In a recent Cambridge Muslim College ‘Tea Over Books’ session, designer Peter Gould and author Professor Rehan Khan unveiled Tales of Khayaal, a groundbreaking transmedia project that fuses sci-fi fantasy with the depths of the Islamic tradition.
Hosted by Dr. Abdallah Rothman, the discussion challenged the notion that fantasy is merely escapism. Instead, the authors framed their work as an exploration of the ‘alam – the imaginal realm – positing that story is a powerful vehicle for spiritual remembrance in an era dominated by technological
Moving beyond nihilistic tropes, Gould and Khan have built a “fictional sandbox” where characters navigate moral dilemmas and spiritual wayfaring
The world features a spiritual system where characters access abilities by “seeing with the heart,” serving as an allegory for uncovering dormant human capacities.
The project spans books, animation, and video games. The creators are intentionally building these interfaces to invite audiences into a space of reflection rather than mere consumption.
“It’s not an escape from reality,” Dr. Rothman noted. “It’s an opportunity for us to explore what reality really is and expand our perception of it”.
Tales of Khayaal is more than a creative venture; it is an effort to revive sacred storytelling for the modern age.
