In your opinion, what are the causes for the decline of interest amongst muslims to practice Islamic art and what can we do as Ummah to revive this great tradition?
Answer
The reasons are complex because of the complexities of the different Muslim societies. In different societies the decline occurred at different times. For instance, in Egypt the Islamic arts declined seriously after the finish of the Mamluk Empire, but they revived again to some degree with the arrival Mohammed Ali Pasha and his successors. But again went into a decline in the mid 20th century. In the Ottoman empire we have a different situation in that the arts were never abandoned even during the period of the republic after the abolition of the empire. The arts simply went under ground for a period and were practiced in private and reemerged in the 1950's and they continue quite strongly today. Likewise, Morocco also retained its classical art forms to the present. Also like Turkey, Morocco has retained its classical Islamic music. In most other Muslim countries the arts had also declined although some never had much to begin with. In Iran, the there has been a huge revival of Islamic art in the past 20 years.
The classical Islamic arts are taught through the concept of Taqlid. Taqlid is the method whereby all Islamic sciences are taught. This means essentially that somebody who knows teaches somebody who does not know. Then the person who is taught has to prove to his teacher that he the learned the materials thoroughly, then he/she is allowed to both practice and teach that subject. This process insures that the highest standards will be maintained. However, this does not mean that Islamic art is a static art. With this educational background that I mentioned, the new professional can make his unique contribution to the field. People who follow this method and learn their subject thoroughly are then in the position to make new advancements and breakthroughs in art. A person who practices art in this fashion can trace back their artistic heritage for centuries. In my case I can trace the lineage of calligraphers back at least till the 16th century. When this method fails to function, then the artistic quality tends to fall apart.
The other important thing that when the customers for calligraphy or the other arts no longer support those arts then the artist have no incentive to keep practicing their work. Part of that also is that people who buy and support the arts don't have enough sophistication to be able to distinguish good art from bad art. Part of this is because artists working outside the classical tradition have taken the spotlight away from people who work in the classical method and even condemned people working in the classical method as old fashion. In my opinion, there has to be room for both people working in the classical methods and the people who have a modern interpretation. Art is a profession and always has been. So when there is a demand for high quality classical art, then artist will either produce it or learn how to produce it. An example of this, is the present situation in Istanbul where almost every month there is a major exhibition of contemporary calligraphers, guilders and illuminators which puts the art in front of the public and is discussed in the media and taught in the schools. So the situation is not hopeless, but there are not shortcuts.
Name
Irfan
-
Profession
Question
In what directions do you see Islamic art and calligrapgy evolving in the future or will they remain focused on the patterns that have been established by the tradition?
Answer
This is an interesting question because the patterns that you speak of are largely something that has been identified through the medium of Orientalist scholarship. They have an important role to play in this regard. However, if we wish to understand what Islamic art actually is and has been historically we need to look at it through people who are actually producing it or witnessing the production of it or through a careful study of the works themselves. One has to be very critical in looking at these works. If we start in the first century of Islam and proceed through its various stages, we will see that the art was never static, but was always responding to new challenges and situations. Therefore it is not, in the best examples, a traditional art, but rather an art which was taken very seriously by people of intellectual and spiritual depth.
No one at this stage has any idea where it is going to go. But it will respond to the challenges of the future I hope better then it has responded to the challenges of the present. That implies that there will be plenty of people who have the necessary education both artistic and spiritual/intellectual preparations. We as teachers and professionals can only make the bricks but what buildings in the future artists make of them only God knows.
Name
Ayman
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Profession
Question
How can we build an Islamic concept within modern arts?
Answer
The first thing in my opinion is to know your religion. It is not a search for identity, but it is a search for finding out the truth in all things. If you are artistically inclined during this search you may find ways of incorporating that in your art. Art in Islam is a thirst that you cannot avoid if you are inclined towards it just like any other kind of knowledge.
This is an old metaphor from western musical teaching that really applies to all art Islamic and others. Somebody asked what is talent and the answer was talent is not just something which you are born with, but something that you struggle with to succeed over and over again continually and never give up. So talent is perseverance.
Name
Asma
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Profession
Question
Can Muslim artists survive in this new world order, particularly after 9-11 terrorist acts?
Answer
Certainly.
9/11 has to alter the way we look at our own participation in things like Islamic art. It makes it more important to do what we should have been doing all along which is to consider the deep spiritual and ethical well springs of Islam even if it is against the way we have been doing things. There is a hadith where the Prophet (pbuh) says speak the truth even if it is bitter.
When people around the world have so many perceptions about Islam some being correct and some are incorrect, we need to express a side of Islam that is both authentic and ethically very straight and not try to justify wicked actions that have been done in the name of the religion. If Islam is the religion of the future it needs to be understood in its deepest sense not just as a political activity or justification.
Name
Ali
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Profession
Question
The Islamic art, is it abstract or realistic?
Answer
It is both and neither one. It is abstract in the sense that it portrays concepts of spirituality through whatever medium it is based on: music, calligraphy, and architecture without recourse to making very realistic representation. It is realistic in the sense it gives you a very direct representation of such concepts as the nature of God and prophecy and the content of these concepts which we as Muslims regard as real.
Name
Muslim
- United States
Profession
Student in Film studies
Question
How do you think as Muslims, we can influence and produce high quality movies?
Answer
My own personal feeling is that movies have a huge future for Islamic art. Presently I have not seen anything that is very encouraging. Costume dramas are not where it is at, but I do believe some one will figure it out some day. Say: "Ya Fattah" and may be it will be you.
Name
Kadir
- United States
Profession
Question
Do you think that nowadays,part of the absence of contempory Muslim arts, is the consequence of Muslims ignorance and non-respect for the Arts?
Answer
To some degree.
For further details look at Mehmet's answer above.
Name
Joud
- Canada
Profession
student
Question
assalam alaykum..
would u please give us ur email address and the webpage if u have one..
our MSA in the university of Winnipeg is trying to organize an Islamic Art gallery, so we might need some advises
thank u
Answer
This information will be directly sent to the email address you have provided.
