CULTURE IN THE MIDDLE EAST

MIDDLE EASTERN ART• Calligraphy: Art of

beautiful handwriting• Arabic letters are

easily linked for an artistic look. • Mosques often

contain examples of Arabic calligraphy.

GEOMETRIC ART

• Abstract designs that adorn the surfaces of monumental Islamic architecture and other objects• Muslims created this type of art because many were

resistant to the representation of living beings• Also, Allah and Muhammad are not allowed to be drawn or

pictured (ever…even today)

EXAMPLES OF GEOMETRIC ART

PHOTOS TAKEN BY MS. WILDA IN MALAGA, SPAIN; JULY 2009

ARCHITECTURE

• Examples are mosques and madrasas (schools).

• Early Islamic religious architecture, exemplified by Jerusalem's Dome of the Rock (AD 691) drew on Christian architectural features such as domes, columnar arches, and mosaics but also included large courts for congregational prayer

The Prophet's Mosque in Medina, Saudi Arabia, containing the tomb of Muhammad. It is one of the three holiest places of Islam.

In Muslim countries, a madrasa is an institution of higher education. The madrasa functioned until the 20th century as a theological seminary and law school, with a curriculum centered on the Qur'an.

MORE ARCHITECTURE• Dome of the Rock (Jerusalem): Muslims believe this

is where Muhammad ascended into heaven

Alhambra (Located in Granada, Spain)

ALCAZABA IN MALAGA, SPAIN

VEILS• Basic Definition: • Hijab: Means “veil” in Arabic

• Types: • Hijab: square scarf that covers the head and

neck but leaves the face clear• Niqab: Veil for the face that leaves the area

around the eyes clear. It is worn with an accompanying headscarf.• Burka: Most concealing of all Islamic veils. It

covers the entire face and body, leaving just a mesh screen to see through.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF VEILS

ISLAMIC DRESS (ACCORDING TO THE QURAN)

• For Women:• Many Muslim women wear the scarf (hijab)• Arms and legs are to be covered up to the hands and feet• Clothing should not be tight fitting or revealing

(religiously mandatory)• Some women also choose to wear a niqab or face veil• Women should not reveal their charms to males who are

beyond a certain degree of kinship• For Men:• Covering the body from the navel to the knees

GENDER ROLES IN ISLAM

• Women do not play a central role in Muslim public worship but are allowed to go to some mosques and worship in designated spots like balconies or a back corner• At Mecca, separate tunnels and halls are designated for

women, and some of the rituals differ• Traditional views regarding female chastity are

emphasized in Muslim society; dating is therefore not common. • In Muslim societies the social interaction between

unrelated men and women is restricted

RESOURCES• Alhambra. Photograph. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 16  Nov.  2012.  <

http://www.school.eb.com/eb/art-17272>. • “Calligraphy." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online School Edition.

Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2012. Web. 16  Nov.  2012.<http://www.school.eb.com/eb/article-53194>.

• Department of Islamic Art. "Figural Representation in Islamic Art". In Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2000–. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/figs/hd_figs.htm (October 2001)

• Dome of the Rock. Photograph. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 16  Nov.  2012.  <http://www.school.eb.com/eb/art-120804>.

• Dome of the Rock [Photograph]. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 16 November 2012, from http://www.school.eb.com/eb/art-120804

• "Islam." World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 19 Nov. 2012. • Madrasah. Photograph. Encyclopedia Britannica. Web. 19  Nov.  2012.

 <http://www.school.eb.com/eb/art-148131>. • “Muslim Veils,” BBC News,

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/05/europe_muslim_veils/html/1.stm• Prophet’s Mosque [Photograph]. Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 19 November 2012, from

http://www.school.eb.com/eb/art-97515 • "Women, Men, and Gender in Islam." The Muslim Almanac: A Reference Work on the History,

Faith, Culture, and Peoples of Islam. Azim Nanji. Detroit: Gale Research, 1996. Gale World History In Context. Web. 19 Nov. 2012.