Can Art and Islam Run Parallel To Each Other?
The rich culture and traditions of pre-Islamic Arabia were not by any means superseded by the spread of Islam. One of the most important forms of art in Islamic history is poetry, the origins of which date back centuries before the revelation of the Qur’an. The structure, grammar, and vocabulary of classical Arabic were developed through the intense and elaborate construction of poems. Arab culture revolved around spoken word: it was the main form of entertainment, it was a major tool of communication between tribes, and skilled poets earned fame, respect, and status for their work.
Poetry “battles” (like the rap game today or poetry slams, whatever phrase you are comfortable with) were considerably popular, and the prestige and standing of a tribe in a certain area were largely based on presentation – how well the tribe’s poets praised their own and how well they mocked others. Even the earliest poets ran a serious business. They hired apprentices to memorize their poems and recite them to ensure they were essentially immortalized in the oral tradition and transmitted for generations. This practice was then implemented by huffadh, which literally means “protectors” of the Qur’an. Because of the established culture of poetry, the revelation of the Qur’an in its poetic form played an important role in the spread and acceptance of Islam throughout the Arabian Peninsula.
The beautiful form and prose of the Qur’an also inspired poets around the world to write their own works in praise of God and the Prophet ﷺ.
Jalaluddin Rumi was considered as one of those influenced but because of the general and apparently nonreligious themes of many of the messages in his poetry, he is often thought of as more of a spiritual figure with no inclination towards a particular denomination of faith. This is a common view among Rumi’s huge Western audience however, Rumi actually drew many of his poems directly from the Qur’an and Hadith. One poet even said of his work, “It is the Qur’an in the Persian tongue.”
Rumi was an influential Sufi and believed that music, dance, and poetry were part of the path for reaching God. The Sufi tradition of whirling dervishes, for example, came from Rumi’s idea that in order to reach God one must completely and intensely focus one’s entire self on the Divine. However, the beauty of many of his poems simply comes from their universality. The reason they are still so popular here and now is because regardless of what you believe or do not believe about God, Rumi’s poems speak to everyone about such general themes as truth, love, and harmony.
Today Rumi’s poems can be heard in churches, synagogues, monasteries, as well as in art, performances and the music scene for example India Arie's song "I Am Not My Hair". (A Youtube link will be posted at the bottom of this feature)
Significantly touching, on his tomb, his epitaph reads: "When we are dead, seek not our tomb in the earth, but find it in the hearts of men."
There is deep spirituality, philosophy, great love as well as wisdom contained in all of Rumi's poems - that is why they are so well loved by many people in the west as well as in the east.
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| Selection of postcards with Rumi quotes shows the modernisation of his art |
Lyrics highlighted in bold are derived from Rumi's quotes!
Akon]
Uh-huh
See I can kinda recall
(Little ways back)
Small tryin' to ball
(Always been black)
And my hair I tried it all
(I even went flat)
Had a Gumby curly top and all the crap, now (ohhh)
Was tryin' to be appreciated.
Nappy headed brothers never had no ladies. (no ladies)
Then I Hit by the barber shop (real quick )
got them to the mini little (twist) and it drove them crazy crazyyy)
And then I couldn't get no job,
Cause corporate wasn't hiring no dreadlocks (oh-no)
Then I thought about my dogs on the block
Kinda understand why they chose to steal and rob (uh-huh)
Was it the hair that got me this far? (uh-huh)
All these girls these cribs these cars (uh-huh)
Hate to say it but it seems so flaw
Success didn't come 'til I cut it all off
[India.Arie]
Little girl with the press and curl
Age eight I got a Jheri curl
Thirteen when I got a relaxer
I was a source of so much laughter
Fifteen when it all broke off
Eighteen when I went all natural
February 2002 I
Went on and did what I had to do (oh)
Because it was time to change my life
To become the woman that I am inside
'97 dreadlocks all gone
I looked in the mirror for the first time and saw that
HAIR...
[Chorus]
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your ex-pec-tations no no
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am a soul that lives within
[India.Arie]
Good hair means curls and waves (no)
Bad hair means you look like a slave
At the turn of the century
It's time for us to redefine who we be
You can shave it off
Like a South African beauty
Got it on lock
Like Bob Marley
You can rock it straight
Like Oprah Winfrey
If its not what's on your head
It's what's underneath and say
HEY....
[Chorus]
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your ex-pec-tations no no
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am a soul that lives within
[Akon]
Who cares if you don't like that
With nothin' to lose posted with the wave cap
When the cops tryin' to harass
Cause I got waves
Aint seen nothin' like that in all my days (noo...)
Man, you gotta change all these feelings
They be judging one another by their appearance
Yes, India I feel ya girl
Now ahead, talk to the rest of the world
Cause, cause, cause
[India.Arie][Bridge]
(oh, oh, oh)
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better person?
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better friend? nooo...
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair determine my integrity? ( Oh!!)
I am expressing my creativity...
[India.Arie]
Breast Cancer and Chemotherapy
Took away her crowning glory
She promised God if she was to survive
She would enjoy everyday of her life
On national television
Her diamond eyes are sparkling
Bald headed like a full moon shining
Singing out to the whole wide world black
HAIR...
[Chorus 2x's]
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your ex-pec-tations no no (heyy)
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am a soul that lives within
Uh-huh
See I can kinda recall
(Little ways back)
Small tryin' to ball
(Always been black)
And my hair I tried it all
(I even went flat)
Had a Gumby curly top and all the crap, now (ohhh)
Was tryin' to be appreciated.
Nappy headed brothers never had no ladies. (no ladies)
Then I Hit by the barber shop (real quick )
got them to the mini little (twist) and it drove them crazy crazyyy)
And then I couldn't get no job,
Cause corporate wasn't hiring no dreadlocks (oh-no)
Then I thought about my dogs on the block
Kinda understand why they chose to steal and rob (uh-huh)
Was it the hair that got me this far? (uh-huh)
All these girls these cribs these cars (uh-huh)
Hate to say it but it seems so flaw
Success didn't come 'til I cut it all off
[India.Arie]
Little girl with the press and curl
Age eight I got a Jheri curl
Thirteen when I got a relaxer
I was a source of so much laughter
Fifteen when it all broke off
Eighteen when I went all natural
February 2002 I
Went on and did what I had to do (oh)
Because it was time to change my life
To become the woman that I am inside
'97 dreadlocks all gone
I looked in the mirror for the first time and saw that
HAIR...
[Chorus]
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your ex-pec-tations no no
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am a soul that lives within
[India.Arie]
Good hair means curls and waves (no)
Bad hair means you look like a slave
At the turn of the century
It's time for us to redefine who we be
You can shave it off
Like a South African beauty
Got it on lock
Like Bob Marley
You can rock it straight
Like Oprah Winfrey
If its not what's on your head
It's what's underneath and say
HEY....
[Chorus]
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your ex-pec-tations no no
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am a soul that lives within
[Akon]
Who cares if you don't like that
With nothin' to lose posted with the wave cap
When the cops tryin' to harass
Cause I got waves
Aint seen nothin' like that in all my days (noo...)
Man, you gotta change all these feelings
They be judging one another by their appearance
Yes, India I feel ya girl
Now ahead, talk to the rest of the world
Cause, cause, cause
[India.Arie][Bridge]
(oh, oh, oh)
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better person?
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair make me a better friend? nooo...
(Whoa, whoa, whoa)
Does the way I wear my hair determine my integrity? ( Oh!!)
I am expressing my creativity...
[India.Arie]
Breast Cancer and Chemotherapy
Took away her crowning glory
She promised God if she was to survive
She would enjoy everyday of her life
On national television
Her diamond eyes are sparkling
Bald headed like a full moon shining
Singing out to the whole wide world black
HAIR...
[Chorus 2x's]
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am not your ex-pec-tations no no (heyy)
I am not my hair
I am not this skin
I am a soul that lives within
India arie says she wrote that quote-- do we have any proof that it was rumi?
ReplyDeletelove this site though! thank you for sharing!
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