Surveying and Criticizing the Viewpoint of Traditionalists on Islamic Art

Traditionalists maintain that Islamic art possesses unity and coherence, incorporating diverse—and at times contradictory—elements from other civilizations, yet retains a distinct and unified identity. Islamic art not only originates from the artist's genius, personal capabilities, and technical skill—which manifest differently across various peoples—but also springs from the artist's mystical, metaphysical knowledge and spirit. The creation of an artwork by the traditional artist, particularly in its most exalted form, namely sacred art, constitutes a manifestation of the truths of wisdom (ḥikmah) and mystical knowledge (ma'rifah).
In this article, aside from acknowledging the intellectual coherence and systematic strengths of Traditionalist thought in the religious and artistic domains, we have identified and compiled seven instances of inconsistencies and contradictions in their views on Islamic art—many of which are foundational in nature. They have, of course, attempted to respond to some of these objections. This article endeavors to present a collection of critiques, along with their responses where available, and to offer a final assessment.