Azim Sharipov

05-12-2014
Ms.Weissman
Islamic Art
How did Islamic Art affect Muslims?
Have you ever thought how the Islamic Art affect the Muslims? Well I have been
thinking how did Islamic Art affect Muslims. So I went to the MET museum and I saw many
different Islamic Art. I would looked at the descriptions and I would see how would this relate
to my question. I looked at three art that really answered my question. The three art artifacts
were the Quran Manuscript, Dish with Horse Rider, and lastly Planispheric Astrolabe. Then I
went into deeper research to see how the Islamic Art affect the Muslims. By researching a lot I
learned that the Islamic Art actually did affect Muslims in many different ways.
Islamic Art is a modern concept, created by art historians in the nineteenth century to
categorize and study the material first produced under the Islamic peoples that emerged from
Arabia in the seventh century. Calligraphy gives a visible form to the revealed word of the
Quran and is therefore considered the most noble of the arts. It manages to combine a
geometric discipline with a dynamic rhythm. Interestingly, none of its many styles, created in
different places at different periods, has ever completely fallen into disuse. In the Islamic world
it takes the place of iconography, being widely used in the decorative schemes of buildings.
Geometric patterns have always had a particular appeal to Muslim designers and craftsmen.
They convey a certain aura of spirituality, or at least otherworldliness, without relating to any
specific doctrine. In an Islamic context they are also quite free of any symbolic meaning. Above
all they provide craftsmen with the opportunity to demonstrate his skill and subtlety of
workmanship, and often to dazzle and intrigue with its sheer complexity. Vegetal Arabesque
compositions are as ubiquitous in Islamic decoration as geometric patterns. It is difficult,
without other indications, to determine where or when a particular composition of this genre
might have originated. Like geometrical designs, these too are found across the entire range of
mediums from book illustration to plasterwork; in ceramics, woodwork, metalwork and ivory-
carving, even in carpets and textiles
Generally speaking, most Muslims, especially Sunni, kind of frown upon any depiction
of humans in art, sometimes animal depictions would be forbidden, too. So, instead of using
humans and animals in art & decoration, the emphasis was on using more and more intricate
patterns, mixed with plant & vine designs, and the use of Islamic-Arabic script. The Prophet of
Islam some 1400 years ago. He also said, "God likes that when you do anything, you do it
excellently." Such prophetic sayings have provided the impetus for Muslims' embellishment and
beautification of their places of worship, homes, and even of articles in common use in
everyday life. The emphasis in Islamic art is on ornamentation rather than on art for art's sake;
while the names of the producers of the finest works of Islamic art may not have survived, their
works have become prototypes and models on which other artists and craftsmen patterned their
works, or from which they derived the impetus for related work.
The Islamic Art affect the Muslim religion in different ways. In the Islamic view, God is
the ultimate reality. All things in the visible creation emanate from him and are manifestations
of his divine names or attributes (Sifat). He created the cosmos, both what is known to man and
what is unknown, and he is the Sustainer of all things, with everything turning to him and
centered upon him. This is evident in the very structure of atoms. The early Muslim artists and
artisans who derived the intricate systems of interconnected geometric forms which constitute
the bases of Islamic geometric art of course had no idea of such realities. Nonetheless, the
graphic manner in which they conceived God's supreme central place in the cosmos, and the
connection of the parts of creation to him and to the whole, reflects a very significant
approximation of what can now be documented by science. In the MET museum I saw the
Quran. When I saw the Quran, I was thinking how did the Quran affect the the Muslims. Like
Christians, Muslims considered their faith the last revealed religion, and they possessed a strong
missionary impulse to share their faith with all people. The basic tenets of the religion provided
a framework for a new worldview that changed history and for a sense of community in the
wider brotherhood of believers. There was another thing that where the Muslims are abstain
from eating, drinking, and having sex during daylight hours, which is called Ramadan, to
sacrifice for their faith and understand the hunger of the poor. This would last for one month
each year. Another is giving assistance to the poor and disadvantaged, for which Muslims are
expected to donate a tenth of their wealth. These affected the Muslims in many ways (L. S.
Stavrianos, 210-211).
As you see the religion really affected the Muslims. There were many other Islamic Arts
that affected the Muslims and how they think but religion affected them the most because they
would listen to Allah(god) to show him they care and to be in a better place when they pass.
With all the Muslims believe they would put their work in the art they make. All the work they
do really shows out and represents the Muslims.


Excerpt taken from Chapter 2, 3, 13, and 33 of the Quran, as reprinted in L. S.
Stavrianos, ed., The Epic of Man to 1500 (Englewood Cliff, NJ:Prentice-Hall, 1970),
210-211
www.Shangrilahawaii.org/Islamic-Art-Collection/About-Islamic-Art/
Societies, Networks, and Transitions, A Global History, Volume 1: To 1500, Second
Edition, Craig A. Lockard, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, 2011, pgs: 263-270
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hi/te_index.asp?i=Islamic





Quran Manuscript and Stand
Date: 1299-1923
Artist: Rogers Fund
Materials: Ink, paque watercolor and gold on paper
This is the Quran Manuscript and the Stand. The Quran is a book just like the
Bible. The Quran is the Islamic sacred book, believed to be the word of God as
dictated to Muhammad by the archangel Gabriel and written down in Arabic. The
Koran consists of 114 units of varying lengths, known as suras, the first sura is
said as part of the ritual prayer. These touch upon all aspects of human existence,
including matters of doctrine, social organization, and legislation.



This artwork helped me answer my question. This connects to my topic
because the Quran changed the minds and just Muslims in general. This helped
me answer the question because the Quran is a prayer book and it helped me find
out how the Muslims were affected, religiously.