floor. I wondered if I'd let out a snore but nobody seemed to be looking in my direction.

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Three little sisters close by were drawing shapes in the sand. An elderly lady was counting the beads on her tasbih as she gazed into the faux flames. Another woman was leaning up against a rock, adjusting her position to get comfortable, as the sound of rain pattered overhead. An older man also lay prone, nodding off.

My hand had fallen asleep under my leg, and I shook it back to life. I was inside a beautifully-crafted, shadowy cave, the latest of a series of immersive art installations to emerge from the mind of Mohammed Ali, the artist and driving force behind Soul City Arts based in Sparkbrook.

He designed 'Sleepers' in celebration of the Qu'ranic story of seven believers facing religious persecution who fled their city and took refuge in a cave. Under Allah's guidance, they slept for 309 years, emerging safely into a city of fellow believers. While there's a clear spiritual dimension, the cave installation also provides a temporary refuge from the desperate speed and fuss of modern city life.

"I knew the story of the Sleepers and it features in the Qu'ran, and I just thought, okay, let's build a cave. Not just that, let's create a cinematic experience to wrap around it," said Ali. "Caves are powerful symbols, they are places of mystery and shadows that you can't be certain what is lurking behind, but also places of refuge and peace. It was in a cave that the Qu'ran was revealed, in a cave that the prophet Mohammed went to meditate, caves feature in the Bible, there is power to a cave.

"We don't have access to caves in Birmingham so I just thought I'd make one." Over several days Ali and his team transformed the front of his warehouse space in Port Hope Road into a life-like cave carved in 'rock'. It was big enough for dozens, and high enough that it's not possible to see the roof in the darkness. It's the latest work by Ali to bring to life aspects of the Qu'ran and Islam for those of faith and none, all in a bid to aid cultural understanding and cohesion. "We have more in common" is a byphrase for his mission.

Inside the Cave

I visited earlier this week, and was among a group of around ten, all of them strangers to me. Together we entered through the tunnel 'portal' into the cave, aided by a guide who urged us not to use our phones. Otherwise instructions were minimal. She would be back in about 45 minutes, she told us.

A disembodied voice then filled the space briefly, reciting the Sleepers story in Arabic and English before urging us to rest. The voice faded. The silence that resulted was almost deafening.

I had a sudden urge to fiddle with the phone I'd left in my pocket. A man across from me couldn't resist - he took some photos, looked to be checking his messages, shone his light up into the cave corners. I was tetchy enough still to ask him to please not, and he put the phone away.

My mind was going ten to the dozen still. This was lovely, sure, but I've done it now, and I've got x, y and z to do before the day was over, and didn't really have time for this sitting around! But there was no way out; I should just make the best of it.

My mind began to clear. The faint sound of bird song and a breeze began to reach my ears. Over there was a scraping noise, up there something like a bat moved, the wind picked up. One of the little girls was using a stick to make patterns in the sand. I watched as the stick moved slowly to and fro.

The phone man lay down. The older lady was watching the girls, as I was watching her. She clutched her beads tightly in her hand. I wondered what she made of it.

There were more noises. The lights flickered, and I lay down, propped up on my elbow. I could feel the stress of the day receding.

I'm not sure how long I dozed - seconds, minutes or half an hour - but I was glad I didn't miss the time of active peace that came after I woke. I can't remember the last time I just sat still, anywhere, close to others but not speaking, communing quietly but not feeling compelled to engage. I was sad when our guide reappeared. I didn't want to leave the cave, or at least not the escape it gave me.

I'm tempted yet to grab one of the last spaces at the night time version of this installation. At night, up to seven 'sleepers' at a time get to stay over in sleeping bags. Ideally all strangers, they remain in the cave overnight, from 8pm to 8am, sharing food and stories and peace. Judging by the responses in this video clip, it's a positive experience for all.

Ali has worked his magic before. He was the mind behind Waswasa - Whispers in Prayer, a theatrical experience at the Hippodrome during the 2022 Games Festival which won plaudits. He recently got diners together in Chicago and Birmingham simultaneously to eat together, via a giant screen, while chefs an ocean apart created each other's food. He creates street art and protest stencils, rooted in his background as 'Aerosol Ali'.

He also seeks to bring communities together in understanding - most recently he hosted a private gathering of people from the far right, community leaders, people of all faiths and none, to discuss the aftermath of the summer's race riots.

Sleepers only runs until Sunday. Limited daytime spaces are available if you act fast. The University of Birmingham and The Arts Council support the project, one of several linked to the Qu'ran in the City programme. A fragment of one of the oldest known transcripts of the Qu'ran is held in Birmingham.