Then he mentions several examples of figurative art found on Islamic artifacts. First, a “centuries-long collection of tiles and jugs and other objects shows us that figurative art was normal in the Islamic world.” How does he know that figurative art was “normal” in the Islamic world? Where are these tiles and jugs from? He does not claim they were from all over, which leads one to suspect that they may all have originated in one area — it could even have been a very small area — of the vast Islamic world. And from when do they date? Tell us exactly what “centuries-long” means. Were these tiles and jugs, with figurative art on them, produced over a span of 100 years, or 500, or 1,400? We need to know. All Husain can legitimately conclude from this particular exhibit is that some tiles and some jugs had figurative art on them. A convincing study would require many thousands of examples, from all over the Islamic world, since the beginning of Islam.
This collection of Umayyad coins from the 7th century, decades after the passing of the Prophet, carry the image of the caliph Abd al-Malik (r.685–705). Verses of the Quran appeared on tiles with peacocks as late as 1308; Persian dishes from the 1600s, possibly from Muslim hunting lodges, were decorated with pheasants.
Again, the image of the caliph Abd al-Malik on coins, toward the end of the 7th century, of peacocks (living creatures) painted on tiles in 1308, and pheasants painted on Persian dishes from the 1600s — that is, exactly three examples of the use of “figurative art” — are hardly enough to contradict the claim that most Muslims, following Muhammad, refrained in their art and artifacts from depicting living creatures. Were there any other caliphs whose images appeared on coins? No, for otherwise such examples would have been on display and Ed Husain would have certainly mentioned them. How many tiles, of all the tiles produced in the Islamic world, were painted with peacocks or any other living beings? How many Persian dishes had pheasants painted on them, and when and where, exactly? We don’t know. Nor, of course, does Ed Husain.
The main point is this: Muhammad’s hadith that in essence prohibits images of living creatures remains valid, observed by almost all Muslims during the past 1,400 years, even if here and there examples of art by Muslims that violate the hadith can be found. These are the exceptions, not the rule. No doubt the curators of the British Museum exhibit went out of their way to find and display pieces that would call the application of that hadith into question. They wanted to put Islam’s best foot forward.
This love of beauty and divinity did not shy away from human desire. The British Museum has a copy of the Mughal’s Hamzanama (Book of Hamza), an epic romance inspired by the Prophet’s uncle Amir Hamza. Also on display is the other classic tale of deep yearning, the story of Layla and Majnun, lovers who met at school and have inspired generations of Muslims. That true love is remembered at the British Museum. Although Layla loves Majnun, the two are forbidden to marry — the eternal story.
Husain cites exactly two examples of what he thinks of as Islamic love stories. One is called the Hamzanama, and is the story of Muhammad’s paternal uncle, Amir Hamza. But the Hamzanama is not really an “epic romance.” It’s a fictional tale of adventures, punctuated by interludes with different women, and much of this “epic romance” is about Hamza’s violent exploits in war, including smashing the heads of his enemies. Not exactly a love story as we in the West understand it. As for the tale of Layla and Majnun, it’s a story of star-crossed lovers. Ed Husain might have added that this story is hardly reflective of Islamic reality, with men having up to four wives and as many concubines as they could afford. The most prevalent “eternal story” of real life in Islam, then and now, is not that of a couple prevented from marrying, but that of the jealousies and jockeying for position among rival wives of the same man.
Where is that Islam of love, compassion and coexistence? Hasan al-Basri, an 8th-century Muslim thinker from Basra, was so frustrated with the Muslims of his day, compared with earlier believers, that he wrote: ‘The Muslims are all in their graves and Islam is only to be found in books.’ In Britain today, it seems that real Islam is only to be found in the British Museum.
Forget about 7/7/2005 attacks on buses and the London Underground. Forget about the other terrorist attacks in the U.K., at Woolwich, Westminster, Manchester Arena. Forget Anjem Choudary, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, Al-Shebab, Boko Haram, Islamic Jihad, Al-Nusra Front, Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, Hezbollah. None of those attacks, none of those groups, have anything to do with the real Islam. “The real Islam is only to be found in the British Museum.” Ed Husain said it. Now you have to believe it. But after all, why would he lie?
tjhawk says
“Husain cites exactly two examples of what he thinks of as Islamic love stories.”
He forgot to mention my favorite islamic love story, mohammed and Safiya. You know, the one where mohammed takes his bride within a day of torturing and beheading her husband. What a joyous consumption that must have been.
tjhawk says
consumation.
Michael Copeland says
What made Mohammed laugh?
“While the Prophet was lying with Safiyyah Abu Ayyub stayed the night at his door.
When he saw the Prophet in the morning he said “God is the Greatest.” He had a sword with him; he said to the Prophet,
“O Messenger of God, this young woman had just been married, and you killed her father, her brother and her husband, so I did not trust her (not to harm) you.”
The Prophet laughed and said “Good”.
(The History of al-Tabari, Volume XXXIX (39), p. 185)
https://www.answering-islam.org/Responses/Osama/zawadi_safiyyah.htm
mortimer says
Ed Husain’s selective comments show he is yet another apologist trying to create a ‘fantasy’ version of Islam that has no resemblance to strict SHARIA LAW.
The EXCEPTIONS to Sharia law that Husain has found are not PROOF of these exceptions being NORMATIVE, but merely examples of objects owned by the wealthy and powerful and which did not get SMASHED by fanatical Sharia zealots.
Reliance of the Traveller
F17.9
(O: It is offensive to use cloth for interior decoration in houses (A: meaning that if curtains and the like are used merely for decoration, it is offensive, though there is nothing wrong with using them to screen a room from view), even for shrines at the tombs of the righteous and learned. It is unlawful to decorate walls with pictures (n: of animate life, as at p44). )
M9.2: The Obligation to Attend (weddings if forbidden objects are present)
(e) and that there will be nothing blameworthy there such as flutes, wine, silk-covered sitting mats, or pictures of animate life (dis: p44) on the ceiling, walls, upright pillows (O: not those lying flat (dis: below) ), or draperies; or clothing inscribed with something blameworthy, and so forth (O: since a person who attends in the presence of such things is as though accepting and acquiescing to what is condemnable). But if the blameworthy thing will be removed through one’s attending, or if the above-mentioned pictures are on the ground, a carpet, or pillows people lean upon (N: or other humiliated deployment, which is lawful), or if the living figures are decapitated, or there are pictures of (n: Vegetative life such as) trees, then one must attend.
2*Chapter P44.0: Making Pictures
P44.1
The Prophet (Allah bless-him and give him peace) said:
-1- ‘Every maker of pictures will go to the fire, where a being will be set upon him for each picture he made, to torment him in hell.”
-2- “Whoever makes an image shall be required (on the Last Day) to breathe a spirit into it, but will never be able to do so.”
(n: Other hadith evidence appears at w50, which discusses legal questions relating to the artistic, photographic, and televisual depiction of animate life.)
R38.2: The Permissibility of Cursing Those Who Commit Disobedience When They are not Personally Identified or Known
It is permissible (A: but not rewarded by Allah) to curse those who possess blameworthy characteristics, such as by saying, “Allah curse oppressors,” “Allah curse the corrupt,” “Allah curse picture makers,” and so forth. Well-known and rigorously authenticated (sahih) hadiths verify that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
-3- “Allah curse those who make pictures”;
Michael Copeland says
“The most prevalent “eternal story” of real life in Islam, then and now, is not that of a couple prevented from marrying.”.
No, indeed. It is of a young girl forced to marry.
FYI says
There are pictures of muhammed and his magic fantasy winged horse buraq, which come from within the islamic world.
That shows up the nonsense of muslims flying into a rage over depictions of their “prophet”….imagine pointing that out to the pakistanis:there are depictions of muhammed in islam.
So all that virtue-signalling,all that fake rage is just an excuse to indulge in islamic thuggery.
If you Google…… buraq
You”ll see images of Perfect Mo and his magic horse-donkey thingy with a woman’s face,wings and a peacock’s tail.
Walter Sieruk says
The “True Face of Islam” is reflected in the many suicide /homicide attacks which many committed and devout Muslims engage in for the cause of Islam.
For many times the jihadist members of different Islamic terror entities have gathered together and chanted the words “We love death, they love life.” Likewise those jihadist/Muslims don’t stop with those awful words; they carry through with jihad suicide/homicide attacks. Any sane person would ask “Why do those jihad –minded Muslims have such a mindset of murderous madness?” The answer is that they obtain the way of thinking and believing from the “holy book” of Islam, the Koran. As some people call it the Qu ‘ran. For example the Koran in Sura 9:111 instructs “The believers fight in Allah’s Cause, they slay and are slain, they kill and are killed.”
Therefore it may be conclude that Islam is actually a death cult. In great and wonderful contrast to the death cult which is Islam there is Christianity which is centered on Jesus and His teachings. For Jesus did not teach killing and death but taught and gave life, a good peaceful well lived life and more. For example Jesus declared “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10. [K.J.V.]
gravenimage says
Hugh Fitzgerald: Ed Husain on the British Museum and “The True Face of Islam” (Part Four)
……………..
Figurative depictions are the exception in Islam. And compared to the West, or almost any other part of Dar-al-Harb, love stories are damned thin on the ground.
By the way, poet Nizami Ganjavi, who wrote “Layla and Majnun”, was *hardly* an orthodox Muslim. He went to taverns regularly and wrote paeans to wine. And the original tale appears to be pre-Islamic.
He seems to have had more influence in the West than in the Muslim world. Goethe was a fan, and there is a Russian ballet, “Leili and Medjnun”.
Rarely says
Persia may be the most notable exception as the quickest peek at a Persian rug would demonstrate.
Are there other examples? Who the h*ll gives a damn?
I couldn’t care less what a person (or religion) feels about Art and Music. I only care when someone tries to force their religion/ideology on me — and that includes the Jehovah Witnesses who invariably know when I am sleeping to come a calling — always before 10am on Saturday morning. LOL
gravenimage says
You consider someone ringing your doorbell at an inconvenient moment morally the same as imposing savage Shari’ah law?
Rarely says
Of course not. Note the “LOL”.