This world and the next

Abstract

The Quran's descriptions of Allah's creation and destruction of the universe are rich in details of the beauty of nature and the cosmos as well as details of the horrific violence and chaos that will accompany its destruction on Judgement Day. Some of the art works selected for this Chapter express the beauty and wonder of creation and Allah's injunctions to protect and maintain it. Other works alert viewers to the consequences of human destruction of the natural world and compare the results of that damage with the destruction of the universe, an event that the Quran says will signal the Day of Judgement and eternity. Many of the works reference Quranic descriptions of the 'landscapes' of this world and of the next. They also express emotions described in the Quran-awe, gratitude, fear, distress, security and insecurity, peace, hope-and recognise that the spiritual is an essential aspect of human existence. The challenge for the artists is how to express a sense of 'the numinous', in visual form, and the Chapter analyses how each artist responds to that challenge. Show more