THE ARTS IN THE GOLDEN AGE
In our day, instead of appreciating a work's
artistry, meaning, aesthetics, and quality, many art galleries
present productions that lack taste, artistry, quality, and
meaning.
Any tendency to portray hideousness is a popular
tendency today. The penetration of nihilist and pessimistic
beliefs into society, along with the prevalence of materialist
philosophy, accounts for this tendency. Hideousness is valued,
and productions introduced under the guise of art cause people
to drift toward pessimism, tension, and depression. The themes
of such art is often death, pain, hate, loneliness, purposelessness,
and meaninglessness. This situation is a natural consequence
of the chaos and destruction inflicted by unbelief on the
human soul. In the End Times, all of these psychological disorders
will disappear, and humanity will experience the joy, happiness,
and security brought about by the Qur'an's values. This will,
in turn, transform the arts into an endeavor that depict beauty
rather than hideousness.
The unique examples of Allah's
creation that surround us are the sources of inspiration
for all forms of art. The symmetry in a bunch of grapes,
the way in which peerless colors match on the wings
of a butterfly, the elegance of a swan, the beauty in
the colors and texture of the flowers and the matchless
harmony in the fur of a zebra or a tiger are just a
few examples. Art is one of the most important ways
to express and interpret this beauty and to make it
a part of daily life. Many forms of art such as drawing,
music and decoration are ways of communicating this
inner enthusiasm to other people. |
In the "Golden Age," there will
be similarities to aspects of the period of the Prophet Sulayman
The Qur'an provides a detailed account about
aesthetics. Prophet Sulayman (as), who had a superior understanding
of art, is a good example of the Muslims' aesthetic understanding.
From the Qur'anic accounts, we understand that art, aesthetics,
and beauty pervaded Prophet Sulayman (as)'s palace. Its floor,
which was the first thing to catch people's attention, gave
the impression of water, for it was made of glass. The sight
of such a transparent floor appeals to the human soul and
gives relief. It is also exciting, since it is unique. Indeed,
the impact of the palace's splendor on the Queen of Saba is
related in the Qur'an as follows:
She was told: "Enter the courtyard."
But when she saw it, she supposed it to be a pool and bared
her legs. He said: "It is a courtyard paved with glass."
She said: "My Lord, I have wronged myself, but I have
submitted with Sulayman to the Lord of all the worlds."
(Surat an-Naml: 44)
Another verse informs us that he made his people
produce various works of art:
They made for him anything that
he wished: high arches and statues, huge dishes like cisterns,
great built-in cooking vats. "Work, family of Dawud,
in thankfulness!" But very few of My servants are thankful.
(Surah Saba: 13)
These works of art convey his elegant understanding
of art. Today, only one wall of this temple known as Solomon's
Temple in Jerusalem remains, but as the Qur'an and historical
documents and accounts reveal, it was once a magnificent palace.
In the Qur'an, Allah commands Muslims to take lessons from
the Prophets' lives and moral excellence. In this sense, what
the Qur'an tells us about Prophet Sulayman (as) is very precious,
for it exemplifies the kind of innovations Muslims can make
in art and aesthetics, and how they can embellish Earth with
superb works of art.
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And gold ornaments.
All that is merely the rappings of the life of the dunya.
But the akhira with your Lord is for those who have
taqwa.
(Surat az-Zukhruf: 35)
Allah has promised
men and women of the muminun Gardens with rivers flowing
under them, remaining in them timelessly, forever, and
fine dwellings in the Gardens of Eden...
(Surat at-Tawba: 72)
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The Golden Age's Paradise-like Environment
 The
believers' longing for Paradise urges them to transform their
surroundings into Paradise-like places. Paradise, no doubt,
abounds with works of art beyond our imagination. It is a
place of images and beauties of such perfection that they
are unlikely to be attained in this world. Still, the Qur'an's
outlook urges us to use all of Earth's available resources
to turn our planet into an image of Paradise.
First of all, the believers manifest the Qur'anic
understanding of cleanliness in their immediate surroundings.
In the Golden Age, all places (e.g., highways, places of worship,
recreational places, workplaces, and houses) will be very
clean. In one verse, Allah commands them to "purify
your clothes. Shun all filth." (Surat al-Muddathtir:
4-5) In compliance with this verse, their clothes will be
perfectly clean and the necessary cleansers will be available
to everyone so that cleaning one's clothes will become an
easy task.
Keeping the environment clean also will be a
very important issue. Environmental and air pollution will
no longer be a threat to city dwellers. Public places will
provide all forms of comfort to people. For example, both
hot and cold water will be available in places of worship
and everyone will have easy access to public transportation.
People will no longer have unpleasant experiences in crowded,
airless public places, for innovative systems and technology
will make such places only a distant memory.
People will have vivid social lives. Recreational
places will be designed to provide comfort and will be very
clean. Places where young people gather will be free of harmful
foods and drinks, and human health will be the primary concern.
People will be encouraged to love animals, there
will be parks in which people can see all sorts of animals.
Furthermore, such wild animals as cheetahs, lions, and leopards
will be domesticated. Dangerous animals, such as scorpions
or snakes, will no longer pose a threat to humanity, for their
poisons will be eliminated through biological methods. In
one of his sayings, our Prophet (saas) called attention to
this favorable environment:
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person will let his sheep and animals out
to pasture. They will go and, being in the
midst of crops, will not bite a single ear
of corn. Snakes and scorpions will harm
no one, and wild animals will be on the
doorway, causing no harm. (Muhammad ibn
‘Abd al-Rasul Barzanji , Al-Isha‘ah
li-ashrat al-sa‘ah, p. 245) |
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People will long for Paradise and hope for Allah's
good pleasure, which will enable them to enter Paradise. Consequently,
they will do their best to produce works of art similar to
those in Paradise or to imitate the beauty and aesthetics
of Paradise. Allah depicts Paradise's environment as follows:
And [He] will reward them for
their steadfastness with a garden [in Paradise] and with silk.
Reclining in it on couches, they will experience there neither
burning sun nor bitter cold. Its shading branches will droop
down over them, its ripe fruit hanging ready to be picked.
Vessels of silver and goblets of pure crystal will be passed
round among them, crystalline silver—they have measured
them very exactly. They will be given there a cup to drink
mixed with the warmth of ginger. In it there is a flowing
spring called Salsabil. Ageless youths will circulate among
them, serving them. Seeing them, you would think them scattered
pearls. And when you look, it is there that you will see a
Bliss and a Realm Magnificent. (Surat al-Insan: 12-20)
The Golden Age will be the time when Allah will
grant the most glorious beauties and blessings to people.
To form an accurate image of this period, look at the verses
that depict Paradise.
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