In drawing or making a picture of God or His prophets who would we fashion them to look like? Where would we start?
He is one; this means that there is no other like him. And we have never seen Him. He would not therefore plaster His image everywhere like on toast or a tree because it would become mundane and part of his creations. He is a Creator not a creation. He created Himself.
The Noble Qur'an - Al-Anbiyâ 21:51-54
51. And indeed We bestowed aforetime on Ibrâhim (Abraham) his (portion of) guidance, and We were Well-Acquainted with him (as to his Belief in the Oneness of Allâh, etc.).
52. When he said to his father and his people: "What are these images, to which you are devoted?"
53. They said:"We found our fathers worshipping them."
54. He said: "Indeed you and your fathers have been in manifest error."
· His image is then not like the mortal man or any other thing. And as such cannot be imagined by any mortal artist. His image is much more than we can imagine. That is because His powers cannot be imagine by our limited mind. His image cannot be rendered by our limited skills.
· His image is too great for our average eye to see when we cannot even see beyond our horizon. The eye of the human is not powerful even as some animals that have more sight than us. Our limitations as mere humans prevent us from seeing God’s great image.
· If God is pictured as something as low as men then we are to assumed that He will have powers only as a man. But His sight is not like us, only much more powerful, His hearing is not like us, only much more powerful, everything about Him is much more powerful any man would ever have.
· People have claimed to be spoken to by God or to have had a vision of Him. Satan can come to a person claiming to be such or such. He is the ultimate con artist and this is precisely why we don’t have an image of God. Because Satan would come to people using what they want to see as God and tell them to follow him; a false god. He can come to us using what we desperately wants to see and experience and for the vulnerable it can become a trap taking us away from the One True God. Jesus himself was tried in this way when Satan came to him in the desert to try leading him away from his beliefs.
· As we have seen in Christianity the “image” of Jesus is worshipped and his mother too. God has sent prophets to all people and when these prophets die, in their grief people make images of them and worship them. Also they might have seen them and wanted to have something to remember them by so they make images of them or there may be a thousand other reasons why people made images of their holy people. However these trends tend to lead people away from the One True God. What good is an intercessor when a person can pray straight to God? People do not need idols or images to pray to God. All that is required to have a sincere intention and to pray from the heart. God understands all language and with His most great and powerful hearing He can hear all zillions of us anytime, anywhere, anyhow.
· And to be politically correct what would He actually look like if his image was rendered as a man? A white man or a black man? A Chinese man or a Hispanic man? Who would be offended? Even women would begin to object; thinking why God has to be a man. Because He is not a man nor a woman nor any of His creations. He is one, unique, original and not represent able. And it is therefore not possible to make images of God.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
My work
" Kaietuer Falls"
Acrylic on canvas board. 11" by 14"
"Cold River"
Acrylic on canvas board. 11" by 14"
"Mangoes"
Acrylic on canvas board. 11" by 14"
Faith
Many religions depend on images to teach their religion but Islam does not. These religions share out booklets and pictures of highly idolized, very beautiful artificial pictures to seduce people to believe. It is easy to “fall in love” with a beautiful picture but the facts concerning the belief might not be strong enough to solicit faith in people while images can. Muslims believe in an unseen God. They do not need images to believe but the proof is all around us in God’s creations. What can be more beautiful than a snowflake, a single leaf, the amazing ant? God’s mastery and majesty is in nature all around us.
Allah (swt) says in the Qur'an:
"Verily in that are Signs for those who are wise.”
[Al-Qur’an 30:24]
It is easy to fall in love with a beautiful face but to love someone for their character and qualities is much more deep and difficult. To love and belief in an unseen God is the ultimate belief. How many times have our parents or someone in authority said” Trust me”?
It is for this reasons that images of God, prophets and holy saints are not allowed. Because this would take away from the simple yet amazing signs of creation around us.
We also would not need to have “heroes” or be “fans” of famous people. We put our faith and trust in God. These people cannot solve our problems and give us sustenance but rather distract us from the real and one true God. He is the one who we should be fans of. The One in whom we put all our faith and trust without having a fake image in front of us.
Imagery comes to us when we listen to the Qur'an and it melodious recitation brings to mind pictures when tell a thousand words.
Quran and Hadith on Images
Defining Islamic Art
The most important part of Islamic Art is the prohibition of realistic images of humans and animals.
The Quran and Hadith advise us on this area.
Hadith - Bukhari 3:428, Narrated Said bin Abu Al-Hasan
While I was with Ibn 'Abbas a man came and said, "O father of 'Abbas! My sustenance is from my manual profession and I make these pictures." Ibn 'Abbas said, "I will tell you only what I heard from Allah's Apostle . I heard him saying, 'Whoever makes a picture will be punished by Allah till he puts life in it, and he will never be able to put life in it.' “Hearing this, that man heaved a sigh and his face turned pale. Ibn 'Abbas said to him, "What a pity! If you insist on making pictures I advise you to make pictures of trees and any other inanimate objects."
Hadith -Bukhari 4:47, Narrated 'Aisha
I stuffed for the Prophet a pillow decorated with pictures (of animals) which looked like a Namruqa (i.e. a small cushion). He came and stood among the people with excitement apparent on his face. I said, "O Allah's Apostle! What is wrong?" He said, "What is this pillow?" I said, "I have prepared this pillow for you, so that you may recline on it." He said,
"Don't you know that angels do not enter a house wherein there are pictures; and whoever makes a picture will be punished on the Day of Resurrection and will be asked to give life to (what he has created)?"
Hadith - Bukhari 4:448, Narrated Abu Talha
I heard Allah's Apostle saying; "Angels (of Mercy) do not enter a house wherein there is a dog or a picture of a living creature (a human being or an animal)."
Hadith -Bukhari 5:338, Narrated Ibn Abbas
Abu Talha, a companion of Allah's Apostle and one of those who fought at Badr together with Allah's Apostle told me that Allah's Apostle said. "Angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture."
Hadith - Muslim, Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib
AbulHayyaj al-Asadi told that Ali ibn AbuTalib said to him: Should I not send you on the same mission as Allah's Messenger sent me? Do not leave an image without obliterating it, or a high grave without levelling it.
Hadith - Bukhari 8:151, Narrated 'Aisha
I used to play with the dolls in the presence of the Prophet , and my girl friends also used to play with me. When Allah's Apostle used to enter (my dwelling place) they used to hide themselves, but the Prophet would call them to join and play with me. (The playing with the dolls and similar images is forbidden, but it was allowed for 'Aisha at that time, as she was a little girl, not yet reached the age of puberty.) (Fateh-al-Bari page 143, Vol.13)
Hadith - Abu Dawud, Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin
When the Apostle of Allah arrived after the expedition to Tabuk or Khaybar (the narrator is doubtful), the draught raised an end of a curtain which was hung in front of her store-room, revealing some dolls which belonged to her. He asked: What is this? She replied: My dolls. Among them he saw a horse with wings made of rags, and asked: What is this I see among them? She replied: A horse. He asked: What is this that it has on it? She replied: Two wings. He asked: A horse with two wings? She replied: Have you not heard that Solomon had horses with wings? She said: Thereupon the Apostle of Allah laughed so heartily that I could see his molar teeth.
The most important part of Islamic Art is the prohibition of realistic images of humans and animals.
The Quran and Hadith advise us on this area.
Hadith - Bukhari 3:428, Narrated Said bin Abu Al-Hasan
While I was with Ibn 'Abbas a man came and said, "O father of 'Abbas! My sustenance is from my manual profession and I make these pictures." Ibn 'Abbas said, "I will tell you only what I heard from Allah's Apostle . I heard him saying, 'Whoever makes a picture will be punished by Allah till he puts life in it, and he will never be able to put life in it.' “Hearing this, that man heaved a sigh and his face turned pale. Ibn 'Abbas said to him, "What a pity! If you insist on making pictures I advise you to make pictures of trees and any other inanimate objects."
Hadith -Bukhari 4:47, Narrated 'Aisha
I stuffed for the Prophet a pillow decorated with pictures (of animals) which looked like a Namruqa (i.e. a small cushion). He came and stood among the people with excitement apparent on his face. I said, "O Allah's Apostle! What is wrong?" He said, "What is this pillow?" I said, "I have prepared this pillow for you, so that you may recline on it." He said,
"Don't you know that angels do not enter a house wherein there are pictures; and whoever makes a picture will be punished on the Day of Resurrection and will be asked to give life to (what he has created)?"
Hadith - Bukhari 4:448, Narrated Abu Talha
I heard Allah's Apostle saying; "Angels (of Mercy) do not enter a house wherein there is a dog or a picture of a living creature (a human being or an animal)."
Hadith -Bukhari 5:338, Narrated Ibn Abbas
Abu Talha, a companion of Allah's Apostle and one of those who fought at Badr together with Allah's Apostle told me that Allah's Apostle said. "Angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture."
Hadith - Muslim, Narrated Ali ibn AbuTalib
AbulHayyaj al-Asadi told that Ali ibn AbuTalib said to him: Should I not send you on the same mission as Allah's Messenger sent me? Do not leave an image without obliterating it, or a high grave without levelling it.
Hadith - Bukhari 8:151, Narrated 'Aisha
I used to play with the dolls in the presence of the Prophet , and my girl friends also used to play with me. When Allah's Apostle used to enter (my dwelling place) they used to hide themselves, but the Prophet would call them to join and play with me. (The playing with the dolls and similar images is forbidden, but it was allowed for 'Aisha at that time, as she was a little girl, not yet reached the age of puberty.) (Fateh-al-Bari page 143, Vol.13)
Hadith - Abu Dawud, Narrated Aisha, Ummul Mu'minin
When the Apostle of Allah arrived after the expedition to Tabuk or Khaybar (the narrator is doubtful), the draught raised an end of a curtain which was hung in front of her store-room, revealing some dolls which belonged to her. He asked: What is this? She replied: My dolls. Among them he saw a horse with wings made of rags, and asked: What is this I see among them? She replied: A horse. He asked: What is this that it has on it? She replied: Two wings. He asked: A horse with two wings? She replied: Have you not heard that Solomon had horses with wings? She said: Thereupon the Apostle of Allah laughed so heartily that I could see his molar teeth.
Welcome
Assalaamu-Alaikum
All Praises are for Allah, Creator of the universe and Master of design and creativity and peace and blessings unto His most noble prophet Muhammad, last messenger to mankind.
Welcome viewers! I am honored and privilege to have you as my guest. For the first time I am attempting to use the pen or in this case my keyboard to express myself in ways other than art to interested folks. As an artist I am good at expressing myself in artistic media and I dabble in poetry.
The purpose of my blog is to explain what is Islamic Art and what the Muslim artist does.
Why? Simply because there are more questions than answers about this topic and the young Muslim artist needs guidance and help along the way. Not to mention I will be able to interact with my peers and learn too. So PLEASE do post comments and make contributions as much as you like.
I have been teaching art for some time now. At first in the public schools and then in Islamic schools. It has been a rewarding experience with many opportunities to learn along the way.
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