Islamic Art: A study of Kufic Script in Arabic Calligraphy

The research locates Calligraphy confined to the broad framework of Tasawwuf i . Accordingly, depiction is prohibited in Islam, thus, the artists chose geometric patterns and abstract techniques to satisfy the inner need for creating an art form. Calligraphy is an art form that is created without

referring to the natural forms and their direct representation. It also has the power to convey divine messages, therefore it acquired a prominent status among Islamic Arts. The Arabic script was the main language used for the divine messages of Islam. The art of calligraphy had a prominent place in the Ottoman Empire which was at a great and strong state in the Islamic world. Over many centuries, it is observed that the calligraphers have successfully created compositions from

intricate details to powerful architectural compositions. The Kufic composition is one of the ancient forms of calligraphic representations in the field of Islamic Art. Thus this paper will discuss about the rich art historical legacy of Islam between secularism and Islam.

I. Sufism and Islamic Art Sufism is a mystical Islamic belief and practice. It literally means ‘to dress in wool’. Muslims seek to find divine knowledge and love by practicing ‘Sufism’ or ‘Tasawwuf’.

Since early 19th century, it has been called Sufism by the Western languages. Classic Sufi scholars define Sufism as a science whose objective is the reparation of the heart and turning it away from all else but Allahii. Sufism is an attempt to unite with Allah as the Sufis believed in uniting with their

love considering Allah as the ultimate source of love. They believed that the heart must be broken in order to understand the divine love. “He that is dead to the self and living by the Truth: he has escaped from the grip of human faculties and has really attained (to Allah)” is the description of Sufi given by the Persian Sufi saint Hujwiri (Nicholson 35).

II. Art in Islam

The discussion of Islamic Art includes in numerous examples of artistic excellence from architecture, inlay, music, art and carvings. The basis of such rich artwork lies in the Islamic philosophy and religious traditions. Aesthetics in general defines the beauty of an element/place. In Islamic context,

aesthetics is defined with respect to art. This is unlike the western approach of art. Therefore, Islamic works of art are according to the Islamic principles, and it also contributes to the cultural transformation of the place. The most important factor is the ‘Prohibition of Depiction’ which will be discussed below. It forms the prime basis of Islamic aesthetics. The artist was considered for searching the source of beauty and thus not practice mimesis. Therefore, in Islamic art an artist was the discoverer of beauty and not the creator. The formal pattern and the colouring pattern, both help in defining the difference between Islamic art and Western art.

III. Mimesis

Mimesis is the starting point of the Western art philosophy. One of the major contributors to mimesis is Plato in Greek architecture. Mimesis comes from Greek philosophy of Art and Architecture where beauty is understood through depiction of physical elements in the world. It emphasizes on reproducing pre-existing elements in nature. This is a general practice by most of the artists. But in case of Islamic art, this kind of practice is prohibited. Mimesis does not represent the veracity of an element, but instead it is just a replication of one’s perception. It represents the shadow world that occupy an individual’s mind while perceiving that element. So the most important part of this entire phenomenon is the ‘idea’ of the soul. Thus, in Islamic art we work on the representation of this soul and not the replication of the element itself.

IV. Prohibition of Depiction

The Islamic view of beauty was different from the rest of the world. The most popular form of art during the evolution of Islamic art was Greek art which depicted human figures and anthropomorphismiv. This kind of practice was something no Muslim would accept due to the Islamic beliefs. Thus, it is seen the artists and their artwork in the form of abstracts in

architecture had no mimetic connection to the physical world. The Islamic art had this kind of proclivity due to the teachings from the Holy Qur’an and the hadiths. The Islamic artists were

thus considered to be driven by these forces in order to follow an abstract form of art for defining beauty. The destruction of idols and abolishing pictures on the wall in Makkah was the prime act by the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) upon capturing it and entering Ka’ba. From the ancient scriptures, we are enlightened that the prohibition of depiction was applied in

Islam, Christianity and Jewish religions. There was prohibition of depiction in these religions so that the people do not end up in idol worshipping.

V. Conclusion

The places that follow Islam as their religion have undergone cultural changes and art representation for depicting beauty due to the influence of religion. According to Islam, beauty is

nature and it only belongs to Allah. Thus, Islamic artists look at beauty at its source. They do not replace the natural physical world with something else from their own imaginationv. The main aim is to identify the substance behind the visible beauty. There is no concept of ugliness in Islamic

art, like mentioned in the Western art theories. Everything is created by the Almighty and belongs to Him, thus it is divine. Therefore, the concept and depiction of art, when it comes to an Islamic artist, lies in perceiving the Mysticismvi in it. Kufic script is the most important and widespread manifestation of Calligraphy in Arabic, therefore, the paper will now talk about the general view of development of the Kufic script.