Symmetry and Islamic Art

Islamic art is unique because its form and function permeate both distance and time. Since the birth of Islam, Muslim artists around the world have created pieces of art that share an uncanny resemblance to pieces created by other Muslim artists through common themes, appearances, and applications. These similarities include calligraphic elements, exaggerated depictions of plants and animals, and repetitive, often star-shaped, geometric patterns. Seyyed Hossein Nasr, author of Islamic Art and Spirituality, proposes that the similarities between different pieces of Islamic art across time arise because of the connections between Islamic worship and art; the contemplation of Allah recommended in the Qur’an and the contemplative nature of Islamic art; and, finally, the remembrances of Allah as the final goal of Islamic worship and the role played by art in the lives of Muslim individuals and communities. He continues on to say that Islamic revelation is “crystalized in” art, which, in turn, guides the viewer toward Islamic revelation, so it is natural that Islamic art would take on a form that allows the artist and viewer to feel connected to Allah.