Art and Islam
UNVEILING GOD’S PERFECTION
“God is beautiful and loves beauty.” —Muhammad
Islamic art attempts to reflect spiritual experience by revealing an object’s inherent, God-given perfection. Instead of simply imitating the appearance of nature or humanity, artists from the Islamic tradition strive to disclose inner beauty through the outward appearance of a particular work. Philosophically, this endeavor is rooted in the belief that everything in our world emanates from the perfection of Allah. The underlying beauty is itself the Divine Presence—the beauty of Islam. The artist’s task is to bring it out.
To prevent idolatry, there are rules against portraying animals or humans in art (based on verses from the Qur’an that correspond closely with the Second Commandment in the Jewish Torah). Instead, there is a focus on abstract imagery, including organic forms and geometric shapes, which, when woven together, produce intricate, symmetrical designs known as arabesque.
Architecture is also an important aspect of Islamic art. The domes, walls, arches, and minarets of mosques, for example, are often creatively composed while retaining appropriate shape and function. They are then elegantly adorned with arabesque designs as well as calligraphy, which provides a lovely yet lawful way of venerating sacred texts.
Like every religion, there are varying degrees of legalism within Islam. Muslims who are more liberal in their beliefs may find nothing wrong with creating art that is secular or that contains representations of living beings, but more conservative groups will disregard any craft that fails to properly glorify Allah. —CKG
QUESTIONS TO PONDER
• What kind of beauty could a non-physical spirit possess?
• In what ways is the Islamic view of art similar to and different from the Christian and Jewish views?