Exhibitions: Light of the Sufis: The Mystical Arts of Islam

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Exhibition Didactics

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  Light of the Sufis: The Mystical Arts of Islam
  Sufism, or tasawwuf, is generally defined as Islamic mysticism. Its roots lie in orthodox Islam, but Sufism does not come with a clear-cut prescription for practicing the faith. Followers believe the best way to understand it is through the wisdom of one’s own heart. Known as Sufis, they seek taw??d, or oneness with God, a mystical union that brings enlightenment through the chance to know God on an intimate level, ultimately surrounding the believer with divine light.
  
  The origins and development of Sufism are unclear, but the movement became well established in the ninth and tenth centuries. At that time, different Sufi orders were formed, led by spiritual advisers or masters, and a more institutionalized ideology encouraged communal practices. Sufism reached its height in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries under the influences of mystics from the Arab, Iranian, and Indian lands; some mystics were considered heretical, while others’ ideas were more widely accepted by orthodox Islam.
  
  Over time, Sufism’s indefinable nature has been demonstrated by its continual evolution and diffusion over a vast geographical area that now includes the Western Hemisphere. From its inception, Islamic mysticism recognized and drew from the traditions and practices of other faiths and cultures with which it came into contact, adapting and incorporating elements of Greek philosophies, Christian mysticism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, and Buddhism. The integrative, inclusive (all followers are viewed as equal), and fluid nature of Islamic mysticism gives it broad appeal.
  
  Sufism inspired and continues to inspire some of the finest literature, music, performance, and visual arts in the Islamic world. In these artistic expressions, certain themes abound, including love, beauty, wine, and, especially, light—the “light of the Sufi” that is simultaneously enlightenment and the divine. The objects in this exhibition, representing both literal and figural expressions of important Sufi ideas and practices, reflect the wide impact of Sufism on the arts from the early period to the present day.
  
  Ladan Akbarnia,
  Ph.D. Hagop Kevorkian Associate Curator of Islamic Art

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  Light of the Sufis
  God is the light of the heavens and the earth; the likeness of his light is as a niche wherein is a light (the light in a glass, the glass as it were a glittering star). . . . Light upon Light! God does guide whom he will to his light. . . .
  (Qur’an 24:35)
  
  Light, both literal and metaphorical, figures prominently in Islam, first appearing as a description of God in the Qur’an’s Sur?t al-N?r (The Light Chapter), quoted above. As early as the twelfth century, these verses were given a mystical interpretation by the Sufi philosopher al-Ghazzali (1058–1111), who equated God with light; and by the Iranian mystic Shihabuddin Suhrawardi (1155–1191), who believed God is the source of constant illumination that brings all things into existence and from which all things are derived.
  
  Some of the greatest expressions of light symbolism came through the carefully planned lighting programs of mosques and religious complexes, where beautifully crafted gilded and enameled lamps were suspended from the ceiling to reflect brilliant light off one another. Inlaid metal candlestick bases, often decorated with iconography or inscribed with mystical verses related to light, illuminated the space from below.

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  The Sufi Mystic
  In addition to “Sufi,” the follower of Sufism is referred to as a darv?sh (dervish; Persian for “poor”) or simply as a Muslim mystic. “Sufi” appears to have been derived from the Arabic word s?f, which may refer to the coarse woolen robe worn by the early practitioners of Islamic mysticism. This simple garment represented their renunciation of worldly goods and aspirations, an act of self-annihilation that constitutes an important step along the Path toward enlightenment. The main stages of that Path include repentance, trust in God, and poverty, which may then lead to contentment, the different degrees of love, or self-knowledge. Once a Sufi sets out on the Path, he or she will be led by an inner light that grows stronger with the removal of each layer of the material and transient world. This process of purification is accompanied by prayer and dhikr, a rigorously disciplined practice of remembering God through the repetition of and meditation on his name or other sacred phrases. The traveler on this Path relies on the guidance of a spiritual master known as a shaykh, mursh?d, or p?r.
  
  The development of Sufism into various orders in the twelfth century is believed to have inspired Sufi poetry, as well as rituals involving music and dance that arouse a state of ecstasy as part of the quest for divine union. Sufi orders had distinct traditions and ceremonies, and could be identified by their attire as well as other attributes. For all Sufis, the model in dress and practice was and remains the prophet Muhammad, who is considered to have certainly achieved tawh?d.

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  The “Light” in Sufi Literature
  The interpretive and metaphorical freedom associated with poetry makes it an ideal instrument for the expression of Sufi philosophy; the most extraordinary examples appear in Persian literature of the medieval period. Poetry provided unlimited possibilities for interplay between sacred and profane images. The Persian language, in particular, which historically has lent itself to music and metaphor, provided poets with an ideal vehicle through which mystical themes such as light, love, and beauty could be explored. Love of God, for example, was often introduced through human relationships. Beholding the beloved—who was considered a reflection of God’s love and the earthly manifestation of divine beauty—could lead to religious ecstasy.
  
  Most of the objects in this section consist of manuscripts or manuscript pages that combine both well-known and more obscure Sufi texts with extraordinary illuminations or illustrations. Also displayed are two works that offer later interpretations of Sufi literature in other media.

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  Sufi Inspiration in the Visual Arts
  Although manuscripts and albums have historically served as the medium for the interpretation and transmission of mystical texts, many extant portable objects and architectural elements demonstrate the wide range of Sufi artistic inspirations. This final section offers a sampling of the innumerable visual arts in other forms that have reflected the “light of the Sufis” from its inception to the present day.