Between Logos (Kalima) and Light (Nur): Representations of the Prophet Muhammad in Islamic Painting

Abstract

Representations of the Prophet Muhammad in various manuscripts are discussed in this study along with different facets. The author analyzes these representations in three groups as veristic, inscribed and luminous. Physical characteristics of the Prophet Muhammad reflected in paintings are expounded by the author especially through semail texts. It is accentuated in this study that the Prophet Muhammad has bi-substantial body and so on emphasized by the authors wrote about him and the artists depicted him. Furthermore it is discussed about painting in Islam based on both historical and modern representations of the Prophet Muhammad.