Islamic Art and Muslim Community - Essay Example

Islamic Art Introduction With the advent of Islam, the sociopolitical and cultural conditions of the Arabian Peninsula started to change. Despite facing bitter criticism and opposition by the local Arabic society that comprised of multiple tribes, Islam managed to gain acceptance in the region within a short period of almost two decades. Prophet Muhammad advocated the idea of spread of knowledge and advised his followers to spend their lives in quest of knowledge; knowledge that was regarded as being obligatory for the Muslim community of the region. It was this basic teaching of Islam that transformed the people of this region into a community that not only contributed to science but also arts and its various forms. Discussion The earlier period following the death of Prophet Muhammad witnessed political turmoil along with the subjugation of various near and distant lands. This provided an opportunity whereby the original Arabic tradition intermingled with traditions that were alien to the Arabic society. Therefore, influence of other societies, cultures, religions and arts started to influence the Arabic thought process. The impact of religious teachings of Islam however remained profound on nearly all the famous art works produced during this era. Figurative art works were not a popular means of expression during this period. However, this does not imply that such arts works are totally absent in Islamic art forms. Pictorial portrayal of prominent personalities of that era was carried out by artists; however, this was not considered a mainstream art form 1. Carving statues of influential personalities was an ongoing practice and various such art specimens have been discovered with the passage of time. The unembellished antipathy of Islam towards idol worship or anything that portrays the same is one of the main factors due to which figurative art was largely excluded from the mainstream Islamic arts. However, this limitation paved way for alternative ideas that were unique to the art forms that were prevalent at that time. As opposed to the popular concept of dedicating religious buildings like churches or temples to activities purely related to religion, the Islamic Mosque is considered the center of nearly all social activities ranging from worship, meetings and marriage to charity, education, death and funerals. It is this unique role of a community-center that provides a vitally significant position to mosques in Islamic society. For this reason, construction of mosques as well as other buildings related to religion was considered the responsibility of rulers of that time. Therefore, the patronage of caliphs played an important role in the development of early Islamic art forms. This patronage allowed the birth of Islamic architecture, the decoration of religious buildings and their furnishings; a trend that was previously unknown to the world. In contrast to the art forms of other regions which utilize sculptures or paintings as the predominant form of expression, the Islamic art utilizes decoration as a medium or art and expression. The initial manifestations of this type of art work are seen in monuments and mosques of those times, which portray decoration that is extraordinary and expensive in nature. Due to the vital position of mosques in the Islamic society, decoration as a medium of expression was applied on these buildings during the early period of Islam2 (Lapidus 97). Another unique art form termed calligraphy also started to evolve; this time into patterns that were not only meant to communicate the message of Islam, but also to contribute to the aesthetic value of mosques and other religious buildings. This decorative use of the sacred texts in buildings that was religious in nature paved way for various art forms that were aesthetically appealing to a wider audience. Hence calligraphy started finding place in objects like stone, wood, glass, pottery and textiles. Additionally, buildings other than mosques started utilizing calligraphy as a decorative art. Another unique approach in early Islamic art forms is the use of geometric designs and shapes that slowly transformed the decorative art. These geometric shapes were used as a means of covering undecorated surfaces of buildings. Despite this versatility, the Islamic art form failed to assimilate figurative arts for religious buildings3. Dome of the rock was built in the seventh century and is perhaps one of the oldest buildings of Islam that survive till this day. Being octagonal (geometrical) in shape, the unique feature of Dome of the Rock is a golden dome4. The octagonal layout along with the dome also reflects Byzantine influence on the design. On the outer aspect of the building, calligraphy of the sacred Islamic scriptures adds to the beauty of the building. Although the shape of building is similar to a mosque, the building is not a mosque and is meant to mark the importance of a sacred site. For over one thousand years, the building has survived to reflect the magnificent past of the Islamic art forms. Conclusion Keeping in view the above mentioned facts, it is safe to assert that Islamic art forms of the era immediately following the death of Prophet Muhammad were reflective of the Islamic teachings and different in the sense that they did not utilize the traditional forms of arts like sculptures or paintings. The limitations imposed by religion did not hinder the creative tendencies of artists of that time; instead they acted as stimuli to force them to think of alternative forms of arts that were in alignment to the teachings of Islam. Of prime importance is the decorative element that is most widely prevalent in the art forms of that time. These decorations make use of sacred texts, Arabic fonts and geometrical shapes to assist in expression of ideas. Figurative or pictorial art forms did exist during those times, but failed to gain mainstream importance due to their unacceptable nature in religious terms. It can be concluded that early Islamic art forms were greatly influenced by the art forms of regions that were conquered by Muslims during those times. However, Islamic art succeeded in developing its unique identity due to the creative work of artists of that era. Reference Burckhardt, Titus, Seyyed H. Nasr, and Jean-Louis Michon. Art of Islam: Language and Meaning. Bloomington, Ind: World Wisdom, 2009. Print. Grabar, Oleg. The Formation of Islamic Art. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1973. Print. Komaroff, Linda. Islamic Art: At the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Los Angeles, CA: Museum Associates, 1998. Print. Lapidus, Ira M. A History of Islamic Societies. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire: Cambridge University Press, 1988. Print. Read More