O.H.

S Najibullo Nasimi
5/12/14(Monday 13 Rajab 1435 A.H.) 904
ISLAMIC ART
Have you ever wondered why Muslims don't depict Allah or Muhammad images in art?
Muslims don't depict Allah or Mohammed's images in art because of variety of theories. Two
theories as to why Muhammad and Allah cannot be depicted in art are idolatry and people don't
know for sure how Muhammad and Allah looked like. Islam started in 622 C.E. in the Arabian
Peninsula. This topic is important because there are approximately 1.5 billion followers. It is the
second largest religion in the world and the fastest growing. Islam was founded by Prophet
Muhammad as an expression to the will of Allah, the creator and sustainer of the world. The
Quran, the sacred text of Islam, contains the teachings of the Prophet that were revealed to him
from Allah. Essential to Islam is the belief that Allah is the one and true God with no partner or
equal. This story started from the notes of prophet Mohammad, which were written by
Mohammad wife. My research question is important because Islam is the second largest religion
and it is the fastest growing religion in the world. From 2 million people converting from
christianity, 70 ppy(people per year) converting from Judaism.
There are many theories that answer my research question. One theory is that the drawings of
Muhammad and Allah may cause Idolatry. Idolatry is when someone worships an object as a
higher power, something or someone other than God. When prophet Muhammad married, his
wife wrote the first Hadith. As the Hadith started to spread and translated, it began to change.
During those times there was no internet, so readings and ideas were spread verbally as
stories. As the stories were there were some parts mislead. Then a man named Al-Bukhari
gathered all of the books and stories of Hadith and created one and only Hadith Al-Bukhari.
In this book, Al-Bukhari Sahih Muslim, Translated by Abdul Hamid Siddiqui at 622, it was
written Ibn Umar(may peace be upon him) reported Allahs message having said :those who
paint pictures would be punished on the Day of Resurrection and it would be said to them:
Breathe soul into what to have created. This quote shows that you cannot depict other
prophets. At the end of the quote it says Breathe soul into what you have created. This line
of the quote shows that only God can create a living soul and that when you draw something
you will be told to finish your creation by giving them a life. This quote is also worded
differently in Christianity and Judaism. In the Exodus which is in Christianity and Judaism
quotes Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is
in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou
shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of
them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my
commandments.

The second theory is a very simple. Muslims don't depict Muhammad and Allah because
the people dont know how they look. The islamic tradition has discouraged the figurative
depictions of living creatures, especially human beings. Religious islamic art has therefore
tended to be abstract or decorative. It is shown in the Mihrab and the Bowl. The Mihrab is
located in the metropolitan of the Museum of Art. The Mihrab is a big wall with unique
geometric design. It has no drawings of living creatures which support the second Theory. In the
Bowl, which is also located in the Metropolitan museum of art, has different lines and shapes but
no living creatures. These dramatic designs are not just islamic art but also religious art. They do
not contain drawings of muhammad and Allah. There are variety of sources that support this
theory. The Islamic Way of life and rules have brought to this conclusion of images. These
images are an alternative to the images of humans, animals, and Allah. To Muslims, these forms,
taken together, constitute an infinite pattern that extends beyond the visible material world. To
many in the Islamic world, they concretely symbolize the infinite, and therefore uncentralized,
nature of the creation of the one God (Allah). There are many sources that support the two
theories one at a time. But it is a rare to find a source that refers to both of the series at the same
time. Chapter 21, verses 52-54, New YOrk, A.D. 611, Valeria Porokhova, of the Koran read:
"[Abraham] said to his father and his people: 'What are these images to whose worship you
cleave?' They said: 'We found our fathers worshipping them.' He said: 'Certainly you have been,
you and your fathers, in manifest error.'" First of all this quote supports the first and second
theory by saying that the people who worship those pictures are an manifest error. It is also
shown that this image is only draw on that person's imagination . And the person don't know how
Allah looks like. Some people that Muslims pray to Kabba. Muslims just face to Kabba as
respect and honor to Abraham(peace be upon him). when a person has no knowledge where is
Kabba, they can face anywhere to pray. Idolatry is easily proven by comparing what the
Christians have done to Jesus, (peace be upon him). They've made many images for him, and
none are alike, and made statues of him and his mother. And went a step further and worshiped
them and for those who say that they don't worship Mary, they do admit that they hail her which
is worshiping. This actually goes further back to the time of Noah, (peace be upon him). After
his death people began to make pictures and sculptures for him and others they considered to be
good people. But they did this out of "respect" for them and to commemorate what good people
they were and to not forget them. Later generations saw their parents and ancestors doing this
and slowly, slowly this turned into making saints out of them, then asking of them, then offering
to them, to just worshiping them. Islam, prevents this because no one wants it to get out of hand.
There are other religion that consider the rule of not to draw prophets and Allah.
Christianity, like Islam has rules. It is the 10 commandments. The second commandment
states that Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that
is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou
shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God,
visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of
them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my
commandments. This quote is in Christianity and Judaism. It shows that God's message was
that I am one, and you will not make any image of anything and you will not absolutely not
bow down to that graven image. Most christians dont follow this rule. One person told me
that he prays to saints and Jesus (peace be upon him) because "I get closer to God, and if I get
in trouble God will help me". I saw him praying, and he had a picture of saint and Jesus
(pbuh).
When a person says the name of a prophet you have to say "peace be upon him".
Muslims say that for respect and honor. There are many other saying for angels. There are
four saying in to total. "Peace be upon him": this expression follows after naming any
prophets, or one of the archangels "May Allh honor him and grant him peace.": this
expression follows specifically after uttering the name of the last prophet Muhammad,
although "peace be upon him" may also be used instead. "May Allah grant peace and honor
on him and his family.": this expression follows specifically after saying the name of the last
prophet Muhammad. "Peace be upon her": this expression follows specifically after the name
of historical righteous Islamic females, e.g. Muhammad's daughter Fatimah.
Overall, there are many sources that support the two theories. Now you know why
Muslims dont depict Muhammad and Allah in art. Despite the errors over the years of Hadith,
people still follow the traditional religious way of life. Even though there are many counter
arguments against this rule or idea but there is still a rebuttal which supports islam. Now, that
you know why Muslims don't depict prophets and God, you could have a intelligent conversation
with your Muslim friend.