Collector says education key to understanding Islamic art

Abu Dhabi: "The only way to deal with extremists is to educate them and be patient with them, " said Dr Nasser D. Khalili, a noted art collector, commenting on the erroneous impressions some Muslims have about the arts, music and painting.

"If in the 12th century, certain objects were made under the direct patronage of the Caliphs, who were the commanders of the faith, then arts were obviously not forbidden," he said.

"They [the extremists] are making a wrong decision and a wrong assumption. We should not get angry with them but try to help them understand the real facts behind Islamic art," Dr Khalili said.

He is considered an authoritative Islamic art collector who has assembled five major collections, including the largest privately owned Islamic collection.

Masterpieces

Dr Khalili, who holds a PhD in Islamic Art from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, is also the author of several reference books about Islamic art including The Timeline History of Islamic Art and Architecture.

The art collector is holding an exhibition in Abu Dhabi of more than 500 masterpieces from his collection that show the rich artistic heritage that developed over 1,400 years.

The exhibition shows how art featured in the daily lives of Muslims, in artifacts, pottery, textiles, jewellery and calligraphy.

"Many extremists think that Islam is against art, since it copies God's creations, but through this exhibition you can find out how mistaken they are," he said. "Beauty has always played a major role in Islam. In the Quran, some passages urge people to meditate on God's beautiful creations."

The exhibition at the Emirates Palace "is a testimony to how magnificent Muslim artists are," Dr Khalili said.

Muslims were "incredibly sophisticated", he said. "Their households used to be furnished as seen in this exhibition."

"The contribution of Islam to the world was unique, from mathematics to astrology.

"It became the envy of the world, and only hundreds of years later did the Renaissance start in Europe."

That period was one of the most prolific in Islamic history, Dr Khalili said. As Islam expanded, the major arts were also influenced by trends in other parts of the world.