Self- Expression and Islam

[rayray]

How can people express themselves fully or explore their creativity, in Islam when there seems to be only very specific things that are allowed. i.e in music, I heard that rap music is haram? I also heard that it is not allowed to write love letters to the opposite sex. Not to mention prohibitions regarding taking pictures, painting/ drawing objects and regulations regarding what sort of clothes to wear.... Islam seems to enclose its followers to certain emotions they should/ could only feel. I don't know


*Sorry if I have offended anyone by posting this. Pardon my ignorance.

 

[rayray]

That was a well put reply However I do not know why I'm still not satisfied ... If I were Muslim I'd be a disobedient little sinner... Perhaps that's why I'm not? hehe. Anyway...

Muslims could indeed express themselves and be creative, as exemplified by those compositions and techniques you have said. However I think they as humans are not able to express or explore themselves fully, or explore the extent of their creative prowess because making works of art that pertain for example to romance, the beauty of the human body, or animals, topics that are natural for humans to be curious of are prohibited?

How would they be able to fully know themselves?

With regards to music, and clothing, I think in general if people have a good idea of themselves, or have good internal control, external sources, which could cause them to sin shouldn't be a problem?


I don't know...

 

[al-fajr]

Hi,

That was a well put reply However I do not know why I'm still not satisfied ... If I were Muslim I'd be a disobedient little sinner... Perhaps that's why I'm not? hehe. Anyway...

Muslims could indeed express themselves and be creative, as exemplified by those compositions and techniques you have said. However I think they as humans are not able to express or explore themselves fully, or explore the extent of their creative prowess because making works of art that pertain for example to romance, the beauty of the human body, or animals, topics that are natural for humans to be curious of are prohibited?

How would they be able to fully know themselves?

With regards to music, and clothing, I think in general if people have a good idea of themselves, or have good internal control, external sources, which could cause them to sin shouldn't be a problem?

Do you believe in a Creator?

I don't know...

Glad you said it before I did.

 

[rayray]

Do you believe in a Creator?



lol! ofcourse I do

 

[RandyJackson]

Welcome sister! I was a Christian too, and my thorough research on the ideal life and its laws led me to Islam. When Jesus Christ came about, he taught Islam. But it wasn't labeled "Islam." It was labeled "Religion." Realistically speaking, pure Christianity and pure revelations of Moses and Abraham is actually Islam.

I came from a "Christian" family, yet my mother cheated on my father, and that led them to split, and my siblings and I had to the carry the humiliation. Does that sound like a Christian family? But they're still convinced that they are, because Jesus "forgave" them .........?????????

That was my ex-Christian mentality: I can cheat on my spouse, and it'll be alright once I apologize to Jesus Christ.

But I CANNOT and WILL NOT live like that. Islam teaches me that I am free to cheat, but there are consequences. God may forgive me if I am truly sincere, but He takes my spouse's emotions into consideration. Because God is very Just.

So how can I even dare cheat on my wife now, knowing that I'm doomed if she doesn't forgive me? It forces the temptation out of me.

And, to me, Islam is the true religion. Christianity had no consequences; you can steal, kill, rape. And once you apologize, you are forgiven. And you don't need to worry about the person you robbed, murdered or raped. Because once you are forgiven, you're forgiven. And no one considers the victims.


Islam does. Thats all I can tell you. I hope you'll do your research and see the truth.

 

[krackpot]

well said brothers RANDYJACKSON and AYMAN1. I SHALL LEARN FROM YOU
you sure can leave GEORJE W BUSH speechless


Jazakallaho khairan

 

[a_stranger]

Dear Rayray :

The first thing Islam does: is teaches humans how to built faith and good relation with their creator, Islam teaches us how created us and why? make our hearts shine with his love and gratitude .....how to win happiness in this life and after life . Islam teaches us that we should do all that is good and reject evil and seek Jann(eternal happiness ) ........It is an inner purifying revolution against all kinds of evil and falsehood ........If you start your way things will be brighter step by step ......first you should purify your heart with sincere faith in the one who created all and His prophets, angels and books...........with best wishes

 

[rightpath_357]

OMA!!!!!!!
There are SUCH good replys here!!!!!I'm impressed!!!!!!

pulled the words right out of my mouth- or rather my keyboard :lol:

But I agree- sis- if you give a kid a peice of high-sugared sweet candy- he'll keep coming back for more- even if it's just a little peice to begin with. Then he'll get FAT :lol:- which means then we could be leaded into majorer sins. Hmmmmm- "majorer"- lol- not sure if that's a word- but i like it:lol:

Salam

 

[palestine]

Rayray, you've only mentioned what IS NOT ALLOWED, why not list WHAT IS ALLOWED.
marriage, jobs, drawing in animate objects, standing up against injustice, drinking non toxic drinks( juice, etc. ), giving gifts to one another once in a while, greeting your neighbor, listening to nasheeds ( islamic songs w/out music)....there's plenty, but the problem is we only look at things from one side instead of both, and we immediately judge cause our souls desire what's not best for us. but when Allah almighty set these rules, He set them for a purpose. not to punish us but to reward us for doing good and at the same time He's preserving our health and our families. because many families who engage in alcohol become dysfunctional. and writing letters to the opposite sex - do it if and only if this person is your spouse. don't give out your heart to every man whom you meet - give it only to the man whom is deserving of it and whom marries you and seriously cares about you. there's so many permissible things in Islam - but we have to dig deep to really acknowledge and recognize them. take care.
peace.
ps: we're not offended.

 

[palestine]

I express my feelings by writing, and there are so many muslim writers. sis - what you "think" and what we "are" are two different things. As an individual i could say, i express myself FULLY and not partially, and i'm not restricted from life or anything else just because we have set rules. hope that answers your question.
take care.
peace.

 

[rayray]

Sorry guys but I think it is false analogy when you liken a person exploring himself/ herself fully through art (creative expression) to "taking drugs" or "giving a kid a peice of high-sugared sweet candy". It's not the same. I'm just pertaining to forms of artistic expression such as; music, sculpture, drawing, writing, painting, and clothing.

If I want to draw or sculpt a human body, that would be haram? listening to Akon is forbidden? How about writing about the way I feel?, which would sometimes be about lust, hate, and jealousy?- things people naturally feel.

How would I be able to capture the experience I am going through if I can't use certain words or draw certain things?

I believe art is a platform that documents human emotions and struggles. Through seeing different artworks one could better understand themselves and other people. But if it is limited...?

Some people also find it therapeutic to release their emotions using these mediums also...


again, I don't know....

I respect Islam and see the wisdom in it. I'm just having a hard time with all these do's and don'ts- "what is halal" and haram"

 

[hana*]

hello rayray,

the above posts have offered excellent replies and as sis palestine said: why focus on what is not allowed in Islam when there are so many things that are allowed. anything which is forbidden in Islam is for mans best interests. if a doctor prescribes you with a medicine, he knows what is best for you and that that medicine will cure youre symptoms and give you a better quality of life. however, it is up to the patient to take the medicine- it may be foul tasting- but it is for the patients best. likewise in Islam, everything has a perfect reason and logic behind us, Allah created us and knows what is best for us and what is not.

if something like writing poems to express youre inner most feelings or listening to music or art and sculpture etc etc is stopping you from becoming a muslim then I would not let that stop you. you can continue with these things and be a Muslim- if you believe there is no God but the One True God and Muhammad peace be upon him is His final messenger then at heart you or anyone else is a Muslim.

finally, I do not in any means think that Islam is a restrictive faith: I have lived in the West all my life, with temptations left, right and centre and alhamdulilah, thanks be to God, ive never wanted to do anything that is forbidden in Islam.. why? because what Allah has offered me in Islam is far greater than what this life and all its glitter has to offer.

if islam was a restrictive faith with all the 'dos and donts' it would not be the fastest growing religion on earth, there would not me reverts/converts entering Islam in masses, especially in the West

 

[rightpath_357]

Sorry guys but I think it is false analogy when you liken a person exploring himself/ herself fully through art (creative expression) to "taking drugs" or "giving a kid a peice of high-sugared sweet candy". It's not the same. I'm just pertaining to forms of artistic expression such as; music, sculpture, drawing, writing, painting, and clothing.

If I want to draw or sculpt a human body, that would be haram? listening to Akon is forbidden? How about writing about the way I feel?, which would sometimes be about lust, hate, and jealousy?- things people naturally feel.

How would I be able to capture the experience I am going through if I can't use certain words or draw certain things?

I believe art is a platform that documents human emotions and struggles. Through seeing different artworks one could better understand themselves and other people. But if it is limited...?

Some people also find it therapeutic to release their emotions using these mediums also...


again, I don't know....

I respect Islam and see the wisdom in it. I'm just having a hard time with all these do's and don'ts- "what is halal" and haram"

lol- thats ok sis- I'm not so sure about writing or drawing- kind of :shymuslima1: hmmmmmm- i hope others can answer ur question!!!!
Salam

 

[arzafar]

an ounce of precaution is better than a pound of cure.
Islam recommends precaution.

 

[kashif_nazeer]

Salam 'alykum

I am returning to this forum after a quite a time(perhaps 1/2 an year).I saw your question and felt it had a connection shorted with me somewhere.A few months back I had suffered from psychosis(which is a reason why I kept from this site) and am still under medication.Its getting better ,nevertheless alhamdulillah.During that phase a paranoia and phobia of fear of death overtook me.My therapist told me it was because my mind had got centralised.Limited to a few things,so as to say ,only Islam and life after death and death.
So,you might be wondering why I have written my biography on this page?I apologise,still I feel its connected to me.
You see,I was in a similar phase of mind as your question is.I thought of all the limitations and restrictions.I started thinking about only a few things like death and its state ,you know dying in general.Then I so as to say "realised" it was all because of the restrictions in religion that made me think of punishment all the time,I would get and lost hope and grew pshychotic.
Next I gave myself a "vacation",to explore other face of life,you know as they say ,"live today as if there is no tommorow".I started indulging in things I would call "artistic",you know light hearted romantic poetry and things like that.The "vacation"continued for a couple of fortnights.Then I realised things are'nt improving.Everytime I indulge,the psychotic attacks are back.That was because of the guilt I felt after commiting them.Oneday I was surfing the net and this verse just came to me out of the blue "Verse 2:216
Yusuf Ali: Fighting is prescribed for you, and ye dislike it. But it is possible that ye dislike a thing which is good for you, and that ye love a thing which is bad for you. But God knoweth, and ye know not. "
I thought ,"Woah!Dude,you've been busted."You know, that was like escaping from a prison.It was not the first time I read that verse,but my state co incided with the circumstances and dang!That was what was wrong with me.All this while I have been assuming things like people had been assuming and not the way God wanted me o know,but what the society had programmed into me.It was almost then I remembered a verse I often quoted for the skeptics,*ironically*,
And they say, "There is not but our worldly life; we die and live, and nothing destroys us except time." And they have of that no knowledge; they are only assuming.(45:24)
now it was me quoting it for the skeptic in me.
You see from then on things are just opening up for me.Life has a whole new dimension to it now Alhamdulillah.Living is not just about enjoying and indulging its about living.I dont know how I can explain that living to you.Well,living it the way God wants us to.Nothing else matters.
Thanks replying to this post and sharing a part of my life just made me feel a bit light.
Ma'salamat.

 

[sal12]

Hi RayRay,

Thanks for your questions. It's great that you enjoy art, writing, fashion and music. It shows that you enjoy learning about different things. Muslims do not express themselves with any of the above however they do express themselves every single day when they walk out of the house by the way they dress, especially women. What Muslim women wear isn't the norm in a Western society so they stand out of a crowd. I'd say that's expressive.

Another way we express ourselves is how we keep away from things e.g. if we're invited for a drink at work we'll say we cannot go because of religious reasons and we'll explain why which means we are teaching others about our religion by staying away from something we don't believe in instead of conforming. Now that's expressive.

Another way is how millions of Muslims memorise the Quran as it's the only religious book that has never been amended in any way. There have been many people who have tried to amend it but haven't been able to. And if you read the translation of the Quran you'll see how expressive it is.

See, how Muslims live their life is very expressive which is why the world leaders don't like it; France and Turkey have banned hijab, America have tried to portray Muslims in a negative light and are constantly trying to do it. People have tried to write awful things about our Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, which are all fabricated by the way. All this because they are trying to suppress Islam and wish for it to dissapear but because we are so expressive, Islam aint going anywhere!

My point is, is that Islam is expressive but in a different way to what you'd imagine.

Regarding Music, now that is forbidden as it is very addictive and causes people to become distracted, e.g. during prayer a song might come in to someone's head and it's difficult for it to get out again! lol, if that makes sense! Do you know the singer Cat Stevens? Now Yusuf Islam? Well he was a very successful famous singer and loved music. He studied Islam and when he was at the peak of his career he became Muslim and quit music. This was at a time he was earning millions. So even though he was really good at it, he thought it was worthy enough to leave what he loved and knew for Islam.

Anyway I'm tired now! Bye!

 

[Ashima33]

Salaam

So............. I'm a muslim convert. I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Ceramics. I make pottery, sculpture, collages, and knit. I'm working on my master's in Teaching to become a high school art teacher. I love printmaking and figure drawing. I play the jaw harp, beat box, and soon will start guitar lessons. I love ALL music. Especially hip hop and folk. As long as lyrics are ethical i will allow it in my ears.

Some would consider all of that above haram. But what I feel about it all is that what's most important is the intention in your heart. Am I learning to play the guitar to show off? If so, then I won't learn. If I am learning to bring peaceful ambiance to my close family and friends, then I feel that's ok. I also learn a lot of these things to take part in various cultures. It helps me relate and learn. Learning things like sewing and knitting gave me a new respect for the women who have done these things for so long, even when it was downplayed as "women's work" or "craft".

I also work at an art center for adults with disabilities. If we did not have these forms of expression, I can't even imagine how these people would feel. Of course I don't condone painting a smiley face and calling it God. astugfirallah. But the arts are theraputic. Some people I work with use nonverbal communication (don't speak), drawing/painting pictures of events and such help them to communicate their feelings.

Where I feel one needs to be careful is to not let these things consume their lives. Remember the number one most important aspect is the remembrance of Allah. For some, all of these forms of expression take them away from Allah. For me, I learn so much and gain a lot of insight from them.


ok. could go on so many tangents. with this. and coffee just kicked in. so should probably stop.

 

[rayray]

I got this in the mail today. If this is not the peak of artistic, creative talent, I don't know what is Click on the thumbnail image for a larger view. Thanks to http://www.imageshack.us for free image hosting.

It is beautiful, and the artist that did that is good. But peak? I don't think so In art, I believe there is no such thing as "peak". There is always an envelope to be pushed or a subject to be explored. An artist only attempts to capture beauty, but he can only go so close. Only God "Allah" can achieve perfection.

Art is a continuum, there is no summit

Salaam!

 

[sistersalina]

Hi RayRay,

Thanks for your questions. It's great that you enjoy art, writing, fashion and music. It shows that you enjoy learning about different things. Muslims do not express themselves with any of the above however they do express themselves every single day when they walk out of the house by the way they dress, especially women. What Muslim women wear isn't the norm in a Western society so they stand out of a crowd. I'd say that's expressive.

Another way we express ourselves is how we keep away from things e.g. if we're invited for a drink at work we'll say we cannot go because of religious reasons and we'll explain why which means we are teaching others about our religion by staying away from something we don't believe in instead of conforming. Now that's expressive.

Another way is how millions of Muslims memorise the Quran as it's the only religious book that has never been amended in any way. There have been many people who have tried to amend it but haven't been able to. And if you read the translation of the Quran you'll see how expressive it is.

See, how Muslims live their life is very expressive which is why the world leaders don't like it; France and Turkey have banned hijab, America have tried to portray Muslims in a negative light and are constantly trying to do it. People have tried to write awful things about our Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, which are all fabricated by the way. All this because they are trying to suppress Islam and wish for it to dissapear but because we are so expressive, Islam aint going anywhere!

My point is, is that Islam is expressive but in a different way to what you'd imagine.

Regarding Music, now that is forbidden as it is very addictive and causes people to become distracted, e.g. during prayer a song might come in to someone's head and it's difficult for it to get out again! lol, if that makes sense! Do you know the singer Cat Stevens? Now Yusuf Islam? Well he was a very successful famous singer and loved music. He studied Islam and when he was at the peak of his career he became Muslim and quit music. This was at a time he was earning millions. So even though he was really good at it, he thought it was worthy enough to leave what he loved and knew for Islam.

Anyway I'm tired now! Bye!

WELL SAID SISTER. MASHA ALLAH! WHAT A IMPRESSIVE ANSWER!

 

[Searching_soul]

:salam2:

Amazing Replies probably the best i would say coming out of Non-scholars
I don't have anything to add but learn from your replies guys.

Jazakhallah Khairan!