an interest in art and culture

[Hafeez]

Assalamu 'Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu

i hope this question reaches you in good health and please take your time in bringing about an answer

im sure you've probably had a look at the debate on thread about Arts and culture, im just asking, that in accordance to shariah is it ok to have a big interest in such a field?

[Imam]

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

Wa'alaykum 'Assalam wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu


All Praise be to Allah, who is the Lord of the Worlds, and may Endless Blessings be showered upon our Most Beloved, and Final Messenger of Islam, Hadrat Muhammad Mustafa (Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa aalihi wa Sallam)


Jazak'Allah for your question. Having an interest in Islamic art, and culture, is what people of our generation, normally lack. I think that this field of education must be made known to every young growing Muslim, especially those who have experienced education in a western establishment. They have merely put you onto the first step, or given you a push, it is now up to the individual to maintain that study, alongwith his other duties, and other studies, throughout his life.


Let it be known, that Islam was probably the first civilised culture, and as far as art is concerned, then this also stemmed from the religion of Islam, some fourteen hundred years ago. The calligraphy, the science of numbers, the sciences of art, buildings, architecture, maths, marriages, wills, testimonies, legal procedures, to the extent that even sewage pipes were all a invention by the Muslims, and the religion of Islam. There is no part of the west, which has not taken from the Muslims, their sciences and technology which exist today. And most interesting of all, it all stems from the Noble Qur'an al kareem, and the Sunnah of the Most Beloved Messenger of Allah (Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa 'aalihi wa Sallam), and from the practices of the Noble Companions, and their followers.


In essence, an interest in any field of education, so long as your Islamic perspective is kept in mind, is a very good interest, and such interests should be adhered to, studied, acted upon, practiced, written about, propogated, all the time.


May Allah the Almighty give us all the strength to study what is beneficial for us, as long as we know what our own perspective is, and may He make this, a way of salvation for us, in this life, and the hereafter. (Amin)



Wallahu A'lamu Biththawaab



M. Waseem Ashrafi