Given the Islamic fascination with God's word, the art of the book has always been one of the favorite forms of Islamic art.

Islam, Empire of Faith

Islam demonstrates
its faith in the building
of religious monuments
and the illumination of the Qur'an
and celebrates
all aspects of daily life
by adorning the most humble of objects. Arabic calligraphy was
the vehicle that spread
the message of Islam
and thus became the central,
most venerated art form.

Ancient Art

You've no idea
how hard I've looked
for a gift to bring You.
nothing seemed right.
What's the point of bringing gold
to the gold mine,
or water to the Ocean.
Everything I came up with
was like taking spices
to the Orient. It's no good
giving my heart and my soul
because you already have these.
So- I've brought you a mirror.
Look at yourself and
remember me.

Jalaluddin Rumi

Allah
is
Beautiful
and
He
loves
Beauty

Prophetic Hadith

We have dignified the Children of Adam,
and carried them
on land and sea, and provided for them
from what is good,
and favoured them
over many of those We have created—
a great favour!

Holy Qura'an

Allah
is
the Light
of
the
heavens
and the
earth.

Holy Qur'an

The art
of the Islamic
world reflects
its cultural values,
and reveals the way Muslims view the spiritual realm
and the universe.

The Mirror of Islam

O, friend! Nobody veils you, but yourself.
In your path there is no thorn or weed, but yourself.
You said: Shall I reach the Beloved or not?
Between you and the Beloved there is nobody, but yourself.

Awhadoddin Kermani

God is the Ultimate Reality.
All things in the visible creation emanate
from Him and are manifestations of His
divine Names or Attributes (Sifat).
He created the cosmos, both what is known
to man and what is unknown, and He is the Sustainer of all things,
with everything turning to Him and
centered upon Him.
This is evident in the very structure of atoms .

Elisabeth Siddiqui

The world
is your friend
if it
reminds you
of God,
and it is your enemy
if it makes you
forget
God.

Prophetic Saying

To leave the world
is not to abstain
from property, wife,
and children,
but to act in
obedience to God
and to set the things
of God above those
of the world.

Sufi Sayings