26/06/2026
Perhaps the most reflective element of Islamic Art is Obedience (ita'ah). It speaks of a Prophetic prohibition that was seen less as a deprivation and more as a redirection to the exploration of a whole new genre, a genre that employed some elements from earlier civilisation (reflective of interaction and an openness to growth) but not without an originality rooted in faith.
From up in the Caucuses to down at the Swahili Coast, from as west as Morocco to as east as Indonesia, each region has their own distinct voice and expression. Yet, they are all united in a strange universality; a familiar eye might be able to tell exactly where a particular pattern, shape, shade, design, script originates in, but even an ignorant gaze can tell that it's "Islamic". That is the expression of Tawheed, the absolute refusal to curate anything that could come close to an idol.
Art then, is not to be celebrated by the simple virtue of it being art, rather art must lead to beauty. And beauty is with Allah.
The visual expression is not a parody of the abhorrent, an excuse for the foul, or a depiction of the lowly and the base. Rather, the sensory experience of witnessing art must ignite an awe for beauty which acts as a ladder to develop a spiritual appreciation for Al-Musawwir.
Guided by Prophetic wisdom, muslims birthed an aesthetic that is not divorced from the ethical. Beauty is to be sought in all that we do, our speech, manners, actions and ambience is to be filled with ihsan, and all our endeavours for the pleasure of The Highest.
Caption taken from 🩷☄️
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#خطاط #ثلث
