“Only recently someone – in fact someone I hold in great esteem as they say – talked to me about art that he called “Islamic.” I said: “Art is art and it is Islam.” He said, “Heh?” And I said, “Yea, that is right. Paint the most beautiful and evocative things in the most beautiful way. That is Islam. And that is also art.” And then I continued: “Of course you should not be painting nudes and things like that – any local Mulla will supply you with a list of things you should not portray in your art.” The man who had just taken up landscape painting showed visible signs of excitement. I pressed home the advantage and said: “Don’t you see the world around you? The grass; the flowers; the water; the sea; the mountains; the sunset; the sunrise; and all the rest of those things? Have you ever seen better art than that? That is all art, period. And that is also all Islam, period.” “And guess what,” I wanted to make one more point before we parted. “Allah is the greatest Artist. That is what he calls himself: Al-Musawwir. And he is the greatest designer and creator – Alkhallaaq and Al-Baari’.” And then I thought to myself: What a great system of ideas and what a great world of imagination this Islam represents! Under its magic touch, whatever you touch turns to gold, right in your hands. And then I said to myself and for anyone who would listen: Tabaarakallahu Ahsanul Khaaliqeen – “Glory to him, the most beautiful of all creators!”

Hallelujah!” (Dr. Pasha)