Art in Islamic thought

It is known, the abstract Islamic art is based on symbolism, and in this respect the colors having symbolic nature are important for Islamic art. However, it is possible to use even one or several colors inIslamic art, but not a large number of colors. Thus, one of the innovations imposed by the artists in the Islamic art is the limitation of colors.

A Muslim artist avoids the imitation of absolute truth in his creation, and focuses the attention on abstract art, which consists of his mental impressions. And for this purpose, the artist tries not to use different and contrasting colors which deprive the human soul of peace and comfort. At the same time he applies the colors, different from the nature's colors to go outward of the material world and to unite with the spiritual world and he uses the meanings of these colors.

For Islamic art is typical the golden color of the sky, the purple, yellow and red colors of the trees, stems and branches, the silver color of water and water canals, and the distinctive shape and white, yellow, red, purplecolors of the mountains, and so on (Kashefi, 1364, p.30). We should seek its reason in the ideas of Islam. Because according to the main idea of Islam only God has the right to describe the real world and its colors. According to Islamic thought the imitation of God by Muslim artist is considered as making himself equal with God and it is a great sin in Islam. Thus, the Muslim artist tries to express the Tohid idea of İslamic art, i.e. to depict the beauty of God, using thecolors and perspective not only in a religious, but in the secular themes in accordance with this idea.

From the records of the Quran, is clear that the colors are very important in Islam and the concept of colorholds a special place in Islam. The word of "sıbga" which has a meaning the "color" used in the Quran in the Surah of "Baqarah" for the first time. The using of the word of "sibgha" along with the name of Allah, i.e. the using of the word of "Sibghatullah" in the Quran is a very interesting fact. Therefore the Turkish scholar A. Yıldırım writes, "this word (i.e. sibghatullah) indicates that only the God gives the real color to beings" (Yıldırım, n.d., p.4).

It is mentioned in the Quran: "We accepted of the color (religion) of God. Who has a better color? We worship only him" (The Quran, 1991, p.20). There is a special approach to the relation between the light and the color in Islamic art philosophy. This point of view has been expressed in the one of the Mevlana Jelalu'd-din er-Rumi's mesnevis as follows: “You did not see the light of the colors because you had lost your mind in that color. After the colors disappeared at night and you understood that you had seen them through the light falling on the things”. (Taş, 2012, p.123). Within these hemistichs the philosopher has explained the essence of color in the Islamic thought.

Color is always associated with the light in nature. Each wave of the light has got certain color shades, and the colors of these light waves are clearly seen when theyfall on objects. Despite the fact that, the sun's rays falling on the ground is the white light, are observed numerous colors of light while it fall on objects, as a result of the difference in the outer surfaces of the objects. The color of an object that we see is the color of light reflected. In other words, colorless and abstract light is embodied by color (Zamani, 1384, p.380). Therefore, Rumi reviews the color as a result of the presence of the light.

Scientists studying the colors also found that the colors are the reflection of the white color, i.e., the reflection ofthe light. In the human psychology the white color is the symbol of purity and cleanliness. But the black color "absorbs" the other colors, all the colors disappear in it. Actually black is the absence of color. For this reason, the scholars of Sufism symbolized the previous stage in the God's creation of beings by the black color (Yıldırım, n.d., p.10).

The black color also is a sign of secrecy. The philosopher S.Omar writes, that "colors, sometimes help to get out of the existing world and they act as the spy revealing the secret of the things and the processes outside of the world” (İbn Sina, 1392, p.2). But black color covers and makes invisible all other colors, giving more information about the reality in order to keep the secrets.

White and black are the sign of the contrast and antithesis. In general, according to the most of the views and theories about color, the black and white are considered not as color, but as simply a contradiction or a contrast. In this sense, it would be impossible to realize the white without the black, and we can not also determine the black color in the absence of the white color. In other words, the idea of the necessity of contrast, finds here it’s real expression.

According to the ideas of Russian painter and art theorist Kandinsky, "the white and black tones, which makes the color brighten or darken, guarantees them to return to their own original tone" (Yıldırım, n.d., p. 10). And according to Islam, the initial color is the black or white colors or the colorlessness.

According to Islamic thought the color is viewed as a means of union. Thereby the target of Muslim artist is the description of the pure and unchangeable color, i.e. the light. The word of light also has got a meaning "the divine light" or "the God's light" in İslamic art and İslamic philosophical thought. According to Islamic idea, the divine light is the source of all colors. In this regard, the Iranian philosopher M.Radi wrote that "the basic, single color, i.e. divine light is the symbol of God's power. The artwork created on the base of the harmony of colors promotes the idea of the unity of God, i.e. the idea of Tohid” (Radi, n.d.). The single color or light, we are talking about can also be considered as colourlessness. Because the light itself is abstract and has not concrete color. As is well known, according to the Islamic concept, the God also has not a shape or color. Accordingly, as was mentioned in the Quran the color of the God is also the light or the colorlessness and all the colors have emerged from it.

Color symbolism in Islamic art

However, some Islamic sects symbolize the divine being by different colors. However, some Islamic sects symbolize the divine being by different colors. For example, the color symbolism has occupied a special place in the philosophical thought of the Kubraviyye sect of Najm-ad-din Kubra. Kubra emphasized the black as the colorlessness but not the white color. Nevertheless, Kubra has noted that the beauty of God manifested also in other colors.

According to another theory, the visible seven colors have appeared from various colors. Black and white, are not considered as colors. Because the white is the mixing of these seven colors and the black is the “colourlessness” (Yıldırım, n.d., p.6).

The God was compared with colorless light, and the nature was compared the colored crystals in the Sufi-lore philosophy of Arabian philosopher Ibn Arabi. According to his philosophical ideas, God's light is reflected in the image of beings in nature, as the light seems as green behind the green glass, or as it seems red behind the red glass (Moruri bar tajalli-ye rang, 1391).

So, according to the teachings of "Unity of Existence" of Sufism, an infinite number of lights, which we call them the spirit, separates from God's being (Babayev, 2007, p.30-31). In this sense, although God has no shape and color, his features are reflected on beings, with certain colour and shape, through his light. But İslam puts forward the idea that the God reflected on only the beauties.

Medieval turkish scholar Bursavi commenting on color symbolism of İslam, wrote: "the Prophet (peace be upon him) entered into the city with the black veil on the day of the conquest of the Mekke city. Because black is the color of divine being and Kaaba is also a sign of the divine being” (Yıldırım, n.d. p.6).

We note that the cloth enveloping the Kaaba is black and this black cover emphasizes the idea of the divine origin of the black color, covering all the colors. According to the Islamic thought, black color creates an colorlessness, spilling other colors.

Despite of availability of different ideas and theories about color symbolism of Islam, all of them puts forward the idea of God's colorlessness. In general, in all of these Islamic philosophical theories the light or the colorlessness has been considered as a symbol of God's existence.

It is impossible to comment concretely and generally on all numerous points of view about colors in Islamic art and philosophy. But it should be noted that Islamic art, through the using of the creative power of colors and management of it, becomes the mark of God's greatness. And light has a special place in the outlook of Muslims and, accordingly, in Muslim artist's creativity. The famous philosopher Burkhard, wrote that "The Muslim artist who wants to express the main idea of İslam or the idea of single divine presence has three means at his disposal: geometry, rhythm and light. And there is not a better symbol of divine beauty than the light" (Nasr, 1987, p.2). Colors reflect the beauty of light. And the nature of light appears through the colors.

White and blue colors impress the purity of soul, red creates the impression of the fire and blood, yellow inspires the gladness, green is the symbol of Islam and purple shows the silence and death in Islamic art (Honar-e Eslami, n.d., p.33).

Medieval Muslim philosopher al-Ghazali wrote follows about the green color: "the one of four factors reinforcing the vision is green color. In addition, the green color creates harmony, peace, respect and a sense of self-confidence”. Another philosopher, Abdullah Yusuf Ali, has also talked about the colors, and he noted that “the clothes of the inhabitants of paradise will be green” (Nasr, 1987, p.3).

Some objects in paradise, for example, according to the 76th ayat of Surah al-Rahman (The Quran, 1991, p.550) the color of pillows, and as mentioned in the 32th ayat of Surah al-Kahf in the Quran, (The Quran, 1991, p.267) the beautiful silk clothes will be green. Due to the fact that green color used more in the Quran in the descriptions of paradise and this color is the color of the Prophet, it has become the symbol of Islam. For example, in the traditions (hadiths) is talking about that, those who are descendants of the Prophet have worn the green turbans on their head and the color of the Prophet's flag was green. In this regard, the green color has a symbolic meaning in Islam. But the traditions also give information about that the green color had not chosen as the special colour by Prophet. In the traditions about the prophet is also noted that he always gave preference to white in his dresses and worn the black turban.

CONCLUSION:

The green is not the dominant color in the Islamic artworks. Red, green and blue colors, coordinated with each other create the visual harmony which is the inherent feature of Islamic art. For example, the brightness and the variegation of the colors used in miniatures attracts attention at first glance. In addition, the shades of the gold, silver, brown colors are also very common in the miniature paintings. The color of the sun is golden, and the rivers or water is depicted by silver color in some miniatures.

The variegation of colors also discussed in the Quran. The white, green, yellow, black, red and blue colors are mentioned in different surahs.

The colors reflected in Islamic art can vary according to historical conditions, geographic area and the community. For example, the dominant colors used in the Iranian painting is green, blue, red, yellow, gray and other colors.

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