Symbols 2
1. The range of religious symbolism and meaning.
2. The way that religious language is symbolic.
3. The relationship between symbol and belief.
4. How belief is expressed through symbol.
5. Symbolism in art and architecture.
As regards the DivineThat which is holy, GodWord used to describe a personal transcendent Being tells us in the Qur'anThe sacred text of Islam and believed by Muslims to be the word of God revealed to the Prophet:
(He is) the Creator of the heavens and the earth: He has made for you pairs from among yourselves, and pairs among cattle: by this means does He multiply you: there is nothing whatever like unto Him, and He is the One that hears and sees (all things). (Surah 42:11)
As God is the absolute transcendent being, Muslims believe that there are no religious symbols whatsoever that represent the Divine in any shape or form whether through images, sculpture or any other means, even in an abstract way. Such an act is considered as idolatry (shirk), the one sinTerm describing the separation of humanity from God caused by disobedience to God that God will not forgive (Surah 4:48). This explains why mosques and religious centres are bare rooms decorated only with Islamic CalligraphyStylized and artistic handwriting and art. There are no pictures or statues, not even of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as it is also forbidden to depict the Prophet and this is why in films or in other forms of art there is usually a light on his face. Mosques have distinctive architectural features such as minarets and domes. Muslims wear on their necklaces Qur'anic passages or even the whole Qur'an printed in miniature. Some Shi'ahA faction of Islam wear the two-pointed sword of the Prophet which he gave to his cousin and son-in-law ImamA Muslim leader of prayers 'Ali as a symbol of their loyalty to the Imam. Furthermore, Islam encompasses every aspect of a person's life; for example the recitation of the adhanThe Islamic call to prayer and iqamah in the baby's right and left ear right after birth symbolizes that the baby is born Muslim and will recognize the call. All Islamic rituals have symbolic meanings. Every action performed during the liturgical prayer or during the pilgrimage (hajjIslamic pilgrimage) for instance has spiritualA word with many religious connotations, often used to describe a multiplicity of phenomena that would include inner, reflective or emotional experiences, and those aspects of life that give it meaning and depth or which are profoundly moving or aesthetic. meanings such as the stoning of the three pillars during hajj which symbolizes the rejection of the temptations of the devil.
The Qur'an consists of explicit (muhkamat) and ambiguous (mutashabihat) verses (Surah 3:7). The latter may be interpreted in many ways and some cannot be taken as literal. Hence there are many verses that have symbolic meanings especially the ones describing God, like in the following verses:
[…] the Hand of AllahThe Arabic name for God is above their hands […] (Surah 48:10)
[…] Everything (that exists) will perish except His own Face […] (Surah 28:88)
These two examples (referring to God's power (hand) and His eternal presence (face)) cannot be understood literally as the Qur'an asserts that there is nothing like God. God is beyond anything that we can imagine, but the use of analogy and metaphor in the Qur'an help the human being to grasp the deeper meanings behind some of the verses. The Qur'an also uses symbolic language as explanation, for example:
For Him (alone) is prayer in Truth: any others that they call upon besides Him hear them no more than if they were to stretch forth their hands for water to reach their mouths but it reaches them not: for the prayer of those without Faith is nothing but (futile) wandering (in the mind). (Surah 13:14)
But the Unbelievers—their deeds are like a mirage in sandy deserts, which the man parched with thirst mistakes for water; until when he comes up to it, he finds it to be nothing: But he finds Allah (ever) with him, and Allah will pay him his account: and Allah is swift in taking account. (Surah 24:39)
Furthermore, the language in supplications and in devotional prayersExtempore and set conversations with God (especially in the Shi'ah school of thought) also employs a lot of symbolism.
Symbolism is important in Islam. Muslims believe that everything in existence has an apparent (zahir) and hidden (batin) meaning. Since everything has different levels of meaning, symbol and belief become quite closely related. Furthermore, our limited intellect is unable to grasp fully the Being of God. God is beyond this limited material world as we can see in this example:
When MosesRegarded as the law giver and major founder of Judaism came to the place appointed by Us, and his Lord addressed him, He said: "O my Lord! Show (Thyself) to me, that I may look upon thee." Allah said: "By no means canst thou see Me (direct); But look upon the mount; if it abide in its place, then shalt thou see Me." When his Lord manifested His glory on the Mount, He made it as dust. And Moses fell down in a swoon. When he recovered his senses he said: "Glory be to Thee! To Thee I turn in repentance, and I am the first to believe." (Surah 7:143)
Hence, God describes Himself to His creation in order to know Him; one important example is the verse of Light (Ayah al-Nur) (Surah 24:35).
As already mentioned, all rituals have symbolic meanings. The first prostration during the daily prayers symbolizes being created from dust and the second the return to dust after death. This is to remind the human being to remain humble as everything will perish except God who alone can have pride. Lifting hands in prayers is a sign of asking for something you need and which only God who is needless can give. These two examples show how belief and symbol are directly connected.
Although mosques and Islamic shrines differ in style due to period and region they were built in, many of them display some of the finest Islamic architecture. Some are extravagantly decorated with Islamic calligraphy, gold, mirrors and colours. Islamic art seeks to capture the spiritual rather than the material, the essence rather than the physical. One of the reasons for this is that it may lead to idolatry (shirk). This is achieved through certain techniques such as geometry and repetition. Geometry dominates Islamic art and one of things it symbolizes is logic and order present in the universe. Repetition is widely used to portray infinite patterns which have no beginning and no end and ultimately undifferentiated unity. Many Muslims also decorate their homes with Islamic calligraphy instead or with other forms of art. Iranian art incorporates nature with Islamic calligraphy, for example writing BismillahThe beginning of the religious instruction ceremony in Islam (In the Name of God) in the shape of a bird or tiger.
Websites
http://pof.reonline.org.uk/islam.php
http://www.al-islam.org/hajj/shariati/ (book, explains the spiritual aspects of the pilgrimage)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/art/
http://www.muslimheritage.com/topics/default.cfm?TaxonomyTypeID=2
http://www.salaam.co.uk/themeofthemonth/march02_index.php?l=0
http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/quran/ (useful Qur'an search engine in English)
http://www.virtuallyislamic.com (This website provides a list of Islamic websites which are regularly updated, go to 'Islamic Studies Pathways')
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