The true Islam

By Myriam Jandali

Islam and Muslims often get bad press in media and since I myself am a Muslim women I have been raised to know the truth behind my religion which is why I created this artwork shown above to show the true colors behind my religion. In following artwork I’ve used cement glass and a tree. There’s a reason behind each and every element used which is going to be explained below

Dimensions of the cement is 10x10 cm and the height is 5cm

The cement is used as an example to show how Islam is portrayed in media where it has been considered as a religion of cruelty, oppression, and brutality; however, it is misunderstood by millions. Islam (meaning peace and submission to God), is a religion of ethics, obedience, harmony, and is based on a faithful belief system. Since the time the religion was revealed, Islam has laid out a religiously pure belief system and has promoted advancements in several branches of science. Soon after Muslim immigration into America and other regions in the western world, Muslims have found it increasingly difficult to endure these misconceptions. The religion of Islam is not a religion of hatred and violence, but a religion of respect for all humans and God. This is the true Islam, the religion of equality, morality, and faith. To show that I’ve used the glass to represent snow and in the very middle a tree blossoms. The tree that I have used was inspired by the cherry blossom tree. The cherry blossom tree is found in japan. You might be asking yourself. How does a tree in japan represent Islam and peace; however, these flowering trees are a symbol of peace and hope, which is why I used it because I wanted to show that in the end there is hope or Islam if one could truly open their mind and see beyond media and the press. They will find how beautiful Islam is.

5 Common Myths about Islam Propagated by the Media

Female Genital Mutilation

This horrendous act is the removal of the female genitalia in order to control female sexuality. This act is rooted in patriarchal cultures of controlling the female population. There isn’t anything stated in the Quran or mentioned in the Hadiths. Such acts were eliminated under Muhammad and his early followers. Yet Fox News and other media outlets always perpetuate this action as part of Islam. In reality, according to UNICEF, 29 countries practice FGM

Jihad

Jihad has become synonymous with Islam and terrorism. Thanks to the extremists like Al Qaeda and ISIS, this term has come to be portrayed as the means to the Islamic utopia of a global caliphate. The media has taken the definition of the terrorists, which represent a minute aspect of Muslims and disseminate it as if it was a Quranic definition

Stoning

Stoning of adulterers is seen as a barbaric act that only exists in the Islamic world. The news media is quick to point out that the act of adultery is condemned within Islam therefore stoning is what the Quran dictates. Bill Maher and others are quick to point this out as well. They are not wrong in the sense that when they hear about a stoning it’s in Muslim nations and hence it must be part of their religion. The issue is instead taking what a few say or do as proof a religion is inherently evil or advocates ignorance and violence, they should research it instead. All Muslim countries do not practice stoning today, only a handful of these nations. Actually the punishment of stoning of adulterers is not mentioned anywhere in the Quran.

Suicide Bombing

Nothing is more synonymous as an act of Islamic terrorism than suicide bombing. Suicide bombing came to us in recent history during the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The actions of the bombers were more so for national aspirations not religious purposes. Yet it has always been claimed that Islam condones these acts of terrorism and the Palestinians exhibited it. The media and commentator do a great job of portraying it as a weapon of choice amongst Muslims. It did not help when the Taliban implemented it in Afghanistan and Pakistan as well as Al Qaeda carrying it out in Iraq

Islam and Science

One thing I am sadly witnessing today is this belief that Islam contributes nothing to the world but hate, war, terrorism, and havoc. This notion that Islam is antiquated and barbaric with nothing to share but only destroys. Nothing could be further from the truth. Religion to many is a medium of hope and faith in something that allows them to lead lives of purpose. It is the basis of their moral compass. Today, the overwhelming majority of the 1.6 billion Muslims are not violent and extreme. Of course there are criminal and violent believers amongst Muslims but that number is very minute compared to what is sometimes arbitrarily attributed by the media.

We forget that Islam is one of the few religions that have been on the forefront of science, technology, and advancement. It was Islam that preserved the works of the Greeks and Romans when Europe descended into the Dark Ages. It was the Muslims who built upon that knowledge and gave us advancements in mathematics such as the concept of “0”, algebra, algorithm, advances in chemistry and medicine, which are still used to this day, optics, astronomy, etc

Justice in Islam

By AYESHA ALQAZ

In the Quran, there is a verse that says “And Allah calls to the Home of the Peace” (Quran10:25). It means that the goal of Islam is peace and all the teachings, morals and values are dedicated to the goal of Islam. Also as in one of the Hadith, a man came to the prophet Muhammad and asked him for an advice about how to manage things in his life, the prophet said "don’t be angry". This means that in any situation a human being should remain positive no matter how many difficulties he/she faces because humans tend to be according to their nature, and nature symbolizes peace. But when they get angry, there nature will be surrounded by negativity which will lead them to troubles and problems. 

Thus the word peace in Islam is essential because the whole concept of Islam is about peace, and peace symbolizes many things toward which people can be dedicated to. Peace has held a greatest impact on Islam because any work done with a peaceful mind will have positive consequences, unlike a disturbed environment. A simple example would be if a person wants to study for an exam he/she wouldn’t focus if the environment is noisy or if the person itself is feeling angry or has negative thoughts. Therefore peace is the main aspect to have for a successful life. 

In addition, once the prophet Muhammad saw in al madinah a funeral procession, so the prophet stood up for respect . One of the prophet’s companion said he was Jew, he is not a Muslim, and then the prophet said isn’t he a human? (Bukhari book, 399). The prophet’s words represent what every human being should be: treated equally no matter the religion and gender. His vision is: everyone should be treated equally with equal respect as all of us are creatures of God. Thus as the prophet’s vision of equality, I believe equality is another aspect in order to have peace.

For my art project I chose the title justice in Islam because I believe that without justice, a peaceful environment will not be. Justice is defined as equality. As Allah has mentioned in the Quran “O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah , even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives”( Quran 4:135). In Islam, there is no one favored beyond others because of their wealth or race since God has created us equal, and the only thing that can distinguish between humans is their piety. For many people justice and equality could be 100% same, but I believe there is a slight difference between justice and equality which is justice is to give everyone his right, but equality is to give everyone the same amount.  For example, if a doctor gives all his patients the same medicines with the same doses (which means equality), that wouldn’t be right because a person might need  another medicine, but if he prescribes for each person the right amount and the right dose as per the person’s diagnosed sickness that would be fare (which means justice). Thus, because of that I chose my title to be justice in Islam in relation to peace in Islam rather than equality in Islam.

For my art project, I made equalizer. The reason I chose to make an equalizer is because it symbolizes justice. The equalizer consists of: the base which is made of wood; the upper part is made of foam board written on it’ (الاسلام دين العدل) which means Islam is the religion of justice, with two small wires hanging on them a half of a round plastic cup. The base and the stick are attached by two pins. Also, the equalizer I made is surrounded with yellow lights. I chose yellow because the color yellow represents sunshine and happiness. Thus I believe in a country where justice is the main concerned, brightness and positivity will prevail.

Influences:

Since I have watched Julien Breton’s work who is an artist that uses light calligraphy dependent on body language, I wanted to use light also in my art project because as the yellow color, light  also represents brightness. However, I couldn’t manage to use light as Julien Breton did, but I managed to add some light to my project. Moreover another thing that has influenced me to choose my topic is the verse from the Quran “يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ لِلَّهِ شُهَدَاءَ بِالْقِسْطِ ۖ وَلَا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَىٰ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا ۚ اعْدِلُوا هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ" (8). .

Which means the unbeliever does not prevent him from enjoying justice because justice is for all humans not just for Muslims or people depending on their wealth or race.

The message behind my art work is that justice is for all humans as they are God’s creatures. All the humans have right to be treated equally with respect and by providing them with all of the rights they deserve. Also I believe that all the wars and conflicts which are happening in many countries wouldn’t have gone to a very large extent, if all the people who are living in those countries had their rights equally as others. I believe that one of the roots of those wars has to do with justice because people won’t tolerate the fact that others are fully provided with their rights but not themselves.

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My name is Ayesha Alqaz, I am a student at the American university in Dubai studying Engineering, second year. I am not very good at art but personally I really adore art especially the message used behind an art project.

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References:

"Yunus 10:25." IslamAwakened. Web. 21 Nov. 2015.

http://islamawakened.com/quran/10/25/

Khan, Maulana. "Islamic Way of Thinking." Center for Peace and Spirituality. Web. 21 Nov. 2015.

http://cpsglobal.org/sites/default/files/islamic-way-of-thinking-20-march-2011.pdf

"Peace and Religion." Peace and Religion. Web. 21 Nov. 2015

http://www.introduceislam.org/index.php/articles/22-peace-and-religion

Elias, Abu Amina. "Justice and Fairness for All in Islam." Faith in Allah. 14 July 2013. Web. 21 Nov. 2015

http://abuaminaelias.com/justice-and-fairness-for-all-in-islam/

The Door

Tania Sandhu

Whenever I think of Islam, I am always reminded of the divine complications of its designs (which are either geometric or curvilinear). The word ‘Islamic’ today produces a lot of mixed reactions. I wanted to stray away from these reactions (stereotypes) and think of a simple lifestyle of a Muslim household. When I visited a few of my Muslim friend’s houses, their doorstep is very welcoming. I always think of the architectural entities of Islam, if is there any discussion of the faith itself. With my art piece, I am portraying the simplicity of the faith, and how welcoming the culture is. The phrase ‘Bismillah Ir Rehman Ir Rahim’ (in the name if God) is an inscription that most Muslims have inscribed on their household doorsteps and hence, the piece portrays that. I chose to write it in the Kufic script. This is because I went through an extensive exercise in the course MEST 329: Islamic Art and Architecture practicing that particular calligraphy style and actually enjoying it. The backdrop on which the door and the calligraphy sit represents the deformities/ dysfunctionalities of the world. But, the door contradicts it by showing its function of welcoming the looker and the calligraphy gives it the exact role of an entrance to a household. The door strays away from the stereotypes and portrays a more simple life led by humans we meet everyday and how in a world of distress, something so simple can provide us with inner peace and refuge. The tranquil nature of the calligraphy and just a household door is the essence of the art piece. The Kufic script is one of the oldest Arabic scripts and its simplicity corresponds with the simple idea of a door and the greetings hidden behind it; the signs of welcome and forgetting all the despair and living for something more worthwhile.

The media I chose to represent my concept is elements with a paper texture, such as cardboard or the museum board. The reason of my choice is the very simplicity of the material and how it will take time to paint it to my heart’s content. Now, what do I mean by paint it? It would take time for the world to understand the simplicity of a particular subject and break through the stereotypes. But, eventually, the paper will be painted, and the world will understand. On the other hand, I wanted my project to have a rugged (pottery) look as if risen from the mud, as mud is believed to be the building blocks of the human being. The Kufic script and the door will be incorporated to the backdrop separately to give them a raised effect since they are the most important characters of the art piece.

The techniques I am using are very simple (again incorporating the thought of simplicity), that is, painting. The backdrop of the piece is painted with a muddy texture, representing the disturbed world/earth. The door is painted with a wooden texture with Islamic architectural elements that represent thousands of doors around the world welcoming everyone. Lastly, the calligraphy is represented in black with is seen almost everywhere, how it is usually represented traditionally.

Islam, a Religion of Peace

Nora Hussain

Model description: It is a 3D model that emphasizes the fact that Islam is a religion of peace and justice. I used an A1 chart for the base with paint. The style I used is arabesque, which shows the continuity of peace. I choose this sentence because it was the response many Muslim’s had when they talked about Islam and terrorism.  The blue stones resemble the misconceptions about Islam. Moreover, the empty ones resemble the misconceptions that were deconstructed.

Misconceptions and controversies: When many Muslims say “Islam is a religion of peace”, critics define this sentence differently by arguing that "The position of the Muslim community in the face of all provocations seems to be: Islam is a religion of peace, and if you say that it isn't, we will kill you.” "Religion of peace" does not imply that Islam is a pacifist religion, that it rejects the use of violence altogether, as either a moral or a metaphysical evil. "Religion of peace" connotes, rather, that Islam can countenance a state of permanent, peaceful coexistence with other nations and peoples who are not Muslims. Sayyid Qutb once said :”The defeatists should fear Allah lest they distort this religion and cause it to become weak on the basis of the claim that it is a religion of peace. Yes, it is the religion of peace but in the sense of saving all of mankind from worshiping anything other than Allah and submitting all of mankind to the rule of Allah."

Religion of peace: Up until today, there are a few critics of Islam who argue that the main cause or motivation of the September 11, 2001 attack was the beliefs of Islam. Some critics state that Islam is a religion of violence and terrorism. “Two days before the September 11th attacks, Hamza Yusuf was outside the White House giving a speech in which he said that the U.S. “stands condemned,” and that “this country has a great, great tribulation coming to It.” Said Austin Cline in one of his online blogs.  Surely a few Muslims made some of the terrorist attacks that occurred, but what is the mistake that the other Muslims committed to be judged based on a group of minority. We live in a world that is dominated with mainstream media and specific stereotypes.  The forme prime minister of Malaysia once said : “Clearly Islam the religion is not the cause of terrorism. Islam, as I said, is a religion of peace. However, through the centuries, deviations from the true teachings of Islam take place. And so [people who call themselves] "Muslims" kill despite the injunction of their religion against killing especially of innocent people”.  In September 2001, U.S. President G.W. Bush publicly endorsed this stating "Islam is peace": “The face of terror is not the true faith of Islam. That's not what Islam is all about. Islam is peace. These terrorists don't represent peace. They represent evil and war”. 

Biography: Nora Hussain is a college student who is working towards becoming a future accountant and who will be graduating with her BBA in May of 2016 from the American University In Dubai (AUD). In her free time, she is interested in reading Nicholas Sparks novels and playing tennis.