The Great Mohammed Cartoon Crisis back in 2006 made the whole world aware of the assertion that no representational images are permitted in Islam, especially when they depict the Prophet. According to Muslim spokesmen and the talking heads on TV, all the rioting, arson, and death were the result of the grave insult to the Prophet delivered by those dastardly Danish cartoonists who dared to create images of Mohammed — and in such a blasphemous manner!Many people have since pointed out that Mohammed has been frequently depicted by devout Muslims over the centuries, in paintings, drawings, and sculptures. When it comes to radiant kitschiness, paintings of Mohammed can rival all those lambs-and-cute-kids Jesus pictures.
So what’s the deal? Is it verboten to paint a picture of ol’ Mo, or not?
The latest example of Mohammed-idolatry comes from Iran. Our Israeli correspondent Abu Elvis sent us a link to this article from the Fars News Agency:
Iran Unveils Prophet Mohammad Painting
TEHRAN (FNA)- The Iranian city of Zanjan has unveiled the largest miniature painting, which portrays the Prophet Mohammad’s (PBUH) ascent to heaven.
The “largest miniature painting”? What the heck does that mean? And how can it be distinguished from the smallest oversized painting?
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Wouldn’t it be like the world’s fattest anorexic? Or the most recent antique?
According to a press tv report, it took two years for the artist, Reza Najafi-Asl, to create the painting in the style of Iran’s master miniaturist Mahmoud Farshchian.
I looked up some of Mahmoud Farshchian’s work, and if I could coin a phrase to describe his style, it would be “New Age Shi’ite”. Check out some of his symbolically-themed inspirational paintings and drawings.
The 32-year-old artist has used 70 acrylic colors to depict Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) sitting on a horse and three angels whirling around him.
Masoumeh Heidari has adorned the margin of the painting with illuminations, inspired by the work of the late illuminist, Haj Mirza Emami.
Obviously, since Iran is a Muslim theocracy and this new painting is a publicly acclaimed event, visual depictions of the Prophet are not always a bad thing.
Perhaps it’s a Shi’ite thing. Maybe the Sunnis are more strict about such matters.
Or maybe they only get mad about it when blasphemous infidels are the ones doing the depicting.
3 comments:
The issue over the representation of Allah's creation in the Islamic faith is a complex one: some uberliteralists would have it that no representation of any kind, be it a photo or a sketch, can be created. Still others maintain that photos of family displayed in the home are acceptable, but depictions of say Hasan bin 'Ali are out. There is a general consensus over the non-representation of Muhammad, whilst art featuring his companions, including the rightly-guided caliphs is acceptable. Often, we discover that Turkish and Persian Islamic art featured Muhammad's body and his outer profile, but his face was opaque or excluded.
I must confess to not understanding the doctrinal justification for this other than being remotely aware of a hadith, Bukhari I think, that suggests the picture-makers will be condemned to hell. Whether this is the sole text cited by the purists, I really couldn't say.
Needless to say, depictions of Muhammad's head morphed into the shape of a bomb, emitting a lit fuse are not well-received in the Islamic world.
The big question on my mind is can I get this painting in velvet?
Baron: The “largest miniature painting”? What the heck does that mean?
It means it was only a miniature crime to have painted it. The artist will only lose a finger or two instead of a whole hand. After all, artists are supposed to suffer for their art, no?
Shlomo: Needless to say, depictions of Muhammad's head morphed into the shape of a bomb, emitting a lit fuse are not well-received in the Islamic world.
Then I'll venture that Muslims are going to be hella unhappy when the real bombs start falling.
The “largest miniature painting”? What the heck does that mean?
Miniature painting is a fine Iranian art, where tiny (as in the size of an envelope) painting have an amazing richness of detail. My parents have a couple of them.
Perhaps it’s a Shi’ite thing. Maybe the Sunnis are more strict about such matters.
Indeed it is. The scriptural justification for banning images of Mo is ridiculously thin, and the Shias interpret it differently. Images of Muhammed (hugely hagiographic like this one, of course) can be purchased freely in Iran.
I disagree slightly with shlomo who says this is a complex thing. It's not complex, merely irrational :)
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