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Clip on crescents

This piece was inspired by week 6’s debate on Islamic art. Through the piece, I hope to bring to light questions of accessibility to Islamic art, and/or their interpretations through different lenses. Through the piece, I hope to represent the different schools of thought on Islamic art, offered by Seyyed Hossein Nasr (Islamic Art and Spirituality) and Gulru Necipoglu (The Topkapi Scroll). On my short video clip, i show different slideshows of crescents and how they are represented as important symbols in different cultures and time periods. The crescent itself is a perfect representation of the two schools of thought in that, it is an important symbol in the Islamic faith, but also was a historical symbol of the Turks, associated especially with the Ottoman empire.

Nasr argues that Islamic art should be composed of “timeless forms that echo transcendent archetypes”1. In essence a static tradition, where symbols of Islam have unity in meaning across time, and ignores the historical and traditional cultures. And that it takes a certain level of Islamic spirituality to be able to penetrate the inner meanings of the art. Islamic art should reflect the mystical dimension.

“There is nothing more timely today than that truth which is timeless, than the message that comes from tradition and is relevant now because it is relevant at all times. Such a message belongs to a now which has been, is and will ever be present. To speak of immutable principles of heavenly origin and of their application to different moments of time and space… Islamic civilization presents an eminent example of a traditional civilization wherein can be clearly observed the presence of certain immutable principles that have dominated time and space.”1

Necipoglu, on the other hand takes a view that I’m more sympathetic too. She argues that reflections of Islamic art should take into account the historical and cultural period during which the art was created.  In essence, her view appreciates some of the works considered as Islamic art, but were created by non-Muslims, for instance during the Ottoman empire.

image 1: A visualization i created from a software

image 2: a visualization i created manually

On peace: “Of those who answered the call of Allah and the messenger, even after being wounded, those who do right and refrain from wrong have a great reward.” Qu’ran 3: 172

On Submission: there is no god but God, and Prophet Muhammad is the messenger to Allah.

“whoever submits his whole being to God and is a doer of good shall have his reward with his Lord and all such need have no fear and neither shall they grieve”  Qu’ran 2:112 (cited in lecture)

“Islam is not a religion but a violent political system bent on the overthrow of goverments” Pat Robertson

This piece was inspired by the discussion on islam vs Islam, and how the religion of Islam, and its followers are perceived around the world. In a post-9/11 world, where the perception of Islam was, and continues to be shaped by the events of that fateful September, I think the discussion both in section and lecture did a good job in highlighting the key tenets of Islam, and what it means to be Muslim. For this piece, I went around asking folks in my house what first came to their minds when they hear the word Muslim or Islam. Examples – PEACE, LOVE, JIHAD, HATE, EXTREMISM, TERROR, QUR’AN, SUBMISSION, DEVOTION, ALLAH, etc.

This is what I learnt in class. islam means “submission or surrender to God”. Anyone can practice islam. In the Qu’ran, the word islam is used to for one who submits to God. Islam on the other hand is the name of the religion. Islam is a religion of peace; s,l,m form the root of the word salama, which is peace in Arabic (and I should add, also Swahili). Muslims are the followers of the creed preached by Prophet Muhammad; the messenger of Allah. Prof. Ali shared a very interesting story in lecture, about an American representative who was greeted during Arab/Israeli peace talks, and asked “are you a muslim?” The lower case muslim in Arabic refers a person of peace.

This is a response to the discussion on the role of poetry in Arabic/pre-Islamic societies. Poetry was a very highly developed art form in pre-Islamic societies. This poetic culture influenced the structure of Quran. Quran itself is poetic in nature, with rhymed prose and complex sound patterns. My piece highlights the importance of poets in pre-Islamic societies. It shows a public figure (poet) on a higher ground facing the skies. The person represents a poet in pre-Islamic times. The poets were considered inspired/divine, and were feared. They were seen as people who were connected to the spirits. The poet filled the role of historian, soothsayer or propagandist. They could destroy kingdoms literally. That’s how powerful they were. They represented a tribe’s prestige and importance, and denigrated other tribes in mock battles of poetry, that would stand in lieu of real wars.

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