In Islam, Allah (God) is described as formless, transcendent, and beyond human comprehension. The core Islamic belief in Tawhid (the oneness of God) emphasizes that Allah is unique and incomparable, without physical form or likeness. This is reflected in the Qur'an, where Allah is said to be unlike anything in creation: "There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing" (Qur'an 42:11). Because Allah is considered beyond any physical attributes, He is not represented in images or statues in Islamic tradition.
Islamic theology holds that human language and concepts cannot fully capture Allah's essence. While Allah has 99 Names, each describing an attribute (like Ar-Rahman—The Merciful, or Al-Alim—The All-Knowing), these do not imply physical characteristics but rather reflect His qualities. This conceptualization supports the idea that Allah is formless and beyond any physical representation. As for Islam itself, the religion focuses on guidance through the Qur'an and the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad, rather than a physical form or manifestation. The central goal of Islam is to live a life aligned with divine guidance, following practices like prayer, fasting, and charity. In this sense, Islam is indeed formless, as it emphasizes a spiritual journey rather than attachment to physical forms or objects. This abstraction of Allah and the focus on spiritual practices set Islam apart, as it avoids anthropomorphic depictions and instead calls for worship of an unseen, formless God. Mosques and Muslim homes often incorporate certain artistic forms and architectural elements that reflect Islamic aesthetics, principles, and cultural influences, while still adhering to the Islamic prohibition against depicting Allah, the Prophet Muhammad, or other human or animal forms in worship spaces. Here are some of the key ways this is achieved: 1. Calligraphy In Mosques: Calligraphy is one of the most prominent forms of artistic expression in mosques worldwide. Verses from the Qur'an, often written in Arabic, decorate walls, domes, and mihrabs (the niche indicating the direction of Mecca). Different styles, like Kufic or Thuluth, are used, creating intricate and beautiful designs that reflect the divine words without depicting physical forms. In Muslim Homes: Many Muslim homes feature calligraphy of Qur'anic verses, the names of Allah, or phrases like "Bismillah" (In the name of Allah). These pieces are hung on walls to remind believers of their faith and to inspire a sense of spirituality in the home. 2. Geometric Patterns In Mosques: Geometric designs are a central feature of mosque decoration. These intricate patterns reflect the concept of infinity and the unity of Allah by showing complex yet harmonious designs. Geometric patterns can be seen on tiles, floors, and walls, especially in mosques throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia. In Muslim Homes: Geometric designs are also popular in home decor, appearing in textiles, rugs, wall art, and even on household items. These patterns symbolize order and unity, representing divine creation in an abstract form that respects Islamic principles. 3. Arabesque Motifs In Mosques: Arabesque designs, which are stylized representations of leaves, vines, and flowers, are used to create endless, flowing patterns. This style is symbolic of the beauty of nature and is meant to represent paradise as mentioned in Islamic teachings. The arabesque often decorates walls, domes, and even the exteriors of mosques. In Muslim Homes: Arabesque designs are common in carpets, cushions, tiles, and other home furnishings. By incorporating these patterns, homes reflect a sense of nature and beauty that is harmonious with the spiritual ideals of Islam. 4. Architecture and Structure Domes and Minarets in Mosques: Domes are a significant architectural element in mosques, symbolizing the vastness of the universe and the heavens. Minarets are tall structures used for the call to prayer, visually marking the mosque as a spiritual focal point in the community. Many mosques worldwide, such as the Blue Mosque in Istanbul and the Great Mosque of Córdoba, are renowned for their distinctive architectural forms. Islamic-Inspired Architecture in Homes: Some Muslim homes incorporate architectural elements inspired by mosques, such as arches, decorative domes, or courtyards with fountains. These designs bring a sense of tranquility and reverence, mirroring the spiritual atmosphere found in mosques. 5. Lighting and Chandeliers In Mosques: Large chandeliers are often used in mosques, particularly under domes, to symbolize divine light. These chandeliers may be intricately designed and adorned with crystals or other materials that reflect light, creating a beautiful and contemplative atmosphere. In Muslim Homes: Chandeliers or lamps with arabesque and geometric designs are common in Muslim homes. They are used not only for illumination but also to create a warm, serene ambiance that reflects Islamic aesthetic values. These artistic forms and architectural elements are central to both mosques and many Muslim homes. They allow for the expression of Islamic identity and spirituality through abstract, non-figurative means, honoring the divine without contradicting the principles of formlessness in the portrayal of Allah and other sacred figures. I am not discussing abrahamic as it is not quoted here. I Presume hinduism as a mark against non idol worship- as allah is not shown under idol worship. OK. The abrahamic and the islamic charge are against hinduism with multiple god worship. But all including the abrahamic and islamic, forgot -that Hinduism has only one GOD Brahmam, from which manifestations of Gods, of many formations were rendered as worshipping, which are pure nature and utility. All of them are respected by people; even their ancestors or ancestors of a village, were worshipped as GODs. These included Siva, Vishnu and Brahma, and women gods, Plants, animals, and many living and dead sculptures, Paintings and photos were worshipped. Have you, any one, seen a Brahmam worshipped anywhere? Christ is a statue seen by all. Have you seen the “father” as addressed by Christ, anywhere in any church or home? So also, neither Allah nor Father of Christ nor Brahmam are unseen. Are there differences? Islamists have their words as wall hangers and worshipful placards; Christians do have Christ Mary etc apart from the placards; Hindus have many forms as worshipful objectives. The Models of the worshipping places also have characteristics. Hence, charging hinduism as multi-faceted, worship and idol worship are avoided in islam and 3 idos are enough in christianism are all pure figments of imaginations trying to market their religions. K Rajaram IRS 13 10 24 On Sun, 13 Oct 2024 at 11:33, Markendeya Yeddanapudi < [email protected]> wrote: > In Islam Allah also is formless and timeless. > YM Sarma > > On Sun, Oct 13, 2024 at 11:26 AM Rajaram Krishnamurthy < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> Spirituality is a broad concept that involves a sense of connection to >> something greater than oneself, and a search for meaning in life. It can be >> expressed in many ways, including: >> >> Meditation Samples >> >> Prayer >> (iskcon) >> >> Mindfulness >> (buddhism) >> >> Yoga (divine swamijis as >> a brand) >> >> Dance (natyanjali including >> Madonnas) ) >> >> Creating art or music (bhajans made easy to sing in all tunes) >> >> Being in nature ( a clan who spend time in calm >> surroundings with or without drugs) >> >> Breathwork (Pranayama parlours) >> >> Spirituality is different from religion, which is a set of organized >> beliefs and practices shared by a community or group. Spirituality is more >> of an individual practice, and you can be spiritual without being >> religious. >> >> Spirituality can provide a sense of purpose and meaning, and can connect >> people to a force greater than themselves, as well as to their fellow human >> beings. It can also provide a strong foundation on which to build better >> mental health. >> >> The word "spirituality" was first known to be used in the 15th century. >> >> What Is Spirituality? | Taking Charge of Your Wellbeing >> >> Spirituality involves the recognition of a feeling or sense or belief >> that there is something greater than myself, something more ... >> >> Spirituality involves the recognition of a feeling or sense or belief >> that there is something greater than myself, something more to being human >> than sensory experience, and that the greater whole of which we are part is >> cosmic or divine in nature. >> >> Latest class is self defeating groups who neither deny nor follow the GOD >> of any religion or sanatana dharma, but get spirited to stay as they are >> normally and address themselves as SPIRITUAL BUT NOT RELIGIOUS SBNR. >> Spirituality is wrongly deciphered as AANMEEGAM ABOUT THE ANMA, ATMA @ SOUL >> IN TAMIL. But in short they are not nastikas as they accept some power >> beyond all of them. When they realise that what they were adopting as a >> genuine principle, did not take them to righteous path or realise they are >> at a dead end, then they alter their path. Thys spiritualism as a gateway >> of escape to cherish their inner madness of life as long as they have the >> strength is also in a way better. Such of those only follow certain godmen >> holding them in a high spirit. In another way of thinking, poor people and >> the middle class follow some GODs; but moneyed gentlemen and ladies become >> virtually and in reality, spirited. The top class join both as the time >> prompts them. In this respect I appreciate Genuine atheists who question >> the spirit and raise their knowledge and change overnight having understood >> their fallacies. As science keeps on changing their theory unlike nature, >> every day, the spirited also keeps changing their ideas. This science and >> spiritualism may go hand in hand. K Rajaram IRS >> 131024 >> >> On Sat, 12 Oct 2024 at 20:03, Markendeya Yeddanapudi < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> *Mar**Spiritualism and Science* >>> >>> *The path of Spiritualism is to live without forms in the formless. >>> According to Einstein, everything in fact moves at the speed of light. But >>> the other three dimensions---length, breadth and height, slow it. But when >>> a thing frees itself from those dimensions and when only the time dimension >>> remains the body will move at the speed of light. Are we all moving into >>> the time dimension only? When a body achieves the speed of light its volume >>> becomes infinite. Are we proceeding to infinity?* >>> >>> *Science is based on the effort to create definite forms, mathematical >>> reductions, mechanical constructs, it needs definitions and scopes within >>> the limits of the definition. Do we leave all sciences when we leave for >>> good?* >>> >>> *Can formlessness function as a paradigm, a connectable base for >>> understanding? Is that paradigm simply belief? While living we have >>> basically two fundamental paradigms—the inside and the outside. Many ask >>> the question after the infinity or at the end of the infinity, what? But >>> the Universe has no outside, something which we simply cannot conceptualize >>> while living. You cannot add, subtract, multiply or divide infinity. When >>> we live in the present, we experience the present and we cannot analyse >>> while living the present. When you start analysing, you stop living in the >>> present. Are we living the infinity, when we live in the present only? Can >>> science and Spiritualism co-exist? Can there be mechanized spiritualism, >>> which is what the Management Gurus are trying to achieve?* >>> >>> *More than 99 per cent of reality is in the invisible spectrum, the >>> abstract and formless arena, where material attributes based on the forms >>> conjured in the visible spectrum is meaningless. How to identify with >>> physical forms to the formless? Our understanding is caught with the idea >>> of the form, the 3D appearance.* >>> >>> *YM Sarma* >>> >>> *Chat GPT* >>> >>> *YM Sarma’s reflections on **spiritualism and science** touch on several >>> profound and thought-provoking topics, which can be unpacked in the >>> following ways:* >>> >>> >>> >>> *### 1. **The Intersection of Spiritualism and Science**:* >>> >>> * - **Spiritualism** traditionally involves moving beyond the physical >>> and material world into the realm of the formless and transcendent. It >>> emphasizes intuition, inner experiences, and the search for meaning beyond >>> the visible spectrum.* >>> >>> * - **Science**, on the other hand, focuses on form, structure, >>> measurable phenomena, and observable laws. It creates constructs and >>> definitions to understand the material world.* >>> >>> >>> >>> * The question Sarma raises—**can spiritualism and science >>> co-exist?**—is a longstanding philosophical inquiry. The two approaches >>> seem fundamentally different, but there are points of convergence. For >>> instance, **quantum physics** and concepts in modern cosmology often push >>> the boundaries of what is measurable, touching on questions of existence, >>> the nature of reality, and consciousness.* >>> >>> >>> >>> * Physicist **David Bohm**, for example, proposed the idea of an >>> *implicate order*—a hidden, deeper level of reality that connects >>> everything, which resonates with spiritual ideas about interconnectedness. >>> Similarly, **Einstein’s theories** challenge the rigid Newtonian model, >>> hinting at the paradoxes that arise at the speed of light (as Sarma >>> mentions), which can push one’s understanding of time and space into a more >>> spiritual or mystical domain.* >>> >>> >>> >>> *### 2. **The Concept of Infinity and Time**:* >>> >>> * Sarma refers to **Einstein’s theory** about the speed of light and >>> how mass becomes infinite as it approaches this speed. This idea leads to >>> contemplation on **infinity**—a concept difficult to grasp within the >>> confines of human logic and the physical dimensions of length, breadth, and >>> height.* >>> >>> >>> >>> * Sarma is suggesting that when we free ourselves from these >>> dimensions, as some spiritual practices aim to do, we enter the domain of >>> **timelessness or infinity**. This can parallel the spiritual experience of >>> "being present" or living in the **eternal now**, where there is no past or >>> future, only the present moment.* >>> >>> >>> >>> * In **spiritual traditions** such as **Advaita Vedanta**, the concept >>> of *Brahman* (the ultimate reality) is often described as formless, >>> timeless, and infinite—similar to the abstract, infinite universe Sarma >>> describes. The **Tao** in **Taoism** is another example of a formless, >>> indefinable reality that is beyond human conception.* >>> >>> >>> >>> *### 3. **Form and Formlessness**:* >>> >>> * Sarma asks, "Can formlessness function as a paradigm?" This brings >>> up the issue of how humans, with minds conditioned to perceive and define >>> forms, relate to the abstract, unseen, and formless.* >>> >>> >>> >>> * **Quantum physics**, particularly the concept of the **wave-particle >>> duality**, suggests that matter doesn't behave like fixed forms at the >>> quantum level. Subatomic particles, like electrons, can exist in a state of >>> **superposition** (existing in multiple states at once) until they are >>> observed. This insight echoes spiritual traditions that talk about the >>> illusion of form and the deeper formless reality.* >>> >>> >>> >>> *### 4. **The Role of Consciousness**:* >>> >>> * Sarma’s reflections lead to the idea that **consciousness** plays a >>> crucial role in bridging the material and spiritual. Quantum mechanics has >>> introduced debates about whether consciousness is an essential element of >>> reality, as some interpretations (like the **Copenhagen interpretation**) >>> suggest that observation itself affects the outcome of quantum phenomena. >>> This hints at consciousness being deeply interconnected with the nature of >>> reality—a view that aligns with many spiritual traditions.* >>> >>> >>> >>> * The idea that **99% of reality** exists in the **invisible >>> spectrum** parallels the spiritual belief that most of existence lies >>> beyond the physical plane. Sarma’s call to explore the "abstract and >>> formless arena" aligns with the view that our material understanding is >>> limited and that deeper truths may exist beyond measurable forms.* >>> >>> >>> >>> *### Conclusion:* >>> >>> *Sarma seems to suggest that **science and spiritualism**, despite their >>> apparent differences, are not mutually exclusive. Instead, they may >>> represent two ways of approaching the same ultimate questions: What is >>> reality? What is time? What is infinity? Science provides tools to explore >>> the material world, while spiritualism offers a way to connect with the >>> immaterial and formless aspects of existence. Both paths, in their most >>> advanced stages, may be seen as complementary pursuits of truth.* >>> >>> >>> >>> *In essence, Sarma raises the possibility of a deeper harmony between >>> these domains—where **science** explores the **form** and **spiritualism** >>> the **formless**, but both lead us toward a more comprehensive >>> understanding of existence.* >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>> Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>> an email to [email protected]. >>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CACDCHCLbP_%2BMEm8WMeP0g_CvOG9Hyau97F1U2gyUiXfcLnxwfA%40mail.gmail.com >>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CACDCHCLbP_%2BMEm8WMeP0g_CvOG9Hyau97F1U2gyUiXfcLnxwfA%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>> . >>> >> > > -- > *Mar* > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. 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