Paper Islamic Art History

The spread of Islam throughout the world was among the most significant worldwide movements in history. Beginning as the faith of a small community of believers in Arabia in the seventh century, Islam rapidly became one of the major world religions. The core beliefs and culture of this faith is the belief that Muhammad (570-632), a respected businessman in Mecca, a commercial and religious center in western Arabia, received revelations from God that have been preserved in the Qur'an. The core of Islam remains the same today after 1396 years. Islam still translates to “submission” and Muslims still live by the Qur’an and follow the 5 Pillars of Islam. However, throughout the Pre-Islamic, Umayyad, and Abbasid

Muhammad descended from Ishmael. The fundamental practices of Islam is the five pillars. These practices include a ritual profession of faith, praying five times daily facing east, giving of alms (zakat), fasting, and performing the holy pilgrimage to Mecca.

The Five Pillars of Islam are lifelong acts of worship, which includes faith, prayer, almsgiving (charity), fasting, and a pilgrimage to Mecca.

When arriving at the museum I noticed that the items on display in the Islamic Art section were very utilitarian in nature. They were well-crafted beautifully designed tools. Arabic inscription a common theme through out all of the objects. Seeing the art up close is definitely a more satisfying experience,

In 612, Islam began when the Prophet Muhammad began to preach to his friends and family in Mecca about what revelations he and his wife believed to be from God. As word spread and people converted, he and his followers gained friends and enemies and the ummah, community, became its own being that had a strong sense of unity. Muhammad established the religion,

The religion of Islam began its emergence through the life of the prophet Muhammad in the 7th century. Muhammad’s belief in a single god and his teachings of Islamic religion grew importance in his hometown of Mecca, India. Though initially rejected by successful merchants, Muhammad and his followers grew faith through military conquest and Arab Muslim traders. The emergence of Islam served as the beginning and end of the 7th century CE because of its dominance within Afro-Eurasian trade and significant military conquests that served as the underlying factor of the development of states and empires from the Middle East through North and East Africa. With Islam becoming an incredibly influential and appealing religion among trade routes,

Islam began in Arabia in the Middle East. Presently known as Saudi Arabia, this is where the prophet Muhammad was born, raised, lived, and died. The city of Mecca, his place of birth, is where he worked as a young boy. He preferred to be in a solemn place versus having company with him and would go off on hikes in the surrounding mountains, and this is where he heard from God through the angel Gabriel. He would teach of a monotheistic God to anyone who would listen. The Prophet Muhammad messages angered many businessmen who made a living from the worship of many idols. Prophet Muhammad teachings gained disciples, but also gained many enemies.

Islam began in the year 610 which is following the first revelation to the ancient prophet Muhammad. Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570 C.E. his main goal in life was to spread the teachings of Islam throughout the Ancient land the Arabian Peninsula. Muhammad also comes from a noble family and is well known for his honesty and upright character. In 610 C.E. Muhammad was visited by an angel named Gabriel while on a retreat in a cave near the the desert valley Mecca. The angel Gabriel informed Muhammad that Muhammad is gods prophet. Later on Muhammad was told to inform his people to worship the one god. However this did not end well for him some people reacted with hostility and began to persecute him and his followers. In 622 C.E. after

Islamic art is very different characteristics than early Christian art. The main difference is the location. Early Christian art started in one place Jerusalem, but Islamic art came from

Pebble mosaics originated in the Mycenaean Greece, and then it spread widely is the classical era. The Romans also adopted mosaic. The Christian Basilicas of the fourth century also selected collection to decorate their walls and ceilings. The art flourished most in the Byzantine Empire as it spread to the East. It is important to note, however, that the art fell out of fashion as from the Renaissance period even though the likes of Raphael continued to spread the technique. The Jews were also influenced to decorate their synagogues in the fifth century. The art also spread to the Islamic world with the Umayyad mosque in Damascus being the most decorated using this technique. For them, it fell out of fashion around the 8th century ("The History of Mosaic Art").

The basic message of Islam was that there was one God who ruled over the other Gods and whose name was Allah. Muslim Prophet Muhammad was the last and greatest prophet of Allah. He believed that Allah had exposed himself in Moses and Jesus and thru the Hebrew and Christian traditions (203). The last revelations were given to him. These revelations were written down in a holy book that became the Qur 'an. The teachings of Muhammad formed the foundation for the religion of Islam. Islam means, "submission to the will of Allah". Allah was the almighty who created the world and everything in it (203). His worshipper 's were called Muslims. Islam was a way to set religious beliefs as well as a way of life. The Islamic society had a certain way in which they behave. They had their morals recorded in the Qur 'an and this served as their code of ethics and law (203). They has to followed a basic righteous code that was compose of the Five Pillars of Islam. These first pillar, was that there is no other God but Allah and Muhammad is the prophet. The second pillar is that regular prayers to worship Allah are required 5 times a day and a public prayer on Friday at midday. The third pillar was that money must be given to the poor and needy. The fourth pillar was the observance of the Holy month of Ramadan with fasting from dawn to sunset. The fifth pillar was to make a pilgrimage to Mecca

Islam, now one of the major religions of the world, was found by a prophet, named Muhammad. The idea of Islam is the believer, called a Muslim, accepts surrender to the will of Allah, who is their God. Allah is viewed as the creator of the world. Islam is much like Christianity, as they are both monotheistic, potentially believing in the same God. Islam’s practices are written in the holy book, called the Qur’an, or Koran in English. Allah revealed the Koran to his messenger, Muhammad, who is considered the last of a series of prophets (Rahmin). Within the Islam religion, Muslims practice the Five Pillars of Islam, which is one of the most important practices. The Five Pillars of Islam are the five obligations that every muslim must satisfy in order to live a good and responsible life according to Islam (Five Pillars of Islam). Carrying out the Five Pillars demonstrates the Muslim is putting their faith first. The first pillar is called “Shahadah,” which focuses on reciting the Muslim profession of faith (Five Pillars of Islam).

Muslims have a faith that Islam revealed in Mecca (Arabia) about 1400 years ago. Islamic culture is a resource academia for the illustration of cultures and traditions of Islamic people. Arabs were the first to depict and demonstrate Muslim culture to the world. Islam originated in Arabia in the seventh century. Islamic empires have been expanded and Muslims got assimilation from different cultures like Indonesian, Berber, Malay, Indian, Pakistani, Turkic and Persian (Kirabaev, 2000).

Islam initially emerged from Mecca in Arabia during the seventh century. The well established city of Mecca and its surrounding area of vast deserts barren hills and valleys were home to the Inhabitants of the Bedouin Tribe

Islamic art does not only describe the art created in the service of Muslim faith