Visualizing Belief and Piety in Iranian Shiism

Description

The representation of prophets and saints in Islam is erroneously considered nonexistent by many scholars of Islam, Muslims, and the general public. The issue is often dealt with superficially without attention to its deep roots in piety and religiosity. Visualizing Belief and Piety in Iranian Shiism offers new understanding of Islamic iconography and Muslim perspectives on the use of imageries in ritual contexts and devotional life. Combining iconographic and ethnographic approaches, Ingvild Flaskerud introduces and analyzes imageries (tile-paintings, posters and wall-hangings), ritual contexts and interviews with male and female local viewers to discuss the representation, reception and function of imageries in contemporary Iranian Shia environments. This book presents the argument that images and decorative programmes have stimulating qualities to mentally evoke the saints in the minds of devotees and inspire their recollection, transforming emotions and stimulating cultic behaviours. Visualization and seeing are significant to the dissemination of religious knowledge, the understanding of spiritual and ethical values, the promotion of personal piety, and functions as modes of venerating God and the saints. Cover Contents List of figures Preface Introduction Visual culture in contemporary Iranian Shiism Interpretive communities and the meaning of visual signs The text in the image On the chapters I. The portrait of Imam Ali Introduction 1. The emergence of a prototypical model and its survival A new prototypical model and its iconography Alternative iconographic designs The power of the order of Imam Ali Popular religious devotion The new genre of Karbala narrative painting Concluding remarks 2. Imam Ali in Shia memory 3. The iconography of Imam Ali and its reception The character in the face Appearance through paraphernalia and attributes Reconciling Imam Ali in contemporary portraiture Local representations of Imam Ali in imaginary portraiture Concluding remarks II. The battle at Karbala Introduction Visual narratives and interpretive strategies 4. The battle at Karbala in Shia memory and piety 5. Visual Karbala narratives in Shia piety 6. The parcham wall hanging The battle at Karbala Karbala Portraiture Concluding remarks 7. The representation and reception of Karbala in colour posters Ali Akbar Abu al-Fazl al-Abbas Ali Asghar Imam Husayn The aftermath of the battle at Karbala Concluding remarks III. Images and decorative designs in ritual space Introduction 8. The image as a votive gift The image in the transactional process Iconographic and textual characteristisc in Iranian Shiism Votive images in contexts of ritual performance The relationship between the vow and the gift The image as an adequate vehicle for invoking favour and giving thanks Concluding remarks 9. Images in the liturgy and commemoration and celebration The visual setting of Muharram Commemorating the battle at Karbala Visualization and the liturgy of Muharram commemoration The visual setting of Mowludi Celebrating Mowludi Visualization and the liturgy of celebration Concluding remarks 10. Decorative programmes across gendered ritual space 11. Transposing iconography Concluding remarks Conclusion: Visualizing and seeing in the service of Islam Notes References Index