Coming soon to the US of A?

According to the Silk Route stocklist, it looks like they've got a distributer in the US. Oooo, now if only he would hurry up and start selling online! You can view their stuff at the new islamicdesignhouse website, where it looks like they're also going to be selling shirts with Aerosol Arabic and VisualDhikr designs on them. Weee!

Affordable art

Prints are available for some artwork at Deviant Art. It's an affordable way to support muslim artists. Check these out.

Sacred: Discover what we share

Via Visual Dhikr:


The British Library's online gallery of their sacred texts exhibit.

The Ma'il Qur'an is one of the very earliest Qur'ans in the world, dating back to the eighth century. Not only that, but it also probably hails from the Hijaz region of Arabia - a region which contains the holy places of Mecca and Medina, homes of the Prophet Muhammad.

Qur’an, Mecca or Medina, eighth century.

Chapter 26, al-Shu‘ara’ (The Poets), verse 183 to Chapter 27, al-Naml (The Ant), verse 3

BL Or. MS 2165, ff. 76v–77

Copyright © The British Library Board

This very rare early Hebrew Bible shows the influence of Islamic art in its decorative elements. It is named after a previous owner, Dr Moses Gaster (1856-1939), a scholar and spiritual leader of Sephardic Jews in London.

First Gaster Bible, perhaps Egypt, ninth or 10th century. Psalm 64
BL Or. MS 9879, f. 14v
Copyright © The British Library Board

Museum with No Frontiers

Passed on to me by my friend Noura, take time to explore this beautiful look at Islamic History and the art it created.

Discovery Islamic Art Online

I had a hard time picking which pictures to include in this post, as each era produced such unique and fascinating art.

Ceramic tile with a picture of the Ka'baHegira last quarter of the 10th century / AD 16th century - Ottoman Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts Sultanahmet, Istanbul, Turkey

Tile showing the Ka'ba, which would be placed on the outside of a mosque showing the direction of and reminding the faithful about the holiest site of Islam.

Aghlabid ReservoirsHegira 248 / AD 862Abbasid Kairouan, Tunisia

This reservoir is composed of two pairs of circular basins. About 15 similar reservoirs originally surrounded the area outside Kairouan. In addition to rainwater, water from the tributaries of the Merguelil Valley was directed into them. > More information

Museum With No Frontiers (MWNF) is an organisation whose ground-breaking and visionary programme aims to establish a vast trans-national museum that presents works of art, architecture and archaeology in the context in which they were created. Inspired by the principle of organising exhibitions without moving the works of art, MWNF is creating through modern technology an exciting new dimension to museums. The visitor is invited to experience a museum not only as a place to admire artefacts on display but also as a gateway to related works of art in other museums, relevant archaeological sites and monuments as well as to thematic visits.

By raising awareness of artistic and cultural heritage and promoting investment in restoration and conservation projects, MWNF aims to promote cultural integration as a means of facilitating political cooperation between different countries and cultures. The MWNF programme provides an opportunity to learn about and enjoy the shared cultural heritage of Europe, North Africa and the Middle East in a completely new way. Its masterly orchestration brings together a large number of academics, professionals, photographers, tourist managers, politicians and many other people and organisations participating in this innovative project.

The ever expanding MWNF network includes partners from 19 countries in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. To date, public and private bodies from Algeria, Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Jordan, Morocco, the Palestinian Authority, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey and the United Kingdom have joined the MWNF programme.

I am enthralled by the art of Amina Malik. What else can I say aside from SubhanAllah?

Allah (swt)



Peace, Love and Compassion

Tariq Ramadan and Haji Noor

Two videos to watch this weekend inshaAllah - A seminar with Tariq Ramadan in 2001 on his book "To be a European Muslim" and a short piece on calligrapher extrodinaire Haji Noor Deen.

God is beautiful and loves beauty

99 names of God

As-Sabur

The Patient One

And be patient in adversity:for, verily, God is with those who are patient in adversity.Al-Anfal 8:46, tr. Asad

If you are wholly perplexed and in straits,have patience, for patience is the key to joy.Rumi, Mathnawi I:2908, tr. Helminski

Art of the Pen

Have I mentioned that I love Islamic art? Maybe once or twice, or a million times?

Visit Art of the Pen, Soraya Syed's website with beautiful calligraphy.

Penmanship is a spiritual geometry fashioned by a material
instrument

The art of Islamic penmanship is a bridge between the spiritual and material; the visual and the verbal. It is a living tradition that has the capacity for self-renewal enabling Soraya Syed to adopt a contemporary approach while remaining true to her artistic heritage and the many years of study linking her to the calligraphy masters of the past...

FOR EVERYTHING THERE IS A CURE AND THE CURE OF (AILING) HEARTS LIES IN THE REMEMBRANCE OF GOD

The Pen and the Ink Pot

I like Islamic Art. In particular, I love Islamic calligraphy. I have this little dream that when my husband and I get a house someday, inshaAllah, I'll get a room that I can turn into my very own Islamic art gallery. I've already stocked it full in my mind's eye. I've bookmarked more than a dozen artists that I absolutely must buy from when I have the space (and moola).

Now, I'm a big fan of the traditional stuff. Kufic, thuluth, riqa, it's all good. But, there is some stuff out there online that just blows my mind. Check the Pen and the Inkpot. SubhanAllah!

Surah al Fatiha