Lebanese Poet Khalil Gibran (1883-1931) is renowned for ushering in a renaissance of modern Arabic literature. His work inspires people across the world, & is influenced by his Christian faith & the mysticism of Sufism
1/ ‘Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit’
― Khalil Gibran
2/ ‘I have learned silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet, strange, I am ungrateful to those teachers’
― Khalil Gibran
3/ ‘Yesterday is but today's memory, and tomorrow is today's dream’
― Khalil Gibran
4/ ‘And ever has it been known that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation’
― Khalil Gibran
5/ ‘Friendship is always a sweet responsibility, never an opportunity’
― Khalil Gibran
6/ ‘Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh and the greatness which does not bow before children’
― Khalil Gibran
7/ ‘Between what is said and not meant, and what is meant and not said, most of love is lost’
― Khalil Gibran
8/ ‘Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need’
― Khalil Gibran
9/ ‘To be able to look back upon ones life in satisfaction, is to live twice’
― Khalil Gibran
10/ ‘When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight’
― Khalil Gibran
11/ ‘Let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit’
― Khalil Gibran
12/ ‘Safeguarding the rights of others is the most noble and beautiful end of a human being’
― Khalil Gibran
13/ ‘Wisdom ceases to be wisdom when it becomes too proud to weep, too grave to laugh, and too selfish to seek other than itself’
― Khalil Gibran
14/ ‘Progress lies not in enhancing what is, but in advancing toward what will be’
― Khalil Gibran
15/ ‘If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours. And if they don't, they never were’
― Khalil Gibran
16/ ‘If you reveal your secrets to the wind, you should not blame the wind for revealing them to the trees’
― Khalil Gibran
17/ ‘There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward’
― Khalil Gibran
18/ ‘You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give’
― Khalil Gibran
19/ ‘I prefer to be a dreamer among the humblest, with visions to be realized, than lord among those without dreams and desires’
― Khalil Gibran
20/ ‘You talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts’
― Khalil Gibran
21/ ‘One day you will ask me which is more important? My life or yours? I will say mine and you will walk away not knowing that you are my life’
― Khalil Gibran
22/ ‘We are all like the bright moon, we still have our darker side’
― Khalil Gibran
23/ ‘The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the greatest intention’
― Khalil Gibran
24/ ‘You may forget with whom you laughed, but you will never forget with whom you wept’
― Khalil Gibran
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In Islamic architecture, water features & fountains occupy a privileged place inside mosques, domestic spaces & gardens. They provide peace & purification
Morocco is renowned for its astounding mosaic water features, which have influenced design
Here are 24 examples
A thread…
1/ Beautiful Water Feature / Fountain, Morocco
2/ Mosaic Water Feature / Fountain, Ablution Fountain in Great Mosque of Paris, inspired by Moroccan design
Geometric patterns are one of the most distinguishing features of Islamic art, thought to reflect the language of the universe & the greatness of creation
Today, artists are reinterpreting this traditional artform in new ways
A thread on 24 artists redefining Islamic geometry…
1/ Nima Nabavi is an Iranian-American artist who is now based in the UAE. His art practice is driven by a mathematical approach, and a contemplative execution of intricate geometries. He talks about his creative journey & reimagining geometry:
2/ After completing a bachelor’s in accounting & finance, Indian artist Antara Biswas took the plunge, switched careers and pursued what she loved doing most, creating art inspired by Islamic geometry…
From Senegal to Ghana, to Egypt to Somalia, Africa is known for its fantastic mosques – each an architectural masterpiece in their own right.
Here are 20 of the most unique & ancient mosques in Africa, each a reflection of the local building styles #JummahMubarak
A thread…
1/ The Mosque of the Companions, Massawa, Eritrea. early 7th century CE
Did you know? This was the first mosque built in the continent of Africa. It is believed to be the first mosque on the African continent.
2/ Great Mosque of Djenné, Mali, built 13th c. current structure 1907
World’s largest mud-brick building & finest example of Sudano-Sahelian architecture; characterised by its adobe plastering & wooden scaffolding. The walls are reconstructed with mud each April in a 1 day event
Islamic miniature paintings are small paintings that are part of a manuscript, used as a frontispiece, or an illustration for a text.
Different types of Islamic miniatures:
-Ottoman (Istanbul)
-Safavid (Shiraz)
-Timurid (Herat)
-Mughal (Delhi)
A thread…
Ottoman…
The Ottoman court became invested in writing its own history.
The court historian (şehnameci), a new position established in the 1550s, set to work producing manuscripts with illustrations.
Sultan Murad III (r. 1574-1595) in his Library @harvartmuseums
Safavid…
The best artists from across the empire were brought together & under the direction of Bihzad, the famed miniaturist from Herat, and formed a new Safavid style of painting.
The Taj Mahal, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World is in Agra, India. A symbol of love, it was commissioned in 1632 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, as well as his own tomb too.
1/ The Taj Mahal was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for being "the jewel of Muslim art in India & one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage". It is regarded by many as the best example of Mughal architecture
2/ A labour force of about 20,000 workers were recruited to build the Taj Mahal. There was also a creative unit of 37 men employed including sculptors from Bukhara, calligraphers from Syria & Persia, inlayers from southern India & Stone cutters from Baluchistan…
İznik is a town in northwestern Turkey, renowned for its Ottoman-era hand painted ceramics & tiles.
İznik tiles decorated walls of shrines, mosques & palaces.
For #TilesOnTuesday here are 24 exquisite examples in museums & collections across the world…
A thread…
1/ Two Iznik Tiles with Continuous Floral Pattern
Ottoman dynasty (1299–1923), c.1560
Pattern typical of the ‘saz style’ a term that derives from the words saz kalem, or “reed pen.” The style developed in album drawings in black ink during second half of 16thc.