Sacred Art, Sacred Knowledge
A collection of quotes & excerpts from Islamic Scholars
Plus, my own comments & experiences relating to this topic and my creative process
"Gorgon's Mask" from the project Crystalline Paradise
click on image to enlarge
Introduction
This webpage, though not an official chapter of "An Imaginary Book" is nonetheless an important part of my creative process associated with "the book." Below you will find my collection of excerpted writings by several important Islamic scholars on the theme Sacred Art, Sacred Knowledge. As you will see, my interests have focused especially on the Prophetic, Qur'anic and Sufic aspects of Islam. The material is organized in five sections:
Definitions of Words and Concepts
Books extensively excerpted
Writings by Steven D. Foster
Recommended booksProject titles & links for "An Imaginary Book"
Sacred Art, Sacred Knowledge is a "work in progress"; as I continue to read new materials I will be adding to the present collection.
Steven D Foster
Last revision: July, 2013.
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Definitions
Words & Concepts
Sacred click here
Symbol click here
Veil click here
Creative Imagination & Active Imagination click here
Silence & Symbol click here
Beauty click here
Nature click here
Modes of Being click here
The Visionary Recital click here
Arabesque (Islamic Art) click here
Icon & Idol click here
Aniconism & Abstract Imagery click here
The Tree of Life click here
The Point of Origin
The Void
The Cross
The Recurrence of Creation click here
The Divine Breath & The Cloud of Ibn 'Arabi click here
The Light and Colors of Sufism click here
The Midnight Sun click here
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Books extensively excerpted
click on the blue hyperlinks below the titles
to open and read the text selections
Books extensively excerpted
click on the blue hyperlinks below the titles
to open and read the text selections
Sacred Art in East and West 1958/1967/2001
Titus Burckhardt:
Click here
Language of the Self 1959
Frithjof Schuon (1907-1998)
Knowledge and the Sacred 1981/1989
Seyyed Hossein Nasr
click here
Cosmology and Architecture in Premodern Islam
Titus Burckhardt:
Click here
Art from the Sacred to the Profane ~ East and West 2007
Frithjof Schuon (1907-1998)
Frithjof Schuon (1907-1998)
Seyyed Hossein Nasr
click here
Cosmology and Architecture in Premodern Islam
Samer Akkach
click here
Symbolism, the Sacred, the Arts
A collection of essays by Mircea Eliade, ed. by Diane Apostolos-Cappadona
click hereThomas Cheetham : Henry Corbin click here
The World Turned Inside Out: Henry Corbin and Islamic Mysticism 2003 (first book in a series of 4)
All the World an Icon: Henry Corbin and the Angelic Function of Beings 2012 (book #4 in a series of 4)
Henry Corbin : Avicenna and the Visionary Recital: click here
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Writings
by Steven D. Foster
Writings
by Steven D. Foster
The Symbolic Photograph : A Means to Self-Knowledge
Steven D. Foster, MFA Written Thesis, 1972
click here
Selected Writings, Remembrances a collection of personal essays
Steven D. Foster
click here
About Steven D. Foster
After traveling to Turkey in the spring of 2011 Steven Foster spent the next two years making Four-fold Symmetrical Photographs inspired by the traditional wisdom and the sacred art of Islam. He has created a series of 9 core projects inspired by his experiences and his studies: for a brief introductory overview of the entire series, with sample images and linked titles to each of the online projects, please visit: "An Imaginary Book": The Complete Collection of Projects. To learn more about Steven Foster, and for contact information visit: Steven D Foster.
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Recommended Books
Seyyed Hossein Nasr: Islamic Art and Spirituality 1987
Seyyed Hossein Nasr: Man and Nature The Spiritual Crisis of Modern Man 1997
Seyyed Hossein Nasr: Sufi Essays 1971/99
Seyyed Hossein Nasr: The Garden of Truth The Vision and Promise of Sufism 2007
Keith Critchlow: Islamic Patterns An Analytical and Cosmological Approach 1999/76
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Recommended Books
Martin Lings: Splendors of Qur'an Calligraphy and Illumination
Martin Lings: Symbol & Archetpe
Martin Lings: What is Sufism?
Martin Lings: A Sufi Saint of the Twentieth Century
Titus Burckhardt: Art of Islam - Language and Meaning 1976/2009
Titus Burckhardt: Sacred Art in East and West 1958/1967/2001
Titus Burckhardt: Morrish Culture In Spain 1970/72/99
Martin Lings: Symbol & Archetpe
Martin Lings: What is Sufism?
Martin Lings: A Sufi Saint of the Twentieth Century
Titus Burckhardt: Art of Islam - Language and Meaning 1976/2009
Titus Burckhardt: Sacred Art in East and West 1958/1967/2001
Titus Burckhardt: Morrish Culture In Spain 1970/72/99
Frithjof Schuon: Art from the Sacred to the Profane ~ East and West 2007
Frithjof Schuon: Language of the Self 1959
Frithjof Schuon: Art from the Sacred to the Profane - East and West 2007
Rene Guenon: The Symbolism of the Cross 1931/2001
Seyyed Hossein Nasr: Knowledge and the Sacred 1981/1989
Frithjof Schuon: Art from the Sacred to the Profane - East and West 2007
Rene Guenon: The Symbolism of the Cross 1931/2001
Seyyed Hossein Nasr: Knowledge and the Sacred 1981/1989
Seyyed Hossein Nasr: Islamic Art and Spirituality 1987
Seyyed Hossein Nasr: Man and Nature The Spiritual Crisis of Modern Man 1997
Seyyed Hossein Nasr: Sufi Essays 1971/99
Seyyed Hossein Nasr: The Garden of Truth The Vision and Promise of Sufism 2007
Keith Critchlow: Islamic Patterns An Analytical and Cosmological Approach 1999/76
Samer Akkach: Cosmology and Architecture in Premodern Islam An Architectural
Reading of Mystical Ideas 2005 I highly recommend this book, which is available for
free online (click here).
Laleh Bakhtiar: Sufi Expressions of the Mystic Quest 1976
Laleh Bakhtiar: The Sense of Unity The Sufi Tradition in Persion Architecture
Emma Clark: The Art of the Islamic Garden 2004/10
Annemarie Schimmel: Mystical Dimensions of Islam 1975
Reading of Mystical Ideas 2005 I highly recommend this book, which is available for
free online (click here).
Laleh Bakhtiar: Sufi Expressions of the Mystic Quest 1976
Laleh Bakhtiar: The Sense of Unity The Sufi Tradition in Persion Architecture
Emma Clark: The Art of the Islamic Garden 2004/10
Annemarie Schimmel: Mystical Dimensions of Islam 1975
Tom Cheetham: The World Turned Inside Out: Henry Corbin and Islamic
Mysticism 2003 (book#1 in a series of 4)
Thomas Cheetham: All the World an Icon: Henry Corbin and the Angelic Function of
Beings 2012 (book #4 in a series of 4)
Henry Corbin: The Man of Light in Iranian Sufism
Henry Corbin: Alone with the Alone Creative Imagination in the Sufism of Ibn 'Arabi
Henry Corbin: Avicenna and the Visionary Recital
Henry Corbin: Spiritual Body, Celestial Earth
Tom Cheetham: Green Man Earth Angel The Prophetic Tradition and the Battle of
the Soul for the World 2004
Tom Cheetham: After Prophesy Imagination, Incarnation ..... 2007
Thomas Cheetham: All the World an Icon: Henry Corbin and the Angelic Function of
Beings 2012 (book #4 in a series of 4)
Henry Corbin: The Man of Light in Iranian Sufism
Henry Corbin: Alone with the Alone Creative Imagination in the Sufism of Ibn 'Arabi
Henry Corbin: Avicenna and the Visionary Recital
Henry Corbin: Spiritual Body, Celestial Earth
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Ettinghausen, Grabar, Jenkins-Mdina: Islamic Art and Archeticture 650-1250
S. Sahin: The Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts: Thirteen Centuries of Glory 2009
Mircea Eliade: Symbolism, the Sacred, the Arts A collection of essays
S. Sahin: The Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts: Thirteen Centuries of Glory 2009
Mircea Eliade: Symbolism, the Sacred, the Arts A collection of essays
Edited by Diane Apostolos-Cappadona 1985
Art, Creativity, and the Sacred, edited by Diane Apostolos-Cappadona 1985
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Project titles, online chapter links for
"An Imaginary Book"
"An Imaginary Book"
Ta'wil : Unveiling the "Hidden Treasure"
The Light of Creation
The Green Light of Sufi Travel
Epilogue: Personal Stories, Encounters with the Sacred
The Light of Creation
The Green Light of Sufi Travel
Epilogue: Personal Stories, Encounters with the Sacred
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This link includes one selected image and a brief introduction to each of the projects listed above
.
