A Report in Soc. Sci. 415 (Humanities) under Prof. Jonathan Adjijil at Filamer Christian University, Roxas City, Philippines (1st Sem., A.Y. 2013-14)

1. Islamic Art
by: Jose Radin L. Garduque

2. Islamic Art:
• Historical Context
• Aesthetic
Consideration
• Spiritual Motif
• Visual Arts (Painting…)
• Architecture
• Literature
• Theater/Drama
• Music
• Dance

3. Islamic Art:
Historical Context
Islamic Art emerged in 610
A.D. It started in Saudi Arabia
and flourished throughout
West Asia, North Africa, South
Asia, Southeast Asia and some
parts of Europe. It evolved
from Roman, Early Christian,
Byzantine, Coptic,
Sassanian/Persian, Central
Asian, Chinese and Indian
influences.

4. Islamic Art:
Historical Context
Religious and civic architecture
were developed under the
Ummayad Dynasty (661-750
A.D.) The Dome of the Rock
was constructed in Jerusalem
during this period. Abd al-
Malik introduced a standard
coinage that featured Arabic
inscriptions, instead of images
of monarchs.

5. Islamic Art:
Historical Context
Calligraphy began to be used in
surface decoration of pottery
during the Abbasid Dynasty
(750-1258 A.D.). Magnificent
palaces were built in Spain
during the 1300s. Turkish
carpets and the use of
crescent as the symbol of
Islam became dominant during
the Ottoman Empire (1300s –
1900s). Nowadays, the carpet
industry remains at large!

6. Islamic Art:
Aesthetic Consideration
The beauty and uniqueness of
Islamic Art outshines in
calligraphic designs found in
paintings, pottery,
textiles/carpets, sculpture and
architecture. Such calligraphy
are mainly derived from
Quranic verses. Other
inscriptions include verse of
poetry, records of ownership
and donation.

7. Islamic Art:
Aesthetic Consideration
For most of the Islamic period,
majority of coins only showed
letterings. No Islamic product
has become better known
outside the Islamic world than
the carpet, more commonly
referred to as oriental
carpet/rug. Its beauty is
emphasized by calligraphic,
geometric/batik, landscape &
arabesque designs.

8. Islamic Art:
Aesthetic Consideration
In painting, Chinese influence
include the adoption of bird’s
eye view of hilly landscapes or
palace buildings. Calligraphy in
Islamic pottery were also
influenced by the Chinese.
When it comes to architecture,
the trademark of an Islamic
structure includes horseshoe-
shaped archs and onion-
shaped domes.

9. Islamic Art:
Spiritual Motif
Islamic art is not at all
restricted to religious art, but
includes all the art of rich &
varied cultures of Islamic
societies as well. It may
include secular elements that
are frowned upon by Muslim
theologians who are mostly
iconoclasts.

10. Islamic Art:
Spiritual Motif
Although figurative paintings
like depictions of the Prophet
Muhammad exist, it is strictly
prohibited in Islamic
establishments like Mosques.
The use of human and animal
figures in Islamic art is feared
by many Muslims because it
can be considered as idolatry.

11. Islamic Art:
Spiritual Motif
That is why Islamic Art has
focused on calligraphy and
arabesque. Arabesque is a
form of Islamic art that uses
geometrical, floral or vegetal
designs in a repetition. It
symbolizes the transcendent,
indivisible & infinite nature of
God. Mistakes in repetitions
maybe intentional to prove
that only God can show
perfection.

12. Islamic Art:
Visual Arts (Painting, Sculpture, Tapestry)
Pisa Griffin – largest
surviving bronze
animal sculpture in
Spain

13. Islamic Art:
Visual Arts (Painting, Sculpture, Tapestry)
Jami Al-Tawarikh –
an artist who
created a painting of
Muhammad lifting
the black stone to
the Kaaba

14. Islamic Art:
Visual Arts (Painting, Sculpture, Tapestry)
Kiswa –
embroidered
covering of the
Kaaba with
expensive and
exquisite calligraphy
(Quranic texts)

15. Islamic Art:
Architecture
Kaaba – located in
Al-Masjid al-Haram
in Mecca, it is a
cubed-shaped
building to which
Muslims face during
prayers and
worship.

16. Islamic Art:
Architecture
Al-Masjid al-Haram
– the most sacred
mosque in Islam
built around the
Kaaba

17. Islamic Art:
Architecture
mosque/masjid –
place of Islamic
worship, equivalent
to church/cathedral

18. Islamic Art:
Architecture
minaret – slender
tower where the
muezzin performs
the Islamic call to
prayer (adhan/azan)

19. Islamic Art:
Architecture
ablution facilities –
include
fountains/faucets
where Muslims wash
themselves and shoe
shelves/racks where
they place their
footwear before
entering the mosque

20. Islamic Art:
Architecture
musallah – the
prayer hall inside
the mosque where
Muslims perform
their prayers,
worshipping and
listening to sermons

21. Islamic Art:
Architecture
qibla wall – set
perpendicular to the
location of Kaaba in
Mecca so Muslims
face it during
worship & prayer

22. Islamic Art:
Architecture
mihrab – a niche at
the center of qibla
wall indicating the
direction of Mecca

23. Islamic Art:
Architecture
minbar – pulpit for
the speaker of
sermon

24. Islamic Art:
Architecture
Quba Mosque –
oldest Mosque
located in Medina

25. Islamic Art:
Architecture
Dome of the Rock –
mosque in
Jerusalem where
Muhammad is
believed to have
ascended to heaven

26. Islamic Art:
Architecture
Hagia Sophia –
cathedral converted
into mosque in
Turkey

27. Islamic Art:
Architecture
Great Mosque of
Cordoba – mosque
converted into
church in Spain

28. Islamic Art:
Architecture
Great Mosque of
Xian – first mosque
in China established
during the Tang
Dynasty

29. Islamic Art:
Architecture
Taj Mahal – great
Islamic tomb in India

30. Islamic Art:
Architecture
Sehan – Islamic
courtyard/garden
adjacent to some
mosque, a
representation of
paradise

31. Islamic Art:
Literature
Quran/Koran –
holiest book of
Islam, believed to be
the word of God
revealed by
Archangel Gabriel to
Muhammad for a
period of 23 years
(609 632 A.D.)

32. Islamic Art:
Literature
Surah – Chapters of
the Quran

33. Islamic Art:
Literature
Bismillah – “In the
Name of Allah/God,”
an opening phrase
of every Surah

34. Islamic Art:
Literature
Hadith – book that
contains the life and
sayings of Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH)

35. Islamic Art:
Literature
Shahadah – the first
pillar of Islam
wherein a believer
declares “La Illaha ill
Allah, Muhamadar
Rasul Allah” (There
is no god but God,
Muhammad is the
Prophet of God)

36. Islamic Art:
Literature
Arabian Nights (A
Thousand and One
Nights) –
compilation of folk
tales by Persian
Queen
Scheherazade

37. Islamic Art:
Literature
Shanameh –
national epic of Iran
written by Ferdawsi

38. Islamic Art:
Literature
Hay ibn Yagdhan –
first fictional Arabic
novel written by Ibn
Tufail

39. Islamic Art:
Literature
adhan/azan – the
Islamic “Call to
Prayer”

40. Islamic Art:
Theater/Drama
Moro-Moro –
depicts battle
between Muslims
and Christians

41. Islamic Art:
Theater/Drama
Tazieh – portrays
martyrdom of Imam
Hussein

42. Islamic Art:
Music
*Some Muslims believe
that only vocal music is
permissible (halal) and
that instruments are
forbidden (haram), but
other Muslims contend
that instruments are
lawful – like daff, zarb,
rebab, etc.

43. Islamic Art:
Music
Hamd – song in
praise of Allah

44. Islamic Art:
Music
Naat – a song in
praise of
Muhammad

45. Islamic Art:
Music
Nasheed –
traditional religious
song (e.g. Talaal
Badru Alayna, a
1400 year old
nasheed sung by the
people of Medina
upon the prophet’s
arrival to their city)

46. Islamic Art:
Dance
Singkil - this dance takes its
name from the bells worn on
the ankles of the Muslim
princess. Perhaps one of the
oldest of truly Filipino dances,
the Singkil recounts the epic
legend of the "Darangan" of
the Maranao people of
Mindanao.

47. Islamic Art:
Dance
Vinta - Also called Pangalay ha
Pattong, this dance is named
for the picturesque boat with
colorful sails which glide across
the Sulu Sea. Central to this
dance are the Royal Couple
who each balance atop a pair
of swaying bamboo poles,
simulating their ride aboard a
vinta.

48. Islamic Art:
Dance
Katsudorotan - depicts a royal
manner of "walking" among
the Maranao people who live
mainly around Lake Lanao.
Ladies of the royal court
perform this stately dance in
preparation for an important
event. The bright colors and
flowing handkerchiefs add to
the drama of the dance.

49. Islamic Art:
Dance
Sema - performed by
dervishes (equivalent to
monks) by whirling their
bodies to repetitive circles
as symbolic imitation of
the planets in the solar
system

50. Islamic Art:
Music
Dhikr/Zikr – worship
dance of Sufi
Muslims

51. Islamic Art
A Report in Soc. Sci.
415 (Humanities)
under Prof. Jonathan
Adjijil at Filamer
Christian University,
Roxas City, Philippines
(1st Sem., A.Y. 2013-14)

52. Salam!