islam and art

The greatest genius of Muslim civilisation is thought to be art. Islamic artists used creativity to express their inner convictions in a variety of abstract ways, which resulted in the creation of incredible artistic creations. By rejecting the representation of living things and inventing new aesthetic trends that significantly depart from Byzantine and Roman art, the artist created distinctive works of art. Islamic artists assert that there is a close relationship between artistic creations and means of spreading the Islamic message. Islamic art only developed because of Islamic civilization. Between the seventh and thirteenth centuries, the civilization rose to prominence. This period was characterized by the great contribution from Muslim scholars, traders, artists, philosophers, engineers, geographers and poets in various fields such as science, law, economics, industry, arts, literature and agriculture. The Islam scholars preserved earlier traditions and incorporated innovations to come up with an intellectual powerhouse in the world of Islam. The Muslim world emerged to be the focal point of the intellectual center for education, science, medicine, and philosophy.

Figure 1: Taj Mahal, Agra, India.



Islamic art does not only define art created particularly for the faith of Islam such as mosques and furnishing, but also art and architectural design produced by Muslim artists, created in the Muslim world or made for the Muslim patrons. The art is not just a religion but a culture. Islam played a crucial role in fostering the development of a distinctive culture that is characterized by unique artistic language whose reflection can be seen in the architecture and art throughout the world of Islam. Islamic art has maintained its unique identity and intrinsic quality since its emergence in the 7th century following the Islamic civilization. The art is defined by four basic elements that include geometric patterns, calligraphy, figural representation, and vegetal patterns.

According to Paul Lunde, the Islamic civilization began with the establishment of the‘House of Wisdom' in Baghdad. It was established to translate the knowledge of the world into Arabic. Both Muslims and non-Muslim scholars gathered at the ‘House of Wisdom' to translate knowledge from various parts of the world into Arabic. Baghdad was a vital place where the Translation Movement operated. Many ancient antiques were translated into Arabic and other languages such as Persian, Latin, Turkish, Hebrew, and Sindhi as well. The scholars and technocrats took their time to synthesize works from various ancient civilizations like the Byzantine civilizations, Ancient Egypt, Persia, ancient Mesopotamia, China, Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, North Africa and India. Other Muslim dynasties like the Umayyads of al-Andalus and Fatimids of Egypt also rivaled Baghdad as centers of intellectual excellence. Islamic Empire emerged as a universal civilization that unified people from different regions, religion, and culture. The art of paper making became one of the main innovations of the Islamic civilization.

Unlike other types of art like Christian art, Islamic art is vibrant and distinctive. The art is restricted to religion but comprises of artistic traditions of the Muslim culture. It transcends space and time due to its strong aesthetic appeal. Differences in language and culture also contribute to its aesthetic appeal. Islamic art is made of common feature that produces a remarkable coherence irrespective of the country or the time it was created. Islamic art aims at portraying the meaning of essence of things and does not just focus on the physical form. Forms of Islamic art include calligraphy, paintings and sculpture, crafts and decorative. Geometry and patterns are also part of essential elements in Islamic art. Islamic art is a reflection of the cultural values of the Islamic world and plays a critical role in revealing the way in which Muslims view the Universe and spiritual realm. The reality starts with Allah for the Muslims. He is the heart of worship, aspirations and the focus of Muslims. The focus of Islamic art is the spiritual representation of objects and beings. It does not emphasize on the physical qualities. It does not focus on replicating nature as it is but aims at conveying what it represents. Its main objective is to make the artist and individuals experiencing the art get closer to Allah. Beauty is considered to be the quality of the divine in the Islamic world.

One of the key features of Islamic art is geometry. Geometric patterns are often used to cover surfaces of Mosques. It is used to reflect the language of the universe, and assists believers in reflecting on their life and the greatness of creation. The figure below shows the application of geometry in Islamic art.

Figure 2: Geometric decoration in the Grand Mosque, Kuwait



Geometry is considered to be spiritual in Islam due to several reasons. Circles portrayed in geometry have no end thereby signifying infinity. The use of circles in geometry is crucial in reminding Muslims that Allah is infinite. The complex geometric designs are vital in creating the impression of unending repetition, as well as assisting an individual in getting the idea of infinite nature of Allah. The repeating patterns indicate that a person can find infinity through single elements of the pattern. Islamic art makes use of patterns to represent nature and objects. Plant motifs are used in making repeated geometric patterns. The patterns are commonly referred to as arabesques The arabesque pattern comprises of many units that are joined and interlaced together, and flow from each other in all directions. It is commonly used as a decorative to cover surfaces like textiles, ceilings, carpets, furniture, and walls. Knowledge of practical geometry is required in developing the style of art.

Figure 3: Fatamid gold bracelet: Syria or Egypt, 11th century



The traditional Islamic world integrated arts and crafts into the daily life. Islamic art focuses on making things of the everyday life beautiful. It focuses on ornamentation instead of the work of art. The lajvardine bowl is a good example of ornamentation.

Figure 4: The lajvardine bowl



A calligraphy is a decorative form of art in Islamic culture. It comprises of artistic lettering that may be combined with natural and geometric forms. It is believed that the Chinese played a crucial role in the development of Islamic calligraphy. Calligraphy as a decorative art was developed due to a number of factors. The first factor is the importance of the Quran. Whoever reads and writes the Quran is promised divine blessings. The Holy Book gives the pen a special significance as a symbol of knowledge. Islamic calligraphy is not just a decoration but a way of worshipping and remembering Allah. The second factor is the importance of Arabic language in Islam. It is compulsory for Muslims to use Arabic in their prayers. It is considered to be the language of the Quran and paradise. The figures below show Islamic calligraphy.

Kufic Lettering (from Al-Jiburi, 1974)

Kufic calligraphy combined with floral and geometrical decoration





Baroque architecture originated from Islam culture, and has played a crucial role in shaping architectural design all over the world. The style is characterized by the use of motifs like curviangular arches and squinches. A good example of architectural design that was constructed using Baroque style is the Ulu Cami Hospital in Divrighi, Turkey. It was completed in 1229. Its ornamentation and décor resembles Baroque. The figure below is a depiction of the entrance to Ulu Cami Hospital. It shows a close view of the Baroque features.

Figure 5: Northern entrance of the Ulu Cami Hospital (13th century)

























Bibliography

Arberry, Arthur John. Aspects of Islamic civilization: as depicted in the original texts. Vol. 19. Routledge, 2013.

Blair, Sheila, and Jonathan Bloom. "Islamic art and architecture (1250–1800)." Trans. Dr. Yaghoub Ajhand, Tehran: Farhangestan Honar Press 1 (2013).