Islamic Art and Architecture: An Introduction - Paperback

by Sabrina Lei (Editor)

Aniconic, with no sacred, representational projections ofdivinity through paintings, plastic arts, etc., as in certain Western and Eastern arts, Islamic art, rooted in Tawhid, the inimitable concept of God's unity that entails His sublime attributes called Asmāʾu Husnā, is a manifestation of beauty, refinement, harmony, moderation, equilibrium and authenticity. In other words, Islamic art is a civilizational reflection of Ihsan, a comprehensive term that combines all the above mentioned qualities. Muslim artists and architects, throughout the centuries, have been aware of the Prophet's saying, "God, certainly, has prescribed Ihsan in everything. And God, according to another Hadith, is beautiful. And He loves the beauty.