Permanent exhibit
A Painted Mughal Scene on Ivory Depicting a royal parade with elephants, horses, and flags. A large white castle stands in the background. India 13th c. AH/19thc. AD Blue and White Painted Mihrab Tiles Decorated with inscriptions of Qur’anic verses in thuluth script. Turkey- Kotahia 13thc. AH/19th c. AD A …
Continue ReadingMiniature Paintings
Miniature art is one of the traditional arts in Islamic countries. Miniatures are small artistic pictures that clarify literary, scientific, social or other content that occupied manuscripts in the Middle Ages. Miniatures are considered as documentary images of life, environment, traditions, beliefs, rituals, historical events, architecture, uniforms and arts. In …
Continue ReadingManuscript illumination and Gilding
Manuscript illumination and gilding are among the forms of ‘books art’ that flourished in the Islamic arts, whereby sultans and kings were patrons of calligraphers and illustrators. Specialized workshops and academies were built to practice and teach this craft, filling the decorative arts arena with expert artisans. This played a …
Continue ReadingQur’anic Illumination
Some artists decorated the entire Qur’an, while others only decorated certain pages, such as the first pages and Surat al-Baqarah, al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq and al-Nas. They were careful to beautify the beginning and ending of the Qur’an to represent that within the covers was a manifestation of beauty and majesty, Flowers, …
Continue ReadingAswat – Belonging to Arab and Muslim Culture Through Voices and Music
There are some special people in this world who have phenomenal impact far greater than what is usual for one lifetime. Their drive, passion and success are all divine gifts of a Most Generous God. Nabila Mango, who co-founded and operates Zawaya, an organization formed to give the Arab-American community …
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Darzah – Bringing Palestinian embroidery to modern day life
How I found this gem is a story of how one good thing leads to another. In a recent blog post, I spoke with Afshan Khan about her and her sister, Drakshan’s heartwarming work with women in the Multan region of Pakistan. They do gorgeous embroidery under the brand name …
Continue ReadingNumi Tea- When Excellence and Community Matter
There are some businesses in this world that show us that anything can go way beyond the literal impact of their product, if done with the excellence of Ihsan. It’s a profound joy for me to discover them and bring them to you. Numi Tea is one such venture. Created …
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Middle East Children’s Alliance – In Solidarity with Palestine
Some non-profit organizations just buoy the spirit with how their intention and process is so authentic and true to what a non – profit ought to be. It’s my utmost pleasure to introduce the gem Middle East Children’s Association (MECA) and it’s Executive Director, Zeiad Shamrouch. A gem within a …
Continue ReadingFrom Palestine
Embroidery Palestinian cross-stitch embroidery (tatriz in Arabic) is a beautiful example of Palestinian handicraft. Historically, this work was typically produced by village and Bedouin women in a wide variety of styles. It is a rich artistic tradition of ancient origins, characterized by elaborate patterns and vibrant colors through which Palestinian …
Continue ReadingMECA Projects
Education for Syrian Refugees MECA’s partners in Lebanon have established classes for children who have fled the violence in Syria and who are not able to enroll in local schools. Music Comes to Gaza Schools MECA is supporting a music program in Gaza schools for 100 children from refugee camps. …
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