Ask Ali: The use of creatures in art is mostly forbidden

Dear Ali: I love art, but I heard that it's not allowed to draw animals or humans in Arabic culture, and that photography is also not allowed. Is this true? HU, Monaco

Dear HU: Art is appreciated in all religions and cultures, but what is and isn't allowed varies. In the Arab or Muslim world, we appreciate art, otherwise we wouldn't have such beautiful mosques. Even prayer mats and carpets are designed with flowers, trees and geometric shapes. But drawing creatures that could have a soul is considered forbidden, because it means you're imitating God's ability in creation, which goes against the value of worshipping God. There are a lot of exceptions, so it depends on the intention of the drawing.

Some may ask why we have portraits of the UAE’s leaders in offices and homes. It’s all about intention and how you use these images. The leaders’ pictures are mainly used as a point of pride, honour and recognition of our loyalty and respect. It’s a form of appreciation.

In Islam and Arab culture, art is appreciated, but perhaps it’s a different form from what others are used to. The key components of Islamic art are Arabic calligraphy and abstract ornamentation in which each ornament has a unique meaning, created in unifying harmony and symmetry, which also requires good maths skills. All of this usually takes the artist a lot of time and effort to reach perfection.

You can learn more about Islamic art by visiting museums such as the Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization.

Dear Ali: I'm attracted to Emirati culture, and was surprised to find many similarities with Indian culture. Why do some elements of Emirati culture have things in common with other cultures, including non-Islamic countries? NJ, India

Dear NJ: The majority of Emirati traditions were formed a long time ago. Some traditions were based on environment and lifestyle, while others were borrowed from neighbouring countries that people visited for trade or work. With the spread of Islam, most of the customs were adjusted to match the teachings of the religion.

The availability and variety of products in neighbouring lands gave us the opportunity to have similar fabrics, food, perfume and household materials. People also borrowed elements of culture and even language.

However, in the Emirates, implementation of foreign traditions wasn’t total. First, it was filtered through religious values, then social codes. For example, our national dress might look the same as other Gulf countries, but it’s different in many details.

You can also see similarities with Emirati culture in some more-distant lands. In New Zealand, men also rub noses when they meet; in some European countries, women cover their hair before leaving their houses when heading to church.

Historically, men from the GCC often travelled to India, and built a tight relationship with Indian culture. This is one of the reasons why many people who speak Arabic and know about Islamic culture have also been influenced by Indian culture. One example is the word seeda, which means “straight”. When using a taxi or giving directions, you say “seeda” to indicate straight ahead, but this word isn’t Arabic at all. The correct word is “ela elamaam”, but seeda has become part of daily speech.

Ali Al Saloom is a cultural adviser and public speaker from the UAE. Follow @AskAli on Twitter, and visit www.ask-ali.com to ask him a question.