Art in Islam

looksee

I teach art and craft and occasionally I have Muslims in my class. I would not always know for definite, but sometimes it seems like a reasonable guess. I have a vague idea about Islam and not making representations of people, and tbh I can (and do) easily teach the course without requiring images or models of people. However just as a matter of interest, is my idea correct, what does it cover, and are Muslims generally concerned about it?

hivizman

I found this text (which I have edited slightly) on a website called www.muslimart.com:

Figurative Art in Islam

The Qur’an does not explicitly prohibit Muslims from using visual representation of humans and animals in an artistic form. Prohibition of figurative art (“aniconism”) is found in many of the sayings and traditions of Muhammad. The following tradition shows an important link between figurative art and the danger of shirk, associating partners with God.

"Those who paint pictures would be punished on the Day of Resurrection and it would be said to them: Breathe soul into what you have created."
( Muslim vol.3, no. 5268)

In another tradition Muhammad destroyed a piece of fabric depicting images of animals:

"Narrated ‘Aiysha: The Prophet entered upon me while there was a curtain having pictures (of animals) in the house. His face got red with anger, and then he got hold of the curtain and tore it into pieces. The Prophet said, ‘Such people as paint these pictures will receive the severest punishment on the Day of Resurrection.’"
(Bukhari vol.8, no.130)

These traditions explicitly ban the use of images of humans and animals. The prohibition focuses on a general ban on all figurative art forms rather than a specific one on the depiction of important figures such as Muhammad or any other prophet of Islam.

In Islam there is a fundamental distinction between the Creator and the creation; this includes the prophets of Islam being a mere creation. The danger of creating images of prophets such as Muhammad, Jesus or Moses is that it may divert the worshipper’s attention and worship away from the message of Tawhid – the oneness of God.

Titus Burckhardt, describes how the role of Tawhid and the forbidding of figurative art are fundamentally linked:

"Islam is centred on Unity, and Unity is not expressible in terms of any image. Thus, Islamic art as a whole aims to create an ambiance which helps man to realise his primordial dignity; it therefore avoids everything that could be an 'idol' even in a relative and provisional manner - nothing must stand between man and the invisible presence of God - thus eliminating all the turmoil and passionate suggestions of the world and in their stead creating an order that expresses equilibrium, serenity and peace."
(Sacred Art in East & West, T Burckhardt )

This absence of figures and icons summed up by Burckhardt preserves the notion that anything that may be represented as an “idol” could lead towards a Muslim compromising their fundamental belief in Tawhid. Because of our limited imaginations as created beings we are forced to understand our Creator through His creations. It is the fact that God's presence is invisible to us that could lead someone towards the dangerous path of idolatry, or in some cases unintentionally encourage others towards it. The discouragement of figurative art has therefore allowed Muslims to look into other ways of expressing the complex nature of the Creator and the creation, the material and the spiritual. In the form of abstract art, and through the complexity of geometric patterns, many have successfully fulfilled their desire to demonstrate this.

As is so often the case with Islam, there is a spectrum of opinions on this issue, with many Muslims accepting that creating and looking at images of humans and animals may be appropriate in certain circumstances. For example, students of medicine need to look at and create images of humans as part of their study of anatomy.

It may be interesting for your students to study classic examples of Muslim art, particularly those based around calligraphy.

whydoc

hivizman wrote: »

I found this text (which I have edited slightly) on a website called www.muslimart.com:



As is so often the case with Islam, there is a spectrum of opinions on this issue, with many Muslims accepting that creating and looking at images of humans and animals may be appropriate in certain circumstances. For example, students of medicine need to look at and create images of humans as part of their study of anatomy.

It may be interesting for your students to study classic examples of Muslim art, particularly those based around calligraphy.

beautiful

looksee

hivizman wrote: »

I found this text (which I have edited slightly) on a website called www.muslimart.com:



As is so often the case with Islam, there is a spectrum of opinions on this issue, with many Muslims accepting that creating and looking at images of humans and animals may be appropriate in certain circumstances. For example, students of medicine need to look at and create images of humans as part of their study of anatomy.

It may be interesting for your students to study classic examples of Muslim art, particularly those based around calligraphy.

Thank you for your reply. The quote is interesting, I did not realise animals were also proscribed. My students would not be doing fine art, and will not be studying art in the sense you mean at all. The issue does not really have to come up, but I was interested to know how much of a problem it would be to the 'average' Muslim if they were asked to make any sort of a representation of a figure - or animal.

Jaafa

looksee wrote: »

Thank you for your reply. The quote is interesting, I did not realise animals were also proscribed. My students would not be doing fine art, and will not be studying art in the sense you mean at all. The issue does not really have to come up, but I was interested to know how much of a problem it would be to the 'average' Muslim if they were asked to make any sort of a representation of a figure - or animal.

Personally I don't think the 'average' Muslim would have a problem with this.