بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم
In the name of Allah, all praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah
This is the source, the inspiration, and the foundation of the whole of creation from mankind, to the Muslim, to the Islamic artist, and ultimately to what he or she creates of art.
Without a sincere belief in Allah as He revealed in The Qur’an and through His Messenger صلى الله عليه وآله وصحبه وسلم and companions by way of the authentic sunnah, there can be no Islamic art.
I created this graphic based on Utrujjah Publication’s translation of Shaykh AbdurRazzaq’s book (as shown in the image) because it effectively highlights the foundational aspects of Islamic art in a practical and inspiring manner. It underscores the elevation of human creativity beyond the materialistic aspirations of the naturalists, reflecting the true essence of Islamic artistic expression.
In considering the concept of Tawheed (the Oneness of Allah) and the divine attributes (Asmaa wa Sifaat), which represent the pinnacle of Allah’s perfection, I realize that the act of creation itself is nourished by the divine essence provided only by al-Khalaq (The Creator). What could be a more profound source of originality than from the stream of al-Barri’ (The Originator)? What better inspiration for style, technique, and form than from al-Musawwir (The Fashioner, who creates in the most beautiful manner)? Unless an artist is consumed by base desires, there is no loftier source to draw upon to create art than this understanding of Tawheed.
Without a sincere belief in Allah as He revealed in The Qur’an and through His Messenger صلى الله عليه وآله وصحبه وسلم and companions by way of the authentic sunnah, there can be no Islamic art.
I created this graphic based on Utrujjah Publication’s translation of Shaykh AbdurRazzaq’s book (as shown in the image) because it effectively highlights the foundational aspects of Islamic art in a practical and inspiring manner. It underscores the elevation of human creativity beyond the materialistic aspirations of the naturalists, reflecting the true essence of Islamic artistic expression.
In considering the concept of Tawheed (the Oneness of Allah) and the divine attributes (Asmaa wa Sifaat), which represent the pinnacle of Allah’s perfection, I realize that the act of creation itself is nourished by the divine essence provided only by al-Khalaq (The Creator). What could be a more profound source of originality than from the stream of al-Barri’ (The Originator)? What better inspiration for style, technique, and form than from al-Musawwir (The Fashioner, who creates in the most beautiful manner)? Unless an artist is consumed by base desires, there is no loftier source to draw upon to create art than this understanding of Tawheed.
To clarify, this statement is not intended to endorse the notion that an artist can ever reach the level of al-Khalaq, as some foolish artists have erroneously claimed simply due to their act of creation. Rather, it underscores that Allah, The Most High, is the Source of all creation. Therefore, based on the Names and Attributes mentioned, He is the Supreme Source of inspiration for the artist, unmatched and unparalleled.
Allah Says,
لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ البَصِيرُ
There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. [42:11]
Allah Knows best. Whatever is correct is from Allah, whatever is incorrect is from my own ignorance.
– Abdushakur
