Allah and Kalima Art | La ilaha illAllah
Inspired by the power of Shahadah and the significance of Maghreb
"Allah" & Shahadah "la ilaha illallah muhammadur rasulullah"
Set of two prints of an Islamic painting by Saleha
Calligraphy:
1. "Allah" in Modern Calligraphy
2. Shahadah: La ilaha illallah Muhammadur Rasulullah "There is no deity but Allah; Prophet Muhammad PBUH is His messenger."
The Story: Shahadah
Musa AS had a fascinating relationship as he spoke directly to Allah SWT. One day, he asked for a Dua—one that was special for him to remember Allah.
Allah SWT responded with “La ilaha illallah." Musa AS was hoping he’d have a unique Dua, and then He swt explained, “Did you know even if the 7 heavens and everything on the earth were placed on a scale, that lah would be heavier”. Part of the meaning of the Kalima is that there is no other genuine love. The simplest yet most powerful Dhikr is La ilaha illallah. Notice when you say it, your lips don’t move? Allah has made it so easy to recite it at the time of death with minimal effort.
The squares represent humans. Some are prominent, and some are fading away. That’s the reality of this world. People will come and go from our lives, but Allah is a constant. Loneliness can be the scariest experience but know that the only one we really need is Allah. To taste the sweetness of this relationship, we must make an effort to become closer. The best way to know Allah is by studying the meanings behind his 99 names-- see them in the background?
The list of manners soaking away symbolizes how we've been neglecting our religion's basics- our character. “Invite people to Islam without words,” they asked: how? He replied, “with your manners”- Umar ibn al Khattab RA. Nothing will be heavier on the scale for a believer on the day of resurrection than good manners.
The Story: Maghreb
This painting is inspired by Surah Al’Asr “The Declining Day.” When Allah swt says, “I swear by the time,” the word He swt used for the time comes from Easir, translating to juice in Arabic. Picture liquid pouring out when you squeeze a fruit or vegetable.
Asr actually means that time is dripping away. Notice how the time between Asr and Maghreb goes by so fast? Once Asr hits, we know we’re at the tail end of the day. Similarly, Allah swt is warning us that we are losing time.
The glistening light represents life, and the darkness surrounding it symbolized death. We are in the Asr of our life. We have little time to figure out how not to be a failure. The first condition to save ourselves is to recognize that we don’t have time. For a believer, that means to turn to ALLAH, seek his forgiveness and engage in ibadah—do what brings you closer to Allah, salah, dhikr, charity, beautify your character.
The pouring effect represents the idea that the day is running out of time—it’s dripping away. The crescent symbolizes a night that is surrounded by crashing clouds. Leaves symbolize life and growth, but when they’ve fallen and darkened, they remind us that “to him, we belong, to Him we shall return.”