History and heritage of Islamic art under spotlight

ABU DHABI: Lt. General Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior, atended the first of this year’s Majlis Mohamed Bin Zayed Ramadan lectures, titled “Islamic Artworks: History and Heritage.”

The Majlis was atended by Sheikh Hamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan; several Sheikhs; ministers, senior officials, and specialists in the fields of Islamic arts.

The lecture, which took place in the Majlis Mohamed Bin Zayed venue at Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, was presented by Dr Ibrahim Shabouh, a renowned researcher, historian and expert in Islamic archaeology, widely recognised for reinterpreting the works of the 14th century historiographer and philosopher Ibn Khaldun.

Dr Shabouh began his talk by recounting the time he had the honour of accompanying the late Sheikh Zayed on a tour of the Great Mosque of Kairouan, during the UAE President’s visit to Tunisia in the mid-1970s. He recalled how Sheikh Zayed took a keen interest in the architecture of the historic mosque and the materials used in its construction.

The lecture explored examples of unique artworks and architecture from the dawn of Islamic civilisation, including intricate mosaics - such as those found in the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus - that feature early depictions of paradise.

Using photographs to illustrate his presentation, Dr Shabouh discussed other elements of historic Islamic art, including intricate decorations carved into the stone facades of ancient palaces found throughout the Middle East region. Another topic covered in the talk was early Arabic calligraphy, with the speaker giving detailed descriptions of the methods used in the production of centuries-old copies of the Holy Quran, produced on leather parchment and painstakingly writen in gold.