The impact of Sufism on Islamic art

Abstract

Sufis believe that the arts are an expression of the beauty of creation and the greatness of the Creator, based on a hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (may God bless him and his family and grant them peace): “God is beautiful and loves beauty.” The influence of Sufism on the Islamic arts is clear, and this appears in architecture, decoration, calligraphy, poetry, and music. The artist has moved away from The direct transfer of nature and objects, in his decorative works. He stripped them of their natural form so as not to suggest annihilation. In the decorations, lines, and geometric shapes, we sense the values ​​of Sufism represented in humility, simplicity, and self-denial. So decoration is considered one of the finest abstractions that have reached its peak in Islamic art, and the impact of Sufism in Islamic decoration.  As Claude Kahn says, “The art of Islamic decoration confirms the intersection of the Sufi taste and the taste for beauty, and that repetition in decoration confirms the presence manifested in the universe.”

Music has also been linked to Sufism due to its nature of influencing hearts. The Sufis made it an accompaniment to their remembrances and dancing to bring the recipient to spiritual ecstasy, and to make the heart of its listener overflow with joy that elevates it and motivates him to submit to humility and draw closer to God Almighty through remembrance and worship