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About the Art

B asmalah Al-Rahman Al-Rahim (“In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful”) is the phrase that appears at the beginning of each chapter of the Koran, as well as secular writings, in all of the Islamic world. Abbreviated as Basmalah, it is a popular pious evocation used at the opening of a speech, a meeting, the first page of many books, and at the beginning of most official letters and of many personal communications. The evocation reminds us of the presence of God at the beginning of all actions in life as well as in each transaction between the individual and the world. Calligraphy (literally, “beautiful writing”) developed into a complex art form in the Islamic cultures and was valued not only because of the religious and secular messages it conveyed but also because of its decorative qualities. It appears on everything from stone buildings to ceramic vessels, from manuscripts to silk robes. Here, in the piece that is reproduced on the front cover, the calligrapher has inscribed Basmalah Al-Rahman Al-Rahim in gold overlay, which is placed on the eight-lobed medallion with circular openings between the lobes and decorated with a concentric scroll bearing lotus blossoms and leaves. On the back cover, A Ruler Enthroned is a 16th-century painting of the period of the Safavid dynasty in Iran. This painting could be viewed as God’s reward for the Muslim who is conscious of God’s presence in his or her actions and interactions. This conscious appeal to the merciful and compassionate side of God, such as evoking Basmalah, begs for God’s grace to be bestowed upon the righteous, the archetype of which is depicted by the enthroned ruler in the painting. The inscription in Farsi (Persian) on the top right of the painting states, “He [God] gave success, delight, and created invincible heroes.” Living with God in all aspects of life is Islam’s way of