Art of Ashura, symbolic and epic (1)

Time and place are two concepts that seem very interconnected. Sometimes, it is the place that becomes important and sacred due to the presence of a certain person or an event. This is true about time, too. Ashura and Karbala are such concepts. We will discuss the issue in two episodes.

The event of Ashura is one of the most important events in the history of Islam and the history of mankind. Thus, it has a very rich potential for application of ritual and dramatic creativity. Artists have created beautiful works on Ashura in drama, theater, painting, poetry, song and so on. The art of Ashura is a branch of the Islamic art that started in the form of Ta'zieh (elegiac theater) in the early years and decades after the occurrence of Ashura but later on it found its way into other types of art.

In mid-12th century AH, the current form of dramatic art of Ashura was born in the form of drawings on draperies and walls of tea-houses. Then it became more common among ordinary people. Drawings on draperies, stones, glasses, walls and even vehicles became quite common.

Ashura and Moharram is undoubtedly the most effective and lasting event in the history of Shias. Ashura has been commemorated with the usage of a variety of elements in different forms of art.

What is significant in the art of Ashura is the prevalence of black color. Yet, the elements and motifs in the art of Ashura include a variety of white, red, green yellow and other colors which can be seen in decorations, flags and banners. These colors are ornamented so beautifully that they draw the attention of every viewer.

Although the mourning ceremonies of Imam Hussein are usually simple and the faithful try to be more thoughtful of the events of Ashura and Moharram, some tools are common among some age groups especially youths. Boraq is one of these tools. It consists of the head of a human and the body of a winged horse. Boraq was the name of the horse that the Prophet of Islam mounted on it and traveled by it on the night of Me'raj or ascension to the heavens. Some samples of Boraq have a tail of a peacock, too. Another tool is a bird with the head of a human. Some believe that it is a bird which nests on the tree of Tooba in paradise. It can be seen in the paintings of walls in tea-houses.

Another tool is the hand. It symbolizes the severed hand of Hazrat Abul Fazl Abbas, the valiant brother of Imam Hussein whose hands were both cut off from the arms in the heat of the battle of Ashura when he had set off to fetch water for the thirsty folks, especially children in the encampment of Imam Hussein (AS). Thus, it is common to see special metal bowls with metal hands attached to them vertically as a symbol of the sacrifice of Abbas (AS).

Another element is the peacock which can symbolize human spirit and purity of human spirit. There are other elements, as well, such as camels which symbolize the caravan of the Ahl al-Bayt before the martyrdom of Imam Hussein and after his martyrdom when the women and children were taken as captives in chains and fetters to the court of tyrants Ibn Ziyad and Yazid. There are also two cypress trees, symboyzing Tooba and Zaqqum. Tooba is the name of a tree in paradise while Zaqqum is the tree in the hell. Next time we will continue the discussion. 

WHAT EXACTLY IS ISLAMIC ART?

AHLAN ART

Although this subject has been covered numerous times, it’s still nice to look back at it through different perspectives. Today, art is being used as a medium for peaceful campaigns to bring communities together, for instance, the “Make your mark” and “Who is Muhammad” campaigns run by Ahlan Art in the past. However, what is Islamic art? Islamic art is not just The Dome of the Rock, the Taj Mahal, a decorated bowl, a Persian silk carpet or a scripture. Islamic art is a modern concept created by art historians in the 19^th century to categorise and study of the material first produced in Arabia in the seventh century.

The term Islamic art is not merely used to describe religious art or architecture, but it applies to all forms of art produced in the Islamic world. Thus the term Islamic art also refers to work created by those of all faiths who were or are living in Islamic countries, which is dissimilar to Christian art, Jewish art and Buddhist art which mainly refer to the art of its faith only.

One of the most distinguished monuments of Islamic art is the Taj Mahal, a royal mausoleum, based in Agra, India. The Mughals once dominated large areas of modern-day India for centuries, therefore India houses a vast range of Islamic art and architecture. Verily Islamic art and architecture was and still is created through the synthesis of local traditions, taking into account the various cultures and languages.

Islamic art is not a monolithic style or movement, meaning it’s not slow to change. It spreads 1,300 years of history and geographic diversity, each city exceedingly different from the first. The Islamic empires controlled territories from Spain to China at various points of history. However, few countries or Muslim empires did not refer their art to Islamic, instead, they introduced their work by country or city I.e. Lebanese or Damascene and not Islamic.

The prominent themes used countlessly throughout Islamic art is calligraphy and geometry (to name a few). Calligraphy plays an important role in the Islamic art world. The Quran, written in elegant script attained in calligraphy, is recreated in many different form of art and architecture. Likewise, poetry can be found on everything from decorations to walls.

Geometric and vegetal design repetitions are known as arabesque and to this day are very popular throughout the lands where Islam was or still is the prominent religion. Its architectural influences appear in private palaces and grand buildings to name a few the Alhambra in Spain, Kensington Palace Gardens designed by Owen Jones who was greatly influenced by Islamic architecture of Egypt, Turkey and Spain and The Leighton Home’s Arab Hall inspired by Islamic art from different periods.

Today the Parameters of Islamic art is expanding to include contemporary works. Muslim societies strongly believe that Islamic art has been presented by diversity and openness to fresh ideas. Artists acknowledge cultural taste, but change is pervasive. They adapt to both worlds dedicating parts of their paintings to suit different tastes.

The British Museum's new gallery: A history of Islam in over a thousand objects

The British Museum's Albukhary Foundation Gallery of the Islamic World celebrates the influence of Islamic art across the globe

Star and cross tiles, AH 664–65 (AD 1266–67). Iran, probably Kashan. Stonepaste, moulded and painted in blue, turquoise and lustre over an opaque white glaze. © The Trustees of the British Museum

Georgia Beeston

LONDON – Walking into the new Islamic art gallery at The British Museum is unlike any other experience. Far from the dimly lit and stuffy interiors that often house ancient artefacts, the Albukhary Foundation Gallery of the Islamic World is bursting with natural light.

From the moment you step into the first room, you are greeted with timeless objects such as the remarkable "Stone Inscription" from 9th century Egypt with a quotation in early Kufic script on marble, saying, "In the name of Allah".

This sets the tone for the marvels that follow: from a beautiful brass tray inlaid with silver and gold, covered in detailed medallion motifs, from late-13th century Iran, to an elaborate Sudanese lyre from the late 1800s, embellished with beads and coins, and more originating from Cairo, Britain and the Indonesian island of Sumatra during the Dutch colonial era.

Spread over two galleries in the centre of the museum, the display exhibits over 1,600 artefacts from the Islamic world, originating in the Middle East, Africa and South East Asia.

The Albukhary Foundation Gallery of Islamic World ©Stanton Williams

Speaking to Middle East Eye from the gallery floor, curator Dr Ladan Akbarnia explains that the Islamic art was originally housed on the lowest level of the museum, frequently overlooked by visitors.

Now the collection has been relocated to the heart of the museum in two galleries, increasing the space by a third. The new wing, supported by Albukhary Foundation, a non-profit organisation based in Malaysia, shows pieces that have never been displayed before.

Being able to listen to the oud as you look at the Arabic lutes on display, or watching a calligrapher write in Arabic as you look at the scripture, brings the works to life in a new way

"In our previous gallery, we showed mainly the central Islamic lands: the Arab lands, Iran, Central Asia, and parts of India. In this gallery, we really extended so that it would be much more true to the reality of Islamic visual culture," she explains. 

The two rooms are divided between the rise of Islam in the 7th century up until the 1500s, and from the 1500s to the present day. The central spine follows a chronological order, allowing for the thematic exploration of the history of Islamic art on the edges of the gallery, such as objects from daily life, and the spoken and written word.

Cross-cultural influences

Alongside the artefacts are quotes, translations, and video and audio extracts that give the viewer a sense of the Islamic world as it was at the time.

Being able to listen to the oud as you look at the Arabic lutes on display, or watching a calligrapher write in Arabic as you look at the scripture, brings the works to life in a new way.

"The thing we wanted to do within these cases was not just name dynasties and time periods ... but evoke something about the world and the time and the place people lived in."

On entering the gallery, one of the first display cases to the right hosts a wonderful assortment of fragmented artefacts, excavated from Samarra city, in central Iraq.

I was under the impression that paintings of humans and animals were prohibited in Islamic art, so it is quite a surprise to see it here

- Julie, a visitor to the gallery

An anonymous viewer at the time wrote: "He who sees it is delighted," reflecting on his experience of the city.

From abstract motifs carved in plaster, to glass mosaics and mother of pearls to paintings, the collection gives us a glimpse of the immense splendour of the palaces and private homes of Samarra, which was founded as the imperial capital city in the 9th century by the Abbasid Caliph al-Mu'tasim.

Julie, one of the first visitors to the new gallery, looks at a figure painted in stucco from the 9thcentury. She remarks: "I was under the impression that paintings of humans and animals were prohibited in Islamic art, so it is quite a surprise to see it here."

Painted stucco, 9th century, Iraq, excavated at Samarra. © The Trustees of the British Museum

The work in question, titled Painted Stucco, is a fragmentary remain of what is thought to be a depiction of a ghulam (servant) in semi-profile that formed part of a paradisiacal scene. During the excavations of the city of Samarra in the early 20th century, fragments of friezes were found that depicted courtly scenes of dancing, banqueting and musical instruments being played. 

Progressing through the dynasties, it is fascinating to see how the unique Islamic style became more intricate and defined over the ages.  

Symmetry and geometry

Star and Cross Tiles from Iran is particularly exquisite. Dating from the late-13th century AD, the combination of star and cross tiles exemplifies the symmetry and geometry that has come to define Islamic art. 

The tiles are thought to have once belonged to the interior of the Imamzadeh Ja'far shrine in Damghan, Iran. Rabbits, wolves and wild cats mirror each other in between blossoming foliage.  

Persian calligraphy recounting passages from the Shahanama (Book of Kings), which is more than 1,000 years old, borders the sides. An epic poem of 50,000 verses, the Shahanama explores the reign of 50 monarchs from the start of documented Arab conquests of Iran. 

One of the things that people might be surprised about is that [globalisation] is not new ... it is as old as time

- Dr Ladan Akbarnia, curator

The rest of the room is filled with ceramics and lamps. Some are made of enamelled glass embellished with blue Arabic scripture quoting the Quran, while others combine blue and red to create floral motifs that strongly resonate with the Chinese lotus. There are also inlaid incense burners andastrolabes, a device used by early astronomers to tell time by measuring the altitude of the sun, moon and stars, as well as a navigational device.

Such objects reflect the phenomenal advances in science, algebra, astrology, and literature that occurred in Baghdad, Cairo and Cordoba during the Islamic Golden Age from the 8th century to the 13th, while Eastern Europe was deep in its dark ages. For over 700 years, theinternational language of science was Arabic.

Iznik basin, c. 1545–1550, Ottoman dynasty, Iznik, Turkey. Made of cobalt, green, turquoise painted and glazed stonepaste. © The Trustees of the British Museum

As the first room comes to a close, the spread of influence of Islamic art is demonstrated in non-Islamic countries like China, which began to mimic Islamic motifs by the 1500s.

For example, there is a 15th-century tray emanating from the porcelain centre of Jingdezhen in China which resembles a similar one from the Mamluk Sultanate, replacing brass with traditional blue and white Chinese porcelain.  

"One of the things that people might be surprised about is that [globalisation] is not new ... it is as old as time,” says Akbarnia.

The cross-cultural influence is even clearer in the second room, which explores the Islamic world from the 1500s to the present day. The central part of the exhibition delves into the art from the three major dynasties of the period: the Ottomans, Safavids and Mughals.

A highlight from the Ottoman dynasty includes the Iznik Basin. Dated to the 16th century, the basin blends the typical Islamic blue found in the earliest architecture of Islam with Chinese floral imagery to create a style unique to the town of Iznik, southeast of Istanbul.

On the side of the galleries, the displays continue to explore the wonderful objects from quotidian life: from textiles to oral traditions, to music and puppetry.

The textiles are particularly fascinating as they show how worldwide influences impacted the fashion of the time. Child’s Outfit shows a chemise, split skirt, and leggings designed for a young girl. Dating from the 19th century, Akbarnia explains that the style became in-vogue when a ruler of the Qajar dynasty, who reigned over Iran from 1848-1896, travelled to Europe.

"Nasir al-Din Shah was one of the most famous Qajar rulers," she says. "[He travels to] Paris and sees the ballet and is so obsessed with the fashion that he brings it back for his entire harem." Thus, Western styles became interwoven in the fashion of Qajar Iran. 

Seated youth reading, c. 1625–26. Isfahan, Iran. Ink, opaque watercolour and gold on paper. © The Trustees of the British Museum

Towards the end of the gallery is an entire section dedicated to the literary tradition of the Islamic world, displaying a vast array of illustrated manuscripts and albums, rarely displayed before.

"We have a whole section dedicated to storytelling, starting with oral traditions and how stories were told over time, translated into other languages ... and became illustrated in books," Akbarnia explains.

One striking work is a manuscript from the Hamzanama from the 16th century, based on a series of legends about Amir Hamza, the uncle of Prophet Muhammad, which were passed down the generations through storytelling and describe him in a variety of valiant acts, such as his defeat of a two-headed lion with one blow of his sword. 

On display is a page from a manuscript commissioned by Akbar, considered the greatest of all Mughal emperors and who ruled most of India and Pakistan in the 16th and 17th centuries. "He [Akbar] liked listening to these stories being recited so much that he commissioned a royal manuscript to be made," says Akbarnia.

Rhapsody in blue

One of the paintings depicts the prophet Elijah, known to Muslims as Ilyas, who is mentioned in both the Bible and in the Quran, saving Nur ad-Dahr, the grandson of Amir Hamza from drowning. Water gushes out of an idyllic landscape of fruitful trees, blossoming flowers and animals, leaving one visitor to remark that it "looks like paradise".

The Hamzanama, c.1558–73. India. Image side ink and opaque watercolour on cloth; text side ink on paper. © The Trustees of the British Museum

In keeping with the curators' aim of bringing the works to life, Seated Youth Reading, a beautiful watercolour from 17th century Isfahan, Iran, is placed next to a reimagining of the work by contemporary Iranian artist Farkhondeh Ahmadzadeh. Visitors can watch him completing the image on a screen nearby.

Akbarnia describes a "great collaboration with the Prince's School of Traditional arts, where we've had an artist filmed recreating the image so that people could see how the illuminations get to this point."

Against the back wall of the gallery is an immense series of works by contemporary British-Pakistani artist Idris Khan. The series, titled 21 Stones, references the ritual that takes place during the Hajj pilgrimage when stones are thrown at pillars to symbolise the Stoning of the Devil. Twenty-one blue canvases line the wall recreating the impact of the stone hitting the pillar.

21 Stones, 2018, by Idris Khan © Idris Khan. Photograph The Trustees of the British Museum

That same blue colour, repeated throughout Islamic art, connects the entire collection together as it draws to a close.

The gallery also holds a space for temporary exhibitions, which will change every six months to two years. The first temporary exhibition hosts a wonderful collection of textiles and artefacts drawn from the collection of the Islamic Arts Museum in Malaysia, established by the Albukhary Foundation, which uses the space to explore the popular Arabesque motif seen throughout Islamic art.

The Albukhary Foundation Gallery of the Islamic World is an outstanding achievement which attests that the influence of Islamic art extends far beyond the Middle East and continues to inspire artists. 

The Islamic Era of Stagnation and modern-day Pharisees.

Amina Sadr

AIM

Every new social, religious, political movement in history goes through various stages. And although the sequence and variation of these stages are unique for every movement, parallels and repetitions do occur, making it vital for us to study history and be mindful of the mistakes of the past. Being far from any level of historic expertise, I, nonetheless, cannot help but experience déjà vu as I observe the life and development of Islamic communities.

The first highly disturbing yet very prominent trend can be characterized as ‘The Islamic Era of Stagnation”, as it has unknowingly borrowed many of its’ features from the Soviet Era of Stagnation. The latter was a result of gradual loss of the original ideological essence of the movement, separation from what has caused it in the first place, loss of genuine motivation and replacement of sincere struggle of those who had faith in it with empty slogans emanating from the mouths of bureaucrats, opportunists and those who have simply adopted to the new ways of climbing to the top of the social ladder. People used to carry the posters with the outdated and oftentimes nonsensical slogans which no one truly cared about, including those who composed them; the value and status of a person was determined by how much he is willing to comply, march along, and promote the very same slogans and mottos, and even the works of art had to obey all the same shallow formulas, or else they risked to stay forever unrecognized. Needless to say, such developments have led to gradual disintegration and collapse of one of the world’s superpowers.

And so, today, looking at our communities I can’t help but wonder: have the fourteen centuries of development of the Islamic thought only served our ability to operate a rich set of sophisticated cliché and slogans? Do we even have anything that can be genuinely considered to be Islamic thought, Islamic art, Islamic culture or Islamic revolutionary movement, or is it, instead, Islamic plagiarism and propaganda competitions? Are we working for the ideals we have, or to satisfy the wishes and tastes of local community elites, so that we too could find our place in the superficial hierarchy? Indeed, whereas a thinker is supposed to be decades and centuries ahead of his people, our “inspirational figures” are usually called such only because they have satisfied the mindsets of the most backwards layers of the society. If one talks about “standing for justice”, a part of the community will consider him an activist. If one discusses “taboo topics” and “social stigmas” , he may be deemed progressive by some. If one rhymes words ending with “-ation”, he may become a spoken word artist in the eyes of a small community, and putting together the names of Ahlul-Bayt(sa) with words like “pearl”, “rose”, “light”, “stranger” may give one a fame of a poet among those who understand nothing in poetry. In fact, these days poets can apparently be inspired by competitions and material prizes – I wonder which muse visits them for such a small wage?

We have mastered serving Islam to the narrow-minded, uneducated masses. We have mastered blowing fanfares, singing duty odes and decorating our speech with sophisticated terms. But what about intellectuals? What about genuine artists and thinkers? As long as Islamic thought, Islamic art, and Islamic movements overall are inferior to what has been produced before Islam, it does not matter how strong our theological, philosophical and scholarly base is.

Yes, the Islamic world had at some point been deprived of access to technological and scientific know-hows and starting from zero was the only option. Yet, we have never been barred from the intellectual and cultural heights of other nations, save alone our own, and so we shouldn’t imagine that we could produce anything worthy without studying and appreciating what is already there.

We have confused the means and ends: becoming familiar with Islamic teachings, personalities and rules is not the peak of aspirations or even an achievement until one uses these fundamental principles and directions to develop and build upon. Speaking about the revolution and its’ leader is of no use if the goals if that revolution have been forgotten. Quoting the leader continuously on the issue of “the plots of enemies” and missing out on all the other subjects he emphasizes only shows the desires and the limited vision of those who keep insisting on such filtering. The truth is that we cannot stay plebeians while claiming to be the followers of such highly educated, refined and broad-minded individuals. We cannot toss around moral anecdotes and yet exhibit the level of integrity which is lower than that of a non-Muslim alcoholic, speaking about ethics as a set of social behavior rules and not refinement of the soul.

The ultimatum of our time does not favor mediocre mindsets, the mindsets of slaves and consumers: we either create a competitive, rich and respectable culture or vanish as many similar communities did before. To be clear, I don’t mean that Islam will vanish or stop growing and developing. Rather, we, as a community will vanish from the Islamic history and leave it for others, unknown to us, to develop.

Speaking about having rich foundations and using them as trophies and slogans rather than building upon them, I can now mention a second disturbing trend: modern-day Pharisees. The word “Pharisees”, according to what can be gathered from the Biblical narratives, as well as classic literature, refers to a group that existed in Judaism before the arrival of Jesus(sa). The narratives may or may not be historically accurate, yet they still contain an important lesson:

Pharisees emerged from the middle and lower classes of Jewish population, held the right beliefs, knew, maintained and strictly observed the religious rulings in the most detailed way. But they missed one thing: the essence of faith. Their strict observance did nothing to reform their hearts and led them towards decay instead of spiritual reformation; their beliefs have not prevented them from eventually opposing the prophet of God and his mission. They were as religious and as observant as one can be, but they lacked faith, sincerity, and the fruits of genuine religious observance, such as humility, compassion, kindness and integrity.

And so, as we keep up with all the intensive activism, let us not lose sight of the original ideals of spiritual purity or confuse the means with the goals. Islam is the way, but knowing the way is not the end. Paths exist to be walked upon, not to be admired, praised, described and advertised. No Islamophobic rhetoric would have any weight if it was directed towards a nation of competitive intellectuals, well-educated and culturally refined youth, independent thinkers, genuine and well-developed talents and individuals with high cultural and moral standards. But If we don’t keep libraries in our houses, we should expect libraries of Islamophobic literature to be written. If we easily attack the honor of fellow Muslims or search for sensational faults in the lives of strangers or even the dead, we should not be surprised that our entire nation is subject to mockery, shaming and misrepresentation. What goes around, comes around, be it on a personal or collective level.

Author: Amina Sadr