Symbol of divine light : the lamp in islamic culture and other traditions

Symbol of Divine Light surveys the history of the mosque lamp, describing the numerous variants made in different historical periods and containing more than 200 stunning color and b/w illustrations. The deep significance of light and the lamp in Islamic culture and other traditions--Jewish, Christian, Zoroastrian, Hindu, and Buddhist--is also explored, with reference made to the writings of authors belonging to the "Traditionalist school," notably Frithjof Schuon, René Guénon, Titus Burckhardt, and Martin Lings. The book presents a detailed exploration of the famous Koranic Verse of Light and the symbolism of its constituent elements: light, the niche, the lamp, glass, oil, and the tree. Parallels are also drawn with other traditions, indicating a universal symbolism. Symbol of Divine Light concludes that the most important function of the mosque lamp was as a symbolic reminder of the Verse of Light, as demonstrated by examples that were virtually non-functional as lighting devices and also the extensive use of the mosque lamp as a decorative motif in Islamic architecture. The book aims to give the reader an opportunity to contemplate the meaning of the mosque lamp as a symbol of Divine Light.

• Preface p. vii
• I Symbolism of Light and the Lamp
• 1 The Verse of Light p. 3
• Koranic Exegesis p. 5
• 2 Symbolism p. 7
• Light p. 8
• Light in the Islamic Doctrines of Creation p. 10
• Muhammad as the Embodiment of Light p. 12
• Light and the Mystery of the Veils p. 14
• The Symbolism of Light in the Judeo-Christian Traditions p. 16
• The Symbolism of Light in Other Religious Traditions p. 22
• Niche p. 23
• The Cave p. 23
• The Mihrab p. 26
• The Prayer Niche and the Virgin Mary p. 27
• Etymology of the World Mishkah p. 29
• Lamp p. 30
• The Oil Lamp in Religions around the World p. 31
• Glass p. 39
• Oil p. 40
• Olive Oil for Food p. 41
• Olive Oil for Anointing p. 41
• Olive Oil for Lamps p. 42
• The Symbolism of Oil p. 44
• Tree p. 45
• 3 Commentaries on the Verse of Light p. 49
• Al-Ghazali p. 50
• Mulla Sadra p. 52
• Dara Shikuh p. 52
• Shaykh Mahmud Shabistari p. 54
• Safi 'Ali Shah Ni 'Matullahi p. 55
• Abu Bakr Siraj al-Din p. 56
• Frithjof Schuon p. 57
• Other Interpretations p. 59
• 4 The Verse of Light in Isalmic Art and Architecture p. 63
• II History of the Lamp
• 5 The Historical Context p. 71
• References in the Early Islamic Traditions p. 74
• 6 Historical Development of the Mosque Lamp p. 77
• Development Of The Glass Lamp p. 77
• Early Glass Lamps p. 77
• Mamluk Glass p. 78
• Ottoman Glass p. 80
• Rock Crystal Lamps p. 81
• Development Of The Metalwork Lamp p. 83
• Fragment of Earliest Islamic Lamps p. 83
• Tenth-Century Lamp in David Collection p. 84
• Great Lamp of al-Mu'izz p. 84
• Lamp from Umayyad Mosque, Damascus p. 85
• Lamp from Konya p. 87
• Lamp from Dome of the Rock p. 89
• Mamluk Lamps p. 89
• Post-Mamluk Islamic Metalwork p. 93
• A Contemporary Design based on Traditional Examples p. 95
• Larger, More Complex Types Of Chandelier p. 96
• Lamp from Mosque of the Alhambra p. 96
• Diverse Lamp Types p. 96
• Regional Variations p. 100
• Later Lamp Types p. 101
• Opaque "Lamps" p. 103
• Development Of The Ceramic Lamp p. 103
• Hanging ornaments p. 105
• The Form of Iznik Mosque Lamps p. 107
• 7 How Would Early Mosque Lamps Have Looked? p. 109
• 8 The Mosque Lamp in the Contemporary Context p. 117
• 9 The Mosque Lamp Motif in Islamic Art and Architecture p. 121
• 10 Conclusion p. 149
• Notes p. 151
• List of Illustrations p. 167
• Bibliography p. 175
• Biographical Note p. 180
• Index p. 181