Early Islamic art and architecture

Islam

Religion founded by Muhammad (570-630), who is revered as Islam’s Final Prophet

Ca. 570: birth of Muhammad at Mecca610: Muhammad begins preaching a religion of one God after receiving revelations from God (“Allah” in Arabic)622: The Hijra = Flight of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina630: Muhammad captures Mecca with an army of 10,000 believers, destroys pre-Islamic idols, preserves the Kaaba as the Islamic world’s symbolic center632: Death of Muhammad at Medina

• Islam means “submission (to Allah’s will)”.• Believers are called Muslims (“those who submit”).• Sacred book of Islam is the Koran (“recitations”) – references the archangel Gabriel’s instructions to Muhammad in 610 to recite the verses in the name of Allah.

Kaaba at Mecca

Islam

Religion founded by Muhammad (570-630), who is revered as Islam’s Final Prophet

Ca. 570: birth of Muhammad at Mecca610: Muhammad begins preaching a religion of one God after receiving revelations from God (“Allah” in Arabic)622: The Hijra = Flight of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina630: Muhammad captures Mecca with an army of 10,000 believers, destroys pre-Islamic idols, preserves the Kaaba as the Islamic world’s symbolic center632: Death of Muhammad at Medina

• Islam means “submission (to Allah’s will)”.• Believers are called Muslims (“those who submit”).• Sacred book of Islam is the Koran (“recitations”) – references the archangel Gabriel’s instructions to Muhammad in 610 to recite the verses in the name of Allah.

Five pillars of Islam:1. Profession of faith in one God, Allah, and that Muhammad was His final Prophet2. Recitation of prayers five times a day while facing in the direction of Mecca3. Fasting during the month of Ramadan4. Charitable giving of alms to the poor5. Making a pilgrimage (“hajj”) at least once in one’s lifetime to Mecca

Jerusalem, Dome of the Rock, 687-692. Built by Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik

Jerusalem, Dome of the Rock, 687-692

Dome of the Rock, view of interior, and plan of the building

Jerusalem, Dome of the Rock, 687-692

Ravenna, Italy, Church of San Vitale, 526-547

Rome, Santa Costanza, 337-351

Jerusalem, Dome of the Rock, 687-692

Rome, Santa Costanza, 337-351. Detail of mosaic ceiling

Jerusalem, Dome of the Rock, 687-692. Detail of wall mosaics

Jerusalem, Dome of the Rock, 687-692. Detail of wall mosaics

Ravenna, San Vitale, Detail of mosaics in the apse of the church, 6th century

Damascus, Syria.Great Mosque, 706-715Built by Umayyad caliph al-Walid

Damascus, Syria.Great Mosque, 706-715

Damascus, Syria.Great Mosque, detail of mihrab and minbar. Both are placed along the qibla wall.

Damascus, Syria.Great Mosque, 706-715

Detail of mosaic

Mshatta palace, Jordan, 740-750. Now removed to a museum in Berlin, Germany

Mausoleum of the Samanids, Bukhara, Uzbekistan, early 10th century

Great Mosque, Cordoba, Spain. 8th – 10th centuriesBuilt by the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Rahman I

Cordoba, Spain, Great Mosque. Prayer hall begun 784.

Cordoba, Spain. Maqsura of the Great Mosque, 961-965

Cordoba, Spain. Dome in front of mihrab of the Great Mosque, 961-965.

Koran page, beginning of surah (verse) 18, “Al-Kahf”, (The Cave), 9th cent.Now in the Chester Beatty Library and Oriental Art Gallery, Dublin, Ireland