2. TO BE COVERED
Islamic Art: A Sociological Introduction
Islamic Art: A “Sociological” Introduction
Islam on Visual Arts
Islamic Art as Sacred Art
Islamic Art as Sacred Art
Islamic Art as Applied Art
Depiction of Non Muslim Prophets in Visual Art
Depiction of Non Muslim Prophets in Visual Art
Depiction of Prophet Muhammad in Visual Art

3. ISLAMIC ART: A “SOCIOLOGICAL”
INTRODUCTION PART#1
Visual arts produced from the 7th century onwards
by people, not necessarily Muslim, who lived within
the territory that was inhabited by or ruled by
culturally Islamic populations.
The
Th environment is the dominant role of Islamic Art
i
t i th d i
t l fI l i A t
and its quality is essentially contemplative.”
Titus Burckhardt
Titus Burckhardt

4. ISLAMIC ART: A “SOCIOLOGICAL”
INTRODUCTION PART#2
Depiction of patterns and geometric shapes, rather
than on figures and images | why?
The fundamental testimony of Islam la ilaha illallah,
the simple rationale
Portraiture of the messengers and/or prophets is
avoided, not only because their images could
become the object of idol worship, but also because
become the object of idol worship but also because
of the respect inspired by their inimitability

5. ISLAMIC ART: A “SOCIOLOGICAL”
INTRODUCTION PART#3
Islamic Art began as a form of sacred Art, but later as
applied Art deviating sometimes from the religious
guidance on depiction of figures and images.
To portray Allah, artists quested for perfection, and
found geometrical shapes as the best solution.
f
d
ti l h
th b t l ti
In the course of time Artists played with various
forms of Islamic Art, again sometimes disregarding
forms of Islamic Art again sometimes disregarding
the religious barriers, but never went too far from
the basic language of it, perfection.
the basic language of it, perfection.

6. ISLAM ON VISUAL ARTS PART#1
“Whoever makes a picture will be punished by Allah
p
p
y
till he puts life in it, and he will never be able to put
life in it.” Bukhari 3:428
“… Angels do not enter a house wherein there are
“
l d
h
h
h
pictures.” Bukhari 4:47
“Those are the people who whenever a pious man
Those are the people who, whenever a pious man
dies amongst them, make a place of worship at his
grave and then they make those pictures in it. Those
are the worst creatures in the Sight of Allah.” Bukhari
2:425

7. ISLAM ON VISUAL ARTS PART#2
“Allah says that he created humans in the most
Allah says that he created humans in the most
perfect shape.” At Teen 94:4
“Satan promised Allah that he will command us to
p
manipulate and change the creation of Allah.”
An‐Nesa 4:119

8. ISLAMIC ART AS SACRED ART PART#1
Imagery intended to uplift the mind to the spiritual.
Imagery intended to uplift the mind to the spiritual.
It can be an object to be venerated not for what it is
but for what it represents
Radiates the beauty of the worship and, at the same
time, protects it
“Oh sons of Adam wear your beautiful garments in
every place of prayer.” Al A’raf 7:31

9. ISLAMIC ART AS SACRED ART PART#2
Mihrabs and Minbars as mostly practiced forms of
and Minbars as mostly practiced forms of
Islamic sacred Art
Mihrab, the prayer‐niche, is indisputably a creation
,
p y
,
p
y
of sacred Art, and has become in practice a regular
element in the liturgy.
Minbar, a pulpit, is a must in a mosque where the
Friday prayers are celebrated together.

10. ISLAMIC ART AS SACRED ART PART#3
3
Mihrab
in the Mosque at Isfahan
in the Mosque at Isfahan
Minbar
at the Sultan Hasan Mosque

11. ISLAMIC ART AS APPILED ART PART#1
The application of design and aesthetics to objects of
The application of design and aesthetics to objects of
function and everyday use.
Some definite forms of Islamic Art who have revealed
in applied forms: rugs and carpets, ceramic
accessories, glass accessories, metal accessories, and
apparels

12. ISLAMIC ART AS APPLIED ART PART#2
A classic
Islamic carpet
Islamic carpet

13. ISLAMIC ART AS APPLIED ART PART#3
3
A traditional
Islamic ceramic bowl
Women in burqah

14. DEPICTION OF NON MUSLIM
PROPHETS IN VISUAL ART
Devta, Devi, and Avatar in Hinduism
Buddha the Entlighed in Buddhism
Moses in Judaism
Jesus the Christ in Christianity
y

15. DEPICTION OF NON MUSLIM
PROPHETS IN VISUAL ART HINDUISM
The Trimurti: The cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction are
personified by the forms of Brahmā the creator, Vishnu the maintainer, and Shiva the
destructor

16. DEPICTION OF NON MUSLIM
PROPHETS IN VISUAL ART BUDDISM
Head of Buddha, secured from the
destruction done by the Afghans

17. DEPICTION OF NON MUSLIM
PROPHETS IN VISUAL ART JUDAISM
Moses pleading with the Children of Israel
Lithography from a Bible card published in 1907

18. DEPICTION OF NON MUSLIM
PROPHETS IN VISUAL ART CHRISTIANITY
The Creation of Adam is a section of Michelangelo s fresco Sistine Chapel
The Creation of Adam is a section of Michelangelo's fresco Sistine Chapel
ceiling painted circa 1512. Inspired from the Book of Genesis in which God
breathes life into Adam

19. DEPICTION OF NON MUSLIM
PROPHETS IN VISUAL ART CHRISTIANITY
The oldest known icon of Christ.
The two different facial expressions on either
side emphasizes Christ s two natures as fully
side emphasizes Christ's two natures as fully
God and fully human.

20. DEPICTION OF PROPHET
MUHAMMAD IN VISUAL ART PART 1
Arab illustration of Mohammed preaching from a minbar to the
earliest converts. Al‐Bîrûnî, al‐âthâr al‐bâqiya

21. DEPICTION OF PROPHET
MUHAMMAD IN VISUAL ART PART 2
Muhammad re‐
dedicating the
Black Stone at the
Kaaba.
Jami' al‐Tavarikh

22. DEPICTION OF PROPHET
MUHAMMAD IN VISUAL ART PART 3
Muhammad meets the monk Bahira. Jami' al‐Tavarikh

23. DEPICTION OF PROPHET
MUHAMMAD IN VISUAL ART PART 4
Muhammad visits Paradise. Miraj‐Nama
Muhammad visits hell, where he
views women being hung by their
hair and tormented by a demon for
the sin of showing their hair in
the sin of showing their hair in
public. Miraj‐Nama

24. DEPICTION OF PROPHET
MUHAMMAD IN VISUAL ART PART 5
The photograph
by Lehnert &
Landrock, which
later became the
l t b
th
base of an Iranian
depiction of a
y
young
g
Muhammad.

25. CONCLUDING STATEMENTS
• The fundamental testimony of Islam puts ban
y
p
on pictures of individuals and animals reducing
the risk that they might be worshipped or
glorified in his place or along with him.
glorified in his place or along with him
• Islam also talks about beauty as well.
• Not as clash but rather as a bond between
Not as clash, but rather as a bond between
these two‐ Islamic Art is born.
• Sacred Art >> Applied Art >> Modern Art
pp
• Breaking the barriers of religious fundaments
but sticking within the grammar

26. CONCLUSION
The ideas and
Th id
d
themes of core
Islamic Art
Islamic Art
expanded
with respect to Art
movements, and
geography.