Islam – submission to God

• Prophet Muhammad • Mecca – origin of Islam; most holy

city• Ramadan – 9th month on the Hegira,

considered holy• Hegira – Islamic calendar• 1500 years

Five Pillars of Islam

• One god, Allah• Pray 5 times a day towards Mecca.• Donate wealth to charity.• Ramadan – fast sunrise to sunset.• Hajj to Mecca, once in a life time

Qur’an (Koran)

• Holy text of Islam• 114 surahs (chapters)• Arabic – language of Islam• Kufic

–earliest of Arabic calligraphy styles

-decorative, seen on the outside and inside of a mosque

Kufic Script

Elements of the Mosque

Exterior and Interior Decoration- Allah is beyond all imagining so

there are no paintings or pictures

-arabesques

-intricate designs with sacred text - decorative motif; organic and geometric

Dome of the Rock

• The Dome of the Rock is decorated using arabesques.– an artistic motif that is characterized by

the application of repeating geometric forms and fancifully combined patterns; these forms often echo those of plants and animals.[1]

– elements of Islamic art used to decorate the walls of mosques that reflect the “infinite, uncentralized, nature of the creation of Allah”.

– conveys spirituality without the iconography of Christian art.

Geometric arabesque tiling on the underside of the dome of the Tomb of Hafez in Shiraz.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arabesque

Islamic Art and Architecture

• Secular art can have an animal or figural image

• However, anything created for sacred purposes cannot have any animal or figural form

• Secular Art– Ceramics, textiles, etc.

• Sacred Art– The Qu’ran, Mosques

Elements of the Mosque

• Minaret – Slender tower near a mosque

• Used by the muezzin to call out for people to come to prayer

Minaret

Elements of the Mosque

• Mihrab – Niche indicating Mecca, direction Muslims pray.

• Holiest place in a mosque

• can be of wood or masonry and is adorned with pillars

• decorated

Mihrab

Elements of the Mosque

• Minbar– Pulpit in a mosque– next to the mihrab– Platform from which

anyone can speak , not just religious leaders

– Speaker never goes to the top step ; reserved for Allah and the Prophet Muhammad

Minbar

Mosque

Identify the major structures found in a mosque.

Dome of the Rock

Dome of the Rock• This shrine was built in Jerusalem by

the 9th ruler between 688-691.

• Built not only to proclaim the supremacy of Islam, but to ensure that new followers of Islam would not be tempted by Christianity.

• SYMBOLIC STATEMENT!

Dome of the Rock and Jerusalem

Significance of this site for the following religions:– Judaism

• where Abraham was going to sacrifice his son, Isaac• Stands above the believed location of Solomon's

Temple and Herod’s Temple

– Christianity• Jesus died here

– Islam• Muhammad ascended to Paradise form this rock to

speak to Allah and then returned as Allah’s prophet.

Dome of the Rock• Why is it so pretty?

– Basic structures: • Columns (different sizes), mirhab

– Details• Full moon decoration on the top (symbolizes crescent

moon symbol of Islam• Turkish tiles on the top (from the restoration in 50s-

60s) and white marble on the bottom. • Arabic inscriptions from the Qur’an.

– Mathematical rhythm.• All dimensions of the center circle are related to the

major structures. – For example: each outer wall is 67 ft. long, which is exactly the

dome’s diameter and exactly its height from the base of the drum.

Dome of the Rock

• In the next couple of slides, you will see a variety of images of the Dome of the Rock.

• As you look at these images, you need to figure out how the Dome of the Rock is decorated.

• Once you understand how the Dome of the Rock is decorated, you will illustrate the front of this building.

• In your illustration, you need to incorporate the elements and principles of architecture that are used for the decoration of the temple.

Dome of the Rock (Israel)687-692