There was basically no globally-renowned muslim artists And no memorable piece of art coming from the Islamic world. [Coming soon.....]  |
Islam on Art
You probably know how artists have contributed to Western culture and too many other cultures. Everyone knows about the Mona Lisa for example, Everyone has probably seen great products of Vincent Van Gogh's creativity. They are engraved in the history of Art and in the minds of so many people Philosophies have been made on them And they haven't caused any big form of corruption or trouble If you make it quick search for famous artwork, You will see a lot of masterpieces by great artists in history It all looks wonderful.
One thing that you can notice if you pay attention Is that there was basically no globally-renowned muslim artists And no memorable piece of art coming from the Islamic world.
That's not only because Western culture is in the focus You can also see Japanese art like Hokusai or Indian artists like Amrita To be fair there are also some islamicized culture that produced art Like Persians and recently Turks but the point stands Arts that depict humans or animals was never really popular in the Islamic world Because it was seen as a corruption and a sin Islam is against so many beauties and liberties in this world and art is one of them, I will deal with how Islam views art and portraits.
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The lack of portraits in creative art in the Islamic world is not only noticed if you go and googled It's also noticed, if you visit Muslim homes or religious Islamic places for example In the Islamic world and among Muslims families people usually give each other the advice to take portraits off the walls.
If there are portraits And you can never see any form of a depiction of a living being in a mosque or Islamic religious places. The reason is Islamic of course Formerly I written an article about dogs and Islam And said that Angels don't enter houses where there are dogs, The same goes for pictures of creatures according to hadith (sahih bukhari 5.59.338) .
Narrated Ibn `Abbas:
Abu Talha, a companion of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and one of those who fought at Badr together with Allah's Apostle told me that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said. "Angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture" He meant the images of creatures that have souls.
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُوسَى، أَخْبَرَنَا هِشَامٌ، عَنْ مَعْمَرٍ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ،. حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَخِي، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي عَتِيقٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ بْنِ مَسْعُودٍ، أَنَّ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبُو طَلْحَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ صَاحِبُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَكَانَ قَدْ شَهِدَ بَدْرًا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَالَ
" لاَ تَدْخُلُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ بَيْتًا فِيهِ كَلْبٌ وَلاَ صُورَةٌ "
. يُرِيدُ التَّمَاثِيلَ الَّتِي فِيهَا الأَرْوَاحُ.
But it's even worse According to a very authentic Hadith (Sahih bukhari 7.72.844).
Narrated `Aisha:(the wife of the Prophet) I bought a cushion having pictures on it. When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saw it, he stopped at the gate and did not enter. I noticed the signs of hatred (for that) on his face! I said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I turn to Allah and His Apostle in repentance! What sin have I committed?" He said, "What about this cushion?" I said, 'I bought it for you to sit on and recline on." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The makers of these pictures will be punished (severely) on the Day of Resurrection and it will be said to them, 'Make alive what you have created.'" He added, "Angels do not enter a house in which there are pictures."حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مَسْلَمَةَ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهَا أَخْبَرَتْهُ أَنَّهَا اشْتَرَتْ نُمْرُقَةً فِيهَا تَصَاوِيرُ، فَلَمَّا رَآهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَامَ عَلَى الْبَابِ فَلَمْ يَدْخُلْ، فَعَرَفَتْ فِي وَجْهِهِ الْكَرَاهِيَةَ قَالَتْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَتُوبُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَإِلَى رَسُولِهِ، مَاذَا أَذْنَبْتُ قَالَ " مَا بَالُ هَذِهِ النُّمْرُقَةِ ". فَقَالَتِ اشْتَرَيْتُهَا لِتَقْعُدَ عَلَيْهَا وَتَوَسَّدَهَا. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّ أَصْحَابَ هَذِهِ الصُّوَرِ يُعَذَّبُونَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ، وَيُقَالُ لَهُمْ أَحْيُوا مَا خَلَقْتُمْ ـ وَقَالَ ـ إِنَّ الْبَيْتَ الَّذِي فِيهِ الصُّوَرُ لاَ تَدْخُلُهُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ ".
Aisha bought a cushion once that images of animals on it When Muhammad came home, he saw that and he asked in an angry manner what's that is Aisha explain that she bought the cushion for his comfort But Muhammad wasn't pleased at all He said. "The makers of these pictures will be punished severely on the day of resurrection and it will be said to them make alive what you have created." He added, "Angels do not enter a house in which there are pictures."
Can you imagine that?
People who make pictures will be punished severely for making pictures According to another hadith (sahih bukhari 7.72.842)
Narrated Anas:Aisha had a thick curtain (having pictures on it) and she screened the side of her i house with it. The Prophet (ﷺ) said to her, "Remove it from my sight, for its pictures are still coming to my mind in my prayers."حَدَّثَنَا عِمْرَانُ بْنُ مَيْسَرَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ صُهَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ كَانَ قِرَاَمٌ لِعَائِشَةَ سَتَرَتْ بِهِ جَانِبَ بَيْتِهَا، فَقَالَ لَهَا النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَمِيطِي عَنِّي، فَإِنَّهُ لاَ تَزَالُ تَصَاوِيرُهُ تَعْرِضُ لِي فِي صَلاَتِي "
Aisha had a curtain with pictures on it And Muhammad became very angry and ordered her to remove it And added that the picture still come to his mind when he prays.
What could those pictures possibly do to bothering during prayer?
Muhammad didn't like pictures very much, which seems reasonable enough for him to condemn everyone who makes pictures. He hated pictures so much (sahih bukhari 7.72.836)
Narrated `Aisha:I never used to leave in the Prophet (ﷺ) house anything carrying images or crosses but he obliterated it.حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ فَضَالَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا هِشَامٌ، عَنْ يَحْيَى، عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ حِطَّانَ، أَنَّ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ حَدَّثَتْهُ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَمْ يَكُنْ يَتْرُكُ فِي بَيْتِهِ شَيْئًا فِيهِ تَصَالِيبُ إِلاَّ نَقَضَهُ.
that he would destroy them whatever it is It's even much worse than you think
Let's read the following hadith
(sahih bukhari 7.72.834)
Narrated Muslim:We were with Masruq at the house of Yasar bin Numair. Masruq saw pictures on his terrace and said, "I heard `Abdullah saying that he heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, "The people who will receive the severest punishment from Allah will be the picture makers.'"حَدَّثَنَا الْحُمَيْدِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، عَنْ مُسْلِمٍ، قَالَ كُنَّا مَعَ مَسْرُوقٍ فِي دَارِ يَسَارِ بْنِ نُمَيْرٍ، فَرَأَى فِي صُفَّتِهِ تَمَاثِيلَ فَقَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " إِنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَذَابًا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الْمُصَوِّرُونَ ".
The people who will receive the severest punishment from Allah will be the picture makers In another hadith (sahih bukhari 7.72.838)
Narrated `Aisha:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) returned from a journey when I had placed a curtain of mine having pictures over (the door of) a chamber of mine. When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saw it, he tore it and said, "The people who will receive the severest punishment on the Day of Resurrection will be those who try to make the like of Allah's creations." So we turned it (i.e., the curtain) into one or two cushions.حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ الْقَاسِمِ ـ وَمَا بِالْمَدِينَةِ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَفْضَلُ مِنْهُ ـ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبِي قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَائِشَةَ ـ رضى الله عنها ـ قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنْ سَفَرٍ وَقَدْ سَتَرْتُ بِقِرَامٍ لِي عَلَى سَهْوَةٍ لِي فِيهَا تَمَاثِيلُ، فَلَمَّا رَآهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم هَتَكَهُ وَقَالَ " أَشَدُّ النَّاسِ عَذَابًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الَّذِينَ يُضَاهُونَ بِخَلْقِ اللَّهِ ". قَالَتْ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ وِسَادَةً أَوْ وِسَادَتَيْنِ.
the wording is: "Those who try to make the like of Allah’s creations." People who make pictures So people who just decide because they love it or for any other reason To make pictures of dogs, horses, children of humans of anything that can be alive, Those people are the worst and they will receive the worst punishments.
Seriously?
How can anyone explain this with reason?
one hadith (sahih bukhari 1.8.419)
Narrated `Aisha:Um Habiba and Um Salama mentioned about a church they had seen in Ethiopia in which there were pictures. They told the Prophet (ﷺ) about it, on which he said, "If any religious man dies amongst those people they would build a place of worship at his grave and make these pictures in it. They will be the worst creature in the sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection."حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، أَنَّ أُمَّ حَبِيبَةَ، وَأُمَّ سَلَمَةَ ذَكَرَتَا كَنِيسَةً رَأَيْنَهَا بِالْحَبَشَةِ فِيهَا تَصَاوِيرُ، فَذَكَرَتَا لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " إِنَّ أُولَئِكَ إِذَا كَانَ فِيهِمُ الرَّجُلُ الصَّالِحُ فَمَاتَ بَنَوْا عَلَى قَبْرِهِ مَسْجِدًا، وَصَوَّرُوا فِيهِ تِلْكَ الصُّوَرَ، فَأُولَئِكَ شِرَارُ الْخَلْقِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ "
even goes further Narrated by Aisha Um Habiba and Um Salama mentioned about a church they had seen in Ethiopia, In which there were pictures ,They told the prophet about it, when which he said If any religious man dies amongst those people, They would build a place of worship at his grave and make these pictures in it, They will be the worst creature in the sight of Allah on the day of Resurrection.
This means basically that's so many Christians and Hindus And so many other people of other religions And even people who don't follow any religion, Will be punished in the most severe way just for this, They would otherwise burn in hell forever. It is also forbidden to depict Allah and Muhammad and other prophets..
But it doesn't just end with drawings, Since we can take photographs the discussions have been around forever on whether photography is forbidden or not, The majority of Scholars have agreed that photography is not good but it can be done for some reasons, like ID for example. And they also ruled that hanging up photos in places at home has forbidden The majority of Islamic Sunni scholars agree on that.
So when a photo hangs on the wall that means that angels will not enter your house. which means it is evil and bad. The discussion goes on about videos, about movies and so many other things But those are completely different issue. So I don't really want to go into that right now Because the discussion about the video, movies and stuff like that includes more than just some unscientific explanations like Imitating the creation of Allah.
So if you have photos hanging on your walls at home of parents, friends, relatives, people you look up to, or even your children, You should probably know that Islam condemns you for that And that in an Islamic system, in an Islamic World such things are not welcome.
If Muhammad came to your home you would have destroyed all those pictures Because that's also in a Hadith.
If you love pictures or if you make them yourselves You should also be aware on the Islamic stance on that Islam says that you are the worst And that Allah will punish you in the worst way ever in hell, Because you make pictures. All the artists are seen as the worst by Muhammad and Allah.
Islam appreciate culture and development. Imagine Leonardo da Vinci, Michaelangelo, Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Donatello, Van Gogh, Pollock, Vermeer, Rembrandt, Claude Monet They will all burn in hell in the worst way ...
Sources:
https://wikiislam.net/wiki/Qur%27an,_Hadith_and_Scholars:Pictures_and_Images
https://quranx.com/Hadith/Bukhari/USC-MSA/Volume-7/Book-72/Hadith-844/
https://quranx.com/Hadith/Bukhari/USC-MSA/Volume-7/Book-72/Hadith-842/
https://quranx.com/Hadith/Bukhari/USC-MSA/Volume-7/Book-72/Hadith-834/
https://quranx.com/Hadith/Bukhari/USC-MSA/Volume-7/Book-72/Hadith-838/
https://quranx.com/Hadith/Bukhari/USC-MSA/Volume-1/Book-8/Hadith-419/