Page 83 - Beauties for Life in the Qur'an

AESTHETICS AND ARTISTRY IN THE QUR'AN 81

palace's magnificence, she submitted to the Prophet Sulayman
(as)'s wisdom, art, and knowledge and converted to the true re-
ligion.
The story of the Prophet Sulayman (as) is a striking example
for believers, for it reveals the Muslims' outstanding artistic and
aesthetic abilities. In the recent past, we also have seen a bril-
liant understanding of the arts, mainly in those nurtured by the
Ottoman Empire. The most important factor behind the value of
Ottoman art was the inspiration it derived from the Qur'an and
the subsequent application of its signs in arts.
The Qur'an provides many details and examples about deco-
ration, and gives many clues about decoration, ranging from
the proper areas in which to construct residences to interior dec-
oration.
Verses that describe Paradise refer to such signs and, in addi-
tion to giving a detailed account of its environment, guide peo-
ple so that they can attain the most pleasant places in this world.
Some of the decorative elements featured in the Qur'an are as
follows:

Exalted Ceilings
And the House frequented, and the roof exalted. (Surat at-Tur: 4-5)
Being spacious and large, places with high ceilings provide
some relief to the human soul. They also look beautiful. Low
ceilings, on the other hand, cause distress. That this is one of
Hell's torments gives us a better understanding of what kind of
an affliction the inhabitants of Hell will face. Implied in Allah's
drawing attention to Hell's low, cramped, and constricted
places is the possible assertion that we should not prefer such
places in this world.