December 10, 2015: CODE PAKISTAN held a discussion on “Art Forms and Islam: What is Permissible?” between the students of Abasyn University and various madrasahs of Islamabad. Various art forms were discussed by the students of both institutions during the discussion. The students of madrasahs argued that Islam was not against art, and that Muslim rulers had patronized various forms of art such as calligraphy, architecture, poetry, and literature during their rule in various parts of the world. Some students of Abasyn University also alluded to various art forms that were patronized in Islamic kingdoms.
The main focus of the discussion remained on images and music though. Some of the madrasah students were of the view that imagery was completely forbidden by Islam, while there were others who suggested that some forms of imagery was permissible under very strict conditions in Islam, such as digital imagery or images of landscapes etc. Some university students also expressed their agreement with this viewpoint. There was a great diversity of opinion on the permissibility of music according to Islam. Some university students argued that music was not strictly forbidden by Islam and cited the examples of Hamd, Naat, and Qawwali. Most of the madrasah students, however, disagreed with the notion. They maintained that playing any musical instrument was forbidden by Islam.
Shahid Ilyas, Research Analyst at IRS, who was moderating the discussion said that art needed to be understood in its broader context encompassing a variety of aspects rather than just music. Aarish Khan, Executive Director CODE PAKISTAN, maintained that art was a form of communication and played its role in projection of one’s message. He added that art was also of the view that the creative aspect of art inspired innovation and invention, which played a key role in the development of nations.
The discussion was part of the University Madrasah Interaction Program (UMIP), which aims to bring the students of madrasahs and universities closer to each other by promoting positive and meaningful interaction between them. A total of ten discussions will be held between the students of Abasyn University and madrasahs under UMIP. For more details on UMIP, please click here.