The spiritual dimension of the Islamic traditional art of tazhib A review of the Mushaf by Fadil-pasha Šerifović

Authors

  • Selma Pandžić Institut za islamsku tradiciju Bošnjaka

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26340/muallim.v26i101.2146

Keywords:

the Qur’an, tazhib, floral motives, Gazi Husrev-bey library, Mushaf by Fadil-pasha Šerifović

Abstract

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         929 Šerifović F.

The technique of illumination, tazhib, reflects the love for learning and books. Tazhib artists had to understand the context of a book before they could adorn and embellish it appropriately, and precision and skill were achieved through diligence and commitment to their work. Inclination to the beauty and love that resides within a human being is a gift from the Almighty God. The Quran was copied, adorned, and illuminated for centuries. Those who engage in the art of illuminating the Qur’an often believe it is a way of expressing one’s piety. Everything in Islamic art is a reflection and a symbol of the entire existence. Art is creating the beauty, the beauty which human senses and mind can perceive and understand, and the artist on that path decked with rises and falls is, actually, on the path towards his Creator; he is creating a piece of art that represents for him an everlasting bond with God. The author here presents a brief review of development and the significance of the art of illumination, with a highlight on the motives used in the illuminated Mushaf by Fadil-pasha Šerifović preserved in the Gazi Husrev-bey library in Sarajevo.

Published

31-05-2025

How to Cite

Pandžić, S. (2025). The spiritual dimension of the Islamic traditional art of tazhib A review of the Mushaf by Fadil-pasha Šerifović. Novi Muallim, 26(101), 57–62. https://doi.org/10.26340/muallim.v26i101.2146