The Qur'an is Not Art

Author: Joan M. O'Neill

"The Qur'an is not art - or so says tradition. In this paper, I will examine the premises that gave rise to this idea and what they say about the adorning of the Qur'an. I will also look at the people - artists, really - who tried to elevate the Book through their ministrations. I will also look at what these crafts might instead be when pursued in relation to the Qur'an: much the same way the Qur'an is a peculiar kind of book, a new territory seems to have been cleared for its ornate manifestations."