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Contains Quranic Quotations <<<
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Includes
Islamic art interpretations <<<
by
Mahmudah Begum Jaffer
In
the Name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful,
the Creator,
the Maker of Perfect Harmony, the Shaper of Unique
Beauty.
All Praise is due to Allah
and we offer Salaam and Salutations on
our most Beloved Nabi Muhammad
for whom all of creation was created,
his family, his companions and his friends (may
Allah be pleased with them all).
Note to Parents and Teachers…
The
book covers mainly symbolism in Islamic Art. Pictures
and their possible interprerations are presented
as declarations of confidence in, and gratitude
for, the Love and Mercy of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala,
so that children can develop their own sense of
spirituality.
The attempt is to nurture the ‘Allah consciousness’
with which they are born. They can identify these
symbols in their everyday surroundings, and then
remember or be reminded of the interpretations given
here or an extended one given by yourselves…Ameen.
You
are encouraged to supervise and assist your children
when they work with this book so that the maximum
benefit may be achieved. They may prefer to ‘fill
in with patterns’ rather than to colour in
(see page V for ideas).
After
the seven concepts have been explored, try to identify
where these were used in the Doorways to Islamic
Art picture on page 42. It would
then be useful to attempt further interpretations
of the designs and patterns in this book.
The pages reflecting Quranic Ayaat (verses) consolidate
the learning process and serve as a reminder of
what we have learnt. These pages can be carefully
cut out, coloured in, laminated and mounted on a
bedroom wall !
I hope that Doorways to Islamic Art will provide
many hours of fun and discovery to be enjoyed by
both children and adults…Ameen.
Salaam
Mahmudah
Begum Jaffer
*~*
FOREWORD
Islamic artistic expressions can only be impressions
of faith. The sounds of the
Qur'an, the eloquence of its various scripts, the
mystery of a single dot; all of these
convey the levels of interaction the believer experiences
with Allah's word.
Mahmudah Begum Jaffer (nee Rawoot), in Doorways
to Islamic Art, explores the infinite possibilities
of calligraphic and geometric expressions inspired
by the timeless
meaning of the Qur'an.
Doorways to Islamic Art could be a deeper spiritual
exploration, but it is
also simply fulfilling and enjoyable art-activity.
In this way both parent and child,
educator and learner, can enjoy developing faith
and practice together.
Moulana Ahmed Mukaddam Deputy Rector ICOSA (Islamic
College of Southern Africa)
Theol. BLY BA UDW MA UCT
22 Ramadaan 1422 / 8 December 2001 Cape Town, South
Africa
and we offer Salaam and Salutations on
for whom all of creation was created,
