The term ''hilya'' (
Arabic
Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
, plural: ''ḥilan'', ''ḥulan''; tr, hilye, plural: ) denotes both a visual form in
Ottoman art and a religious genre of
Ottoman Turkish literature, each dealing with the
physical description of Muhammad. Hilya literally means "ornament".
They originate with the discipline of ''shama'il'', the study of Muhammad's appearance and character, based on
hadith
Ḥadīth ( or ; ar, حديث, , , , , , , literally "talk" or "discourse") or Athar ( ar, أثر, , literally "remnant"/"effect") refers to what the majority of Muslims believe to be a record of the words, actions, and the silent approva ...
accounts, most notably
Tirmidhi
Abū ʿĪsā Muḥammad ibn ʿĪsā as-Sulamī aḍ-Ḍarīr al-Būghī at-Tirmidhī ( ar, أبو عيسى محمد بن عيسى السلمي الضرير البوغي الترمذي; fa, , ''Termezī''; 824 – 9 October 892 CE / 209 - 2 ...
's ''al-Shama'il al-Muhamadiyyah wa al-Khasa'il al-Mustafawiyyah'' ("The Sublime Characteristics of Muhammad").
In Ottoman-era
folk Islam
In religious studies and folkloristics, folk religion, popular religion, traditional religion or vernacular religion comprises various forms and expressions of religion that are distinct from the official doctrines and practices of organized rel ...
, there was a belief that reading and possessing Muhammad's description protects the person from trouble in this world and the next, it became customary to carry such descriptions, rendered in fine
calligraphy and
illuminated
Illuminated may refer to:
* "Illuminated" (song), by Hurts
* Illuminated Film Company, a British animation house
* ''Illuminated'', alternative title of Black Sheep (Nat & Alex Wolff album)
* Illuminated manuscript
See also
* Illuminate (disambi ...
, as
amulets.
In 17th-century
Ottoman Turkey
Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
, ''hilyes'' developed into an art form with a standard layout, often framed and used as a wall decoration.
![Hilye Yesarizade Mustafa Izzet Efendi](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/Hilye_Yesarizade_Mustafa_Izzet_Efendi.JPG)
Later ''hilyes'' were also written for the
first four Caliphs, the
companions of Muhammad
Companion may refer to:
Relationships Currently
* Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance
* A domestic partner, akin to a spouse
* Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach
* Companion (caregiving), a caregive ...
, Muhammad's grandchildren (
Hasan and
Hussein
Hussein, Hussain, Hossein, Hossain, Huseyn, Husayn, Husein or Husain (; ar, حُسَيْن ), coming from the triconsonantal root Ḥ-S-i-N ( ar, ح س ی ن, link=no), is an Arabic name which is the diminutive of Hassan, meaning "good", " ...
) and Islamic saints (
wali
A wali (''wali'' ar, وَلِيّ, '; plural , '), the Arabic word which has been variously translated "master", "authority", "custodian", "protector", is most commonly used by Muslims to indicate an Islamic saint, otherwise referred to by the ...
s).
Origins in hadith
''Hilye'', both as the literary genre and as the graphic art form, originates from ''shama'il'', the study of Muhammad's appearance and character. The best source on this subject is considered to be Imam
Tirmidhi
Abū ʿĪsā Muḥammad ibn ʿĪsā as-Sulamī aḍ-Ḍarīr al-Būghī at-Tirmidhī ( ar, أبو عيسى محمد بن عيسى السلمي الضرير البوغي الترمذي; fa, , ''Termezī''; 824 – 9 October 892 CE / 209 - 2 ...
's ''al-Shama'il al-Muhamadiyyah wa al-Khasa'il al-Mustafawiyyah'' ("The Sublime Characteristics of Muhammad"). The acceptance and influence of this work has led to the use of the term ''"shama'il"'' (appearance) to mean Muhammad's fine morals and unique physical beauty. As they contained hadiths describing Muhammad's spirit and physique, ''shama-il'' have been the source of ''hilye''. The best known and accepted of these hadith are attributed to his son-in-law and cousin
Ali
ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam ...
.
The sources of ''hilye'' have been the six main hadith books along with other hadith sources, attributed to people such as
Aisha,
`Abd Allah ibn `Abbas
ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbbās ( ar, عَبْد ٱللَّٰه ٱبْن عَبَّاس; c. 619 – 687 CE), also known as Ibn ʿAbbās, was one of the cousins of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He is considered to be the greatest mufassir of the Qur'a ...
,
Abu Hurairah,
Hasan ibn Ali
Hasan ibn Ali ( ar, الحسن بن علي, translit=Al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī; ) was a prominent early Islamic figure. He was the eldest son of Ali and Fatima and a grandson of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. He briefly ruled as caliph from Jan ...
. While ''shama'il'' lists the physical and spiritual characteristics of Muhammad in detail, in ''hilye'' these are written about in a literary style.
Among other descriptive ''Shama'il'' text are the ''Dala'il al-Nubuwwah'' of
Al-Bayhaqi, ''Tarih-i Isfahan'' of Abu Naeem Isfahani, ''Al-Wafa bi Fadha'il al-Mustafa'' of
Abu'l-Faraj ibn al-Jawzi and ''Al-Shifa'' of
Qadi Ayyad
ʿIyāḍ ibn Mūsā (1083–1149) ( ar, القاضي عياض بن موسى, formally Abū al-Faḍl ʿIyāḍ ibn Mūsā ibn ʿIyāḍ ibn ʿAmr ibn Mūsā ibn ʿIyāḍ ibn Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Mūsā ibn ʿIyāḍ al-Yaḥṣubī ...
are the main shemaa-il and hilya books.
Literary genre
Although many ''hilyes'' exist in Turkish literature, Persian literature does not have many examples of the ''shama'il'' and ''hilye'' genre. Abu Naeem Isfahani wrote a work titled ''Hilyetü'l-Evliya'', but it is not about Muhammad. For this reason, the ''hilye'' is considered one of Turkey's national literary genres.
Turkish literature has also some early works that may have inspired the appearance of the ''hilye'' as a literary genre. The ''Vesiletü'n-necat'' of
Süleyman Çelebi
Süleyman Çelebi (also Emir Süleyman; d. 17 February 1411) was an Ottoman prince () and a co-ruler of the Ottoman Empire for several years during the Ottoman Interregnum. There is a tradition of western origin, according to which Suleiman th ...
(1351–1422
:fr:Suleyman Çelebi (de Bursa)), and the ''Muhammeddiye'' of
Yazıcıoğlu Mehmed, referred to Muhammad's characteristics.
A 255-verse long ''Risale-i Resul'' about the attributes of Muhammad, written by a writer with the penname of Şerifi, was presented to
Şehzade Bayezid
Şehzade Bayezid ( ota, شهزاده بايزيد; 1525 – 25 September 1561) was an Ottoman prince as the son of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and Hurrem Sultan. After the execution of Şehzade Mustafa (who had been the heir apparent to t ...
, one of the sons of
Suleiman the Magnificent
Suleiman I ( ota, سليمان اول, Süleyman-ı Evvel; tr, I. Süleyman; 6 November 14946 September 1566), commonly known as Suleiman the Magnificent in the West and Suleiman the Lawgiver ( ota, قانونى سلطان سليمان, Ḳ ...
, at an unknown date that was presumably before the Shahzade's death in 1562.
This is believed to be the earliest ''hilye'' in verse form in Turkish literature.
However, the ''Hilye-i Şerif'' by
Mehmet Hakani (d. 1606–07) is considered the finest example of the genre (see section below).
[
] The first ''hilye'' written in prose form is ''Hilye-i Celile ve Şemail-i 'Aliye'' by
Hoca Sadeddin Efendi
Hoca Sadeddin Efendi ( ota, خواجه سعد الدین افندی; 1536/1537 – October 2, 1599İsmail Hâmi Danişmend, ''Osmanlı Devlet Erkânı'', Türkiye Yayınevi, İstanbul, 1971, p. 118. ) was an Ottoman scholar, official, and histo ...
.
Although the ''hilye'' tradition started with descriptions of Muhammad, later ''hilyes'' were written about the
first four Caliphs, the
companions of Muhammad
Companion may refer to:
Relationships Currently
* Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance
* A domestic partner, akin to a spouse
* Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach
* Companion (caregiving), a caregive ...
, Muhammad's grandchildren (
Hasan and
Hussein
Hussein, Hussain, Hossein, Hossain, Huseyn, Husayn, Husein or Husain (; ar, حُسَيْن ), coming from the triconsonantal root Ḥ-S-i-N ( ar, ح س ی ن, link=no), is an Arabic name which is the diminutive of Hassan, meaning "good", " ...
) and Islamic saints (''
wali
A wali (''wali'' ar, وَلِيّ, '; plural , '), the Arabic word which has been variously translated "master", "authority", "custodian", "protector", is most commonly used by Muslims to indicate an Islamic saint, otherwise referred to by the ...
s'') such as
Mevlana
Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmī ( fa, جلالالدین محمد رومی), also known as Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Balkhī (), Mevlânâ/Mawlānā ( fa, مولانا, lit= our master) and Mevlevî/Mawlawī ( fa, مولوی, lit= my ma ...
.
The second most important ''hilye'', after Hakani's, is considered to be Cevri İbrahim Çelebi's ''hilye'', ''Hilye-i Çihar-Yar-ı Güzin'' (1630), about the physical appearance of the first four caliphs.
Another important ''hilye'' writer is
Neşâtî Ahmed Dede (d. 1674), whose 184-verse long poem is about the physical characteristics of
14 prophets and
Adam.
Other notable ''hilyes'' are Dursunzâde Bakayi's ''Hilye'tûl-Enbiya ve Çeyar-ı Güzîn'' (hilye of the prophet and his four caliphs), Nahifi's (d. 1738) prose ''hilye'' ''Nüzhet-ûl-Ahyar fi Tercüment-iş-Şemîl-i'' and Arif Süleyman Bey's (1761) ''Nazire-î Hakânî''.
''Hilyes'' can be written as standalone prose or poems (often in the
masnavi form). They can also be part of two other forms of Turkish Islamic literature, a Mevlid (account of Muhammad's life) or a ''Mir'aj-name'' (accounts of Muhammad's
Night Journey
The Israʾ and Miʿraj ( ar, الإسراء والمعراج, ') are the two parts of a Night Journey that, according to Islam, the Islamic prophet Muhammad (570–632) took during a single night around the year 621 (1 BH – 0 BH). With ...
).
Art form
![Khalili Collection Islamic Art mss 0759](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Khalili_Collection_Islamic_Art_mss_0759.jpg)
While writers developed ''hilye'' as a literary genre, calligraphers and illuminators developed it into a decorative art form. Because of their supposed protective effect, a practice developed in Ottoman Turkey of the 17th century of carrying Muhammad's description on one's person.
Similarly, because of the belief that a house with a ''hilye'' will not see poverty, trouble, fear or the devil,
such texts came to be displayed prominently in a house. The term of hilye was used for the art form for presenting these texts.
Thus, the ''hilye'', as a vehicle for Muhammad's presence after his death, was believed to have a
talisman
A talisman is any object ascribed with religious or magical powers intended to protect, heal, or harm individuals for whom they are made. Talismans are often portable objects carried on someone in a variety of ways, but can also be installed perm ...
ic effect, capable of protecting a house, a child, a traveller, or a person in difficulty.
In addition, the purpose of the ''hilye'' is to help visualize Muhammad as a mediator between the sacred and human worlds, to connect with him by using the viewing of the ''hilye'' as an opportunity to send a traditional blessing upon him, and to establish an intimacy with him.
The pocket ''hilyes'' were written on a piece of paper, small enough to fit in a breast pocket after being folded in three. The folding lines were reinforced with cloth or leather. Other pocket ''hilyes'' were made of wood. ''Hilyes'' to be displayed on a wall were prepared on paper mounted on wooden panels, although in the 19th century, thick paper sheets became another medium. The top part of ''hilyes'' that were laid on wooded panels were carved and cut out in the form of a crown. The crown part would be richly illuminated and miniatures of Medina, the tomb of Muhammad or the Kabaa would be placed there, together or separately.
Ottoman Turks have commissioned scribes to write ''hilyes'' in fine calligraphy and had them decorated with illuminators. Serving as a textual portraits of the prophets, ''hilye'' panels have decorated homes for centuries. These calligraphic panels were often framed and came to be used as wall decorations in houses, mosque
A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, ...
s and shrines, fulfilling an equivalent role to that played by images of Jesus in the Christian tradition. As symbolic art, they provided an aesthetically pleasing reminder of Muhammad's presence without involving the type of "graven image" unacceptable to most Muslims' sensitivities. Although not common, some ''hilyes'' show the influence of Orthodox Christian icon-making because they are made like triptych
A triptych ( ; from the Greek adjective ''τρίπτυχον'' "''triptukhon''" ("three-fold"), from ''tri'', i.e., "three" and ''ptysso'', i.e., "to fold" or ''ptyx'', i.e., "fold") is a work of art (usually a panel painting) that is divided ...
s with foldable side panels.
The first recorded instance of Hilye-i Sherif panels is generally believed to have been prepared by the notable scribe Hâfiz Osman (1642–1698). He was one of earliest scribes known to make such works, although it has been suggested that another famous scribe, Ahmed Karahisarî (1468–1556), may have created one ''hilye'' panel about a century before. Hafız Osman was known to have experimented with pocket ''hilyes'' in his youth, one of these dates from 1668. Its text was written in very small '' naskh'' script and has dimensions of 22x14 cm. It consisted of a description of Mohammad in Arabic, and below that its Turkish translation, written in diagonal, to create a triangular block of text.
A characteristic feature of the texts shown at the centre of ''hilyes'' is their praise for the beauty of Muhammad's physical appearance and character. While containing a verbal description of what Muhammad looked like, a ''hilye'' leaves picturing Muhammad's appearance to the reader's imagination, in line with the mainly aniconic nature of Islamic art.
Standard layout
The standard layout for the Ottoman ''hilye'' panel is generally attributed to Hâfiz Osman. This layout is generally considered to be the best and has come to be the classical form. It contains the following elements:[
]
*The ''baş makam'' ("head station"), a top panel containing a ''bismallah
The ''Basmala'' ( ar, بَسْمَلَة, ; also known by its incipit ; , "In the name of Allah"), or Tasmiyyah (Arabic: ), is the titular name of the Islamic phrase "In the name of God in Islam, God, Rahman (Islamic term), the Most Graciou ...
'' or blessing
*The ''göbek'' ("belly"), a round shape containing the first part of the main text in ''naskh'' script.[ It often contains the description of Muhammad by ]Ali
ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib ( ar, عَلِيّ بْن أَبِي طَالِب; 600 – 661 CE) was the last of four Rightly Guided Caliphs to rule Islam (r. 656 – 661) immediately after the death of Muhammad, and he was the first Shia Imam ...
(according to Tirmidhi
Abū ʿĪsā Muḥammad ibn ʿĪsā as-Sulamī aḍ-Ḍarīr al-Būghī at-Tirmidhī ( ar, أبو عيسى محمد بن عيسى السلمي الضرير البوغي الترمذي; fa, , ''Termezī''; 824 – 9 October 892 CE / 209 - 2 ...
), with minor variations(see quote in the Origins
Origin(s) or The Origin may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Comics and manga
* ''Origin'' (comics), a Wolverine comic book mini-series published by Marvel Comics in 2002
* ''The Origin'' (Buffy comic), a 1999 ''Buffy the Vampire Sl ...
section above).
*The ''hilâl'' ("crescent
A crescent shape (, ) is a symbol or emblem used to represent the lunar phase in the first quarter (the "sickle moon"), or by extension a symbol representing the Moon itself.
In Hinduism, Lord Shiva is often shown wearing a crescent moon on his ...
"), an optional section with no text, which is often gilded. A crescent encircling the ''göbek'', with its thick middle part at the bottom. Together, the ''göbek'' and ''hilal'' also evoke the image of the sun and the moon.[
*The ''kösheler'' ("corners"), usually four rounded compartments surrounding the ''göbek'', typically containing the names of the four '' Rashidun'' or "rightly-guided" ]Caliph
A caliphate or khilāfah ( ar, خِلَافَة, ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with the title of caliph (; ar, خَلِيفَة , ), a person considered a political-religious successor to th ...
s according to Sunnis, or in some cases other titles of Muhammad, names of his companions, or some of the names of Allah.[
*The ''ayet'' or ''kuşak'' ("verse" or "belt") section below the ''göbek'' and crescent, containing a verse from the ]Quran
The Quran (, ; Standard Arabic: , Quranic Arabic: , , 'the recitation'), also romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a revelation from God. It is organized in 114 chapters (pl.: , s ...
, usually ("And We oddid not send you uhammadexcept to be a mercy to the universe"), or sometimes ("Truly, you uhammadare of a tremendous nature") or ("And God is significant witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God").[
*The ''etek'' ("skirt" or lower part) containing the conclusion of the text begun in the ''göbek'', a short prayer, and the signature of the artist. If the main text fits completely in the ''göbek'', the ''etek'' may be absent.]
*The ''koltuklar'' ("empty spaces"), two alleys or side panels on either side of the ''etek'' that typically contain ornamentation – sometimes illuminated – but no text, although occasionally the names of some of the ten companions of Muhammad are found there.[
*The ''iç'' and ''dış pervaz'' ("inner and outer frame"), an ornamental border in correct proportion to the text.]
The remainder of the space is taken up with decorative Ottoman illumination
Turkish or Ottoman illumination covers non-figurative painted or drawn decorative art in books or on sheets in ''muraqqa'' or albums, as opposed to the figurative images of the Ottoman miniature. In Turkish it is called “tezhip”, meaning ...
, of the type usual for the period, often with a border framing the whole in a contrasting design to the main central field that is the background of the text sections. The "verse" and "corners" normally use a larger ''thuluth
''Thuluth'' ( ar, ثُلُث, ' or ar, خَطُّ الثُّلُثِ, '; fa, ثلث, ''Sols''; Turkish: ''Sülüs'', from ' "one-third") is a script variety of Islamic calligraphy. The straight angular forms of Kufic were replaced in the new s ...
'' script, while the "head" section with the ''bismallah'' is written in ''muhaqqaq
Muhaqqaq is one of the main six types of calligraphic script in Arabic.John F. A. Sawyer, J. M. Y. Simpson, R. E. Asher (eds.), ''Concise Encyclopedia of Language and Religion'', Elsevier, New York 2001, , p. 253. The Arabic word ''muḥaqqaq'' () ...
''.[
] Unlike the literary genre of ''hilye'', the text on calligraphic ''hilyes'' is generally in prose form.
The names in Turkish of the central structural elements of the ''hilye'' are, from top to bottom, ''başmakam'' (head station), ''göbek'' (belly), ''kuşak'' (belt) and ''etek'' (skirt). This anthropomorphic naming makes it clear that the ''hilye'' represents a human body, whose purpose is "to recall semantically the Prophet's presence via a graphic construct". It has been suggested that Hafiz Osman's ''hilye'' design might have been inspired by the celebrated Hilye-i Şerif, which in turn was based on the possibly spurious hadith according to which Muhammad has said "... Whoever sees my hilye after me is as though he has seen me... ". If so, a ''hilye'' might have been meant to be ''not read'' but seen and contemplated, because it is really an image made of plain text.
The standard Hilye-i Şerif composition has been followed by calligraphers since its creation in the late 17th century. Some examples from the 19th century and two made by Hafiz Osman can be seen below.
Hilye by Hafiz Osman from Sadberk Hanim Museum.jpg, Hilye by Hafiz Osman Efendi (1642–1698)
Hilye-i serif 5.jpg, Hilye by Hafiz Osman Efendi (1642–1698)
Hilye-i serif 7.jpg, Hilye by Mehmed Tahir Efendi (d. 1848)
Hilye-i serif 4.jpg, Hilye (1848) by Kazasker Mustafa İzzet Efendi (d. 1876).
Hilye Niyazi Efendi 1853.JPG, Hilye (c. 1853) by Niyazi Efendi (d. 1882)
However, deviations from the standard model do occur and many innovative designs have been produced as well.
Signed Abdülkadir Şükri Efendi - Hilye-i Şerif (written portrait of the Prophet) - Google Art Project.jpg, Hilye (19th century). Circling around the name of Muhammad, is a five-fold repetition of the phrase, "''Inna Allah ala kull shay qadir''," meaning "For God hath power over all things."
File:Khalili Collection Hajj and Arts of Pilgrimage cal-0441.jpg, Hilye combined with blocks of text in the form of famous Relics of Muhammad
Traditionally, Islam has had a rich history of the veneration of relics, especially of those attributed to the Islamic prophet Muhammad.Goldziher, I. and Boer, Tj. de, “At̲h̲ar”, in: ''Encyclopaedia of Islam, Second Edition'', Edited by: ...
. 19th century, Ottoman Turkey. Black-and-white reproduction.
Hilye in free form (18th century), by Esma Ibret Hanim.jpg, Hilye in free form (18th century).
Hilye-i Şerif. Unknown, circa 1725 (SHM 15501).jpg, Hilye in free form (18th century).
Rose Hilye.jpg, Hilye in the shape of a pink rose (18th century).
Popularity of the graphic form
There are several reasons given for the popularity of graphic ''hilyes''. Islam prohibits the depiction of graphic representations of people that may lead to idols. For this reason, Islamic art developed in the forms of calligraphy, miniatures and other non-figurative arts. In miniatures, Muhammad's face was either veiled or blanked. Because of the prohibition on drawing the face of Muhammad, the need to represent Muhammad was satisfied by writing his name and characteristics.
Many authors have commented that another reason is the affection that Muslims feel for Muhammad, which leads them to read about his physical and moral beauty. The (apocryphal) hadith that those who memorize his ''hilye'' and keep it close to their heart will see Muhammad in their dreams would have been another reason. Muslim people's love for Muhammad is considered to be one of the reasons for the display of ''hilye'' panels at a prominent place in their homes (see Graphic art form section below).
Hakani has said in his poem that a house with a ''hilye'' will be protected from trouble. Another motivation would have been the hadith given by Hakani in the Hilye-i Şerif, which states that those who read and memorize Muhammad's ''hilye'' will attain great rewards in this and the other world, will see Muhammad in their dreams, will be protected from many disasters, and will receive Muhammad's esteem.
In the "sebeb-i te'lîf" ve "hâtime" section of the ''hilye'', the writer gives the reasons to write the ''hilye''. Hakani wrote that his reason was to be worthy of Muhammad's holy intercession (''shefaat'') on doomsday and to receive a prayer from willing readers. Other ''hilye'' writers express, usually at the end of the ''hilye'', their desire to be commended to the esteem of Muhammad, the other prophets, or the four caliphs. One ''hilye'' writer, Hakim, wrote that he wishes that people will remember Muhammad as they look at his ''hilye''.
Hakani's Hilye-i Şerif has been an object of affection to many Turkish people. His poem has been copied on paper as well as on wooden panels by many calligraphers and has been read with the accompaniment of music in Mawlid ceremonies.
Non-Ottoman forms
As an art form, ''hilye'' has mostly been restricted to Ottoman lands. A small number of instances of ''hilye'' panels were made in Iran, and they reflect a Shiite adaptation of the form: there is a Persian translation below the Arabic text and the names of the Twelve Imams
The Twelve Imams ( ar, ٱلْأَئِمَّة ٱلْٱثْنَا عَشَر, '; fa, دوازده امام, ') are the spiritual and political successors to the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Twelver branch of Islam, including that of the Al ...
are listed. In the 19th century, some Iranian ''hilyes'' combined the traditional ''hilye'' format with the Iranian tradition of pictorial representation of Muhammad and Ali.
There are contemporary exponents of the art outside this region, such as the Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
i calligrapher Rasheed Butt and the American calligrapher Mohamed Zakariya.
Traditions
In Turkey, giving a ''hilye'' panel as a marriage gift for the happiness of the union and safety of the home has been a tradition that is disappearing. Covering such panels with sheer curtains was part of the religious folklore in Istanbul households.
Since Osman's time, every Turkish calligrapher has been expected to produce at least one ''hilye'', using the three ''muhaqqaq'', ''thuluth'' and ''naskh'' scripts.[ It is a common tradition for masters of calligraphy to obtain their diploma of competency (''icazetname'') after completing a ''hilye'' panel as their final assignment.]
The art of ''hilye'' flourishes in Turkey. Contemporary artists continue to create ''hilyes'' in the classical form as well as to innovate. Modern ''hilyes'' maintain the essence of a ''hilye'', even while the appearance of the elements of the ''hilye'' is customized or calligraphy is used to create abstract or figurative works. Contemporary ''hilyes'' are exhibited in major exhibitions in Turkey as well as outside the country.
Theological opinion
According to the Süleymaniye Vakfı, a Salafi influenced religious foundation in Turkey that publishes religious opinions ( fatwa), ''hilye'' panels are works of art, but hanging them in the home has no religious value. That is, they provide no merit to those who hang them or carry them on their persons, and those who do not possess them have no deficit.
A key hilye in poetry: Hilye-i Şerif
'' Hilye-i Şerif'' ("The Noble Description", 1598–1599) by Mehmet Hakani, consisting of 712 verses, lists Muhammad's features as reported by Ali (see quotation in the Origins
Origin(s) or The Origin may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Comics and manga
* ''Origin'' (comics), a Wolverine comic book mini-series published by Marvel Comics in 2002
* ''The Origin'' (Buffy comic), a 1999 ''Buffy the Vampire Sl ...
section above), then comments on each of them in 12-20 verses. Although some have found it to be of not great poetic merit, it was popular due to its subject matter. The poem is significant for having established the genre of ''hilye''. Later ''hilye'' writers such as Cevri, Nesati and Nafihi have praised Hakani and stated that they were following in his footsteps. The poem contains several themes detailed below that underscore the importance of reading and writing about the attributes of Muhammad.
In his ''hilye'', Hakani mentions the following hadith, which he attributes to Ali: A short time before Muhammad's death, when his crying daughter Fatima said to him: "Ya Rasul-Allah, I will not be able to see your face any more!" Muhammad commanded, "Ya Ali, write down my appearance, for seeing my qualities is like seeing myself." The origin of this hadith is not known. Although probably apocryphal, it has had a fundamental effect on the development of the ''hilye'' genre. This hadith has been repeated by most other ''hilye'' writers.
Hakani states another hadith, also attributed to Ali. This hadith of unknown origin is said to have been in circulation since the 9th century but is not found in the reliable hadith collections. Repeated in other ''hilyes'' after Hakani's, this hadith has been influential in the establishment of the genre.:
copy on author's website
Hakani's ''hilye'' includes a story about a poor man coming to the Abbasid
The Abbasid Caliphate ( or ; ar, الْخِلَافَةُ الْعَبَّاسِيَّة, ') was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abdul-Muttalib ...
Caliph
A caliphate or khilāfah ( ar, خِلَافَة, ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with the title of caliph (; ar, خَلِيفَة , ), a person considered a political-religious successor to th ...
Harun al-Rashid
Abu Ja'far Harun ibn Muhammad al-Mahdi ( ar
, أبو جعفر هارون ابن محمد المهدي) or Harun ibn al-Mahdi (; or 766 – 24 March 809), famously known as Harun al-Rashid ( ar, هَارُون الرَشِيد, translit=Hārūn ...
and presenting him a piece of paper on which Muhammad's ''hilye'' is written. Al-Rashid is so delighted to see this that he regales the dervish and rewards him with sacs of jewelry. At night, he sees Muhammad in his dream. Muhammad says to him "you received and honored this poor man, so I will make you happy. God gave me the good news that whoever looks at my ''hilye'' and gets delight from it, presses it to his chest and protects it like his life, will be protected from hellfires on Doomsday; he will not suffer in this world nor in the other. You will be worthy of the sight of my face, and even more, of my holy lights."
It has become customary for other ''hilye'' authors that followed Hakani to mention in the introduction of their ''hilye'' (called ''havas-i hilye'') the hadith that seeing Muhammad in one's dream is the same as seeing him. The Harun Al-Rashid story has also been mentioned frequently by other authors as well. These elements from Hakani's ''hilye'' have established the belief that reading and writing ''hilyes'' protects the person from all trouble, in this world as well as the next.
References
Further reading
Behiery, Valerie, "Hilya", in Muhammad in History, Thought, and Culture: An Encyclopedia of the Prophet of God (2 vols.), Edited by C. Fitzpatrick and A. Walker, Santa Barbara, ABC-CLIO, 2014, Vol I, pp. 258–263.
External links
"The Hilya, or the Adornment of the Prophet – A Calligraphic Icon"
by Carl W. Ernst and Rasheed Butt
"The Hilye of the Prophet Muhammad"
by Mohamed Zakariya
"Hilye-i Şerife"
by Faruk Taşkale
Slideshow
of ''hilyes'' on YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
Many examples of ''hilye'' panels
at th
Foundation for the Classical Turkish Arts
Calligraphic representations of the Prophet Muhammad
(Shick, I.C.)
{{Authority control
Islamic arts of the book
Turkish art
Islamic calligraphy
Cultural depictions of Muhammad
Islamic terminology