4/5 Rizwan A. 3 years ago on Google

In
the
harsh
arid
lands
of
Arabia,
the
message
of
the
prophet
(PBUH)
of
Islam
was
to
bring
new
hope
to
the
hearts
of
men.
His
strong
yet
simple
message
of
divine
love
and
devotion
transformed
all
aspects
of
life
and
thought.
Work
became
a
form
of
worship,
and
art
a
celebration
of
divine
beauty.
The
artists
of
the
era
combined
the
rich
influences
of
Persian,
Byzantine,
Sassanian
techniques,
styles,
and
forms
to
create
a
virtual
renaissance
in
the
world
of
art,
architecture,
music
and
literature.
Art
of
Islam
is
essentially
contemplated
to
express
and
encounter
the
divine
presence.
The
artisan
uses
his
craft
to
convey
this
glory
and
to
share
awareness
with
the
world.
As
Islamic
art
and
philosophy
spread
to
all
corners
of
the
globe,
various
regional
powers
emerged,
each
seeking
to
establish
superiority
by
promoting
their
diverse
forms
of
artistic
expression.
This
collective
genius
came
to
symbolise
the
cultural
sophistication
of
their
patrons
and
the
identity
of
the
state.
Expertise
from
Syria,
Egypt
and
as
far
as
Persia
was
brought
together
under
the
banner
of
an
Islamic
culture.
The
rich
textiles
and
royal
silk
robes
of
Persia;
jewel-encrusted
ceremonial
objects
of
Turkey;
intricately
designed
textiles
and
silk
carpets
of
Kashmir;
finely
crafted
weapons
of
Damascus;
gold
painted
ceramics
of
China;
illuminated
miniatures
of
Iran
depicting
religious
and
literary
themes
from
epics,
epitomised
a
sublime
and
elegant
statement
of
oriental
opulence
under
the
patronage
of
the
sultans
and
emperors.
For
most
of
the
thirteen
centuries,
Islamic
rulers
combined
their
roles
of
a
monarch
with
that
of
a
patron
of
art
and
craft;
shaping
lifestyle.
Perhaps
this
is
what
elevates
the
Islamic
culture
from
the
simply
fascinating
to
an
iconographic
enigma.
1 person found this review helpful 👍
