1 00:00:10,349 --> 00:00:42,100 From its roots in the Arabian Peninsula, the Islamic religion has spread around the world, transforming human civilization, inspiring art, intellect, and invention. 2 00:00:45,789 --> 00:00:55,710 Through its unique blend of social, spiritual, and intellectual guidance, Islam is today one of the great cultural forces on earth. 3 00:00:55,710 --> 00:01:10,560 The rapid spread of Islam is one of the most extraordinary events in human history. 4 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:17,920 In just 100 years, the new religion was carried from the Arabian Peninsula to Central Asia in the east 5 00:01:17,920 --> 00:01:21,900 and to the Atlantic coast of Africa and Spain in the west. 6 00:01:40,620 --> 00:01:46,180 Throughout its history, Islam has reached across cultural, political and geographic boundaries 7 00:01:46,180 --> 00:01:49,560 to create a coherent artistic heritage. 8 00:01:49,560 --> 00:02:01,980 The heartland of the Islamic world have been pivots of transcontinental trade and cultural exchange. 9 00:02:06,939 --> 00:02:12,180 Islamic artists and scholars have found themselves truly at the center of the world. 10 00:02:16,930 --> 00:02:24,949 Today, the truth and power of Islam reaches into the souls of more than a billion believers around the world. 11 00:02:43,650 --> 00:02:46,750 The written word is at the very heart of Islam. 12 00:02:46,750 --> 00:02:50,969 The Quran has inspired works of astonishing beauty. 13 00:02:51,169 --> 00:02:57,650 and the skill of the calligrapher has become one of the highest and most refined of art forms. 14 00:03:02,789 --> 00:03:07,870 As Islam spread around the world, Arabic replaced ancient Greek and Latin 15 00:03:07,870 --> 00:03:13,789 to become the language of religion, government, commerce, science and literature. 16 00:03:18,560 --> 00:03:26,159 Calligraphers, poets and painters all enjoyed special status alongside scientists and scholars. 17 00:03:30,270 --> 00:03:36,009 Over the centuries, they all worked together to create a range of exquisite books and manuscripts 18 00:03:36,009 --> 00:03:41,069 which reflects the status of scholarship and the written word in Islam. 19 00:04:04,689 --> 00:04:11,090 Throughout Islamic art, the use of color, decoration, pattern, and design is highly distinct. 20 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:25,139 Complex geometric or arabesque patterns create the impression of unending repetition, 21 00:04:25,860 --> 00:04:27,740 summoning a sense of the infinite. 22 00:04:41,730 --> 00:04:44,649 Similar styles, range across the centuries, 23 00:04:45,069 --> 00:04:49,230 used to decorate everything from the largest monumental building 24 00:04:49,230 --> 00:04:52,629 to the smallest of everyday objects. 25 00:05:04,189 --> 00:05:06,449 Islamic rulers lived in great luxury, 26 00:05:06,990 --> 00:05:11,290 commissioning superbly crafted goods to show their status and power. 27 00:05:14,850 --> 00:05:19,149 Sumptuous textiles created an earthly paradise in their homes. 28 00:05:19,389 --> 00:05:25,660 From the finest gauzes to the thickest knotted carpets 29 00:05:25,660 --> 00:05:30,660 with rich colors, complex patterns, and precious metal threads. 30 00:05:50,259 --> 00:05:56,160 Glass and ceramics have also developed instantly recognizable Islamic styles, 31 00:05:56,779 --> 00:05:59,839 reflecting the delicate skills of craftsmen. 32 00:06:03,199 --> 00:06:06,980 Islamic artisans led technological and artistic advances 33 00:06:06,980 --> 00:06:09,939 in glassmaking and ceramic techniques. 34 00:06:23,060 --> 00:06:27,279 The copper souk, which is still a fixture of the Islamic bazaar, 35 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:32,220 is a testament to the durability and adaptability of metalwares. 36 00:06:40,189 --> 00:06:44,769 A fondness for elaborate decoration remains a dominant characteristic. 37 00:06:46,829 --> 00:06:49,769 Recurring motifs can be found decorating everything 38 00:06:49,769 --> 00:06:54,410 from the smallest coins to the most complex ceramic tilework. 39 00:07:26,899 --> 00:07:29,740 The distinctive skyline of an Islamic city, 40 00:07:30,319 --> 00:07:32,480 punctuated by domes and minarets, 41 00:07:32,980 --> 00:07:35,540 instantly identifies the presence of Islam 42 00:07:35,540 --> 00:07:54,470 to all who see it perhaps the greatest of all Islamic arts is architecture the 43 00:07:54,470 --> 00:08:00,250 mosque above all buildings is the center of all Islamic communities regional 44 00:08:00,250 --> 00:08:05,750 styles and variations abound but the central principles are the same from the 45 00:08:05,750 --> 00:08:18,009 Umayyad mosque in Damascus to the Jama'a Masjid in Delhi mosques all over the 46 00:08:18,009 --> 00:08:28,019 world share a similar simple design of a central courtyard surrounded by columned porches. 47 00:08:28,019 --> 00:08:34,360 Within the United Arab Emirates, examples range from Sharjah's al-Qasaba and al-Makfara 48 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:48,320 mosques to the tiny mosque at Badia, which is the oldest in the country. The rulers of 49 00:08:48,320 --> 00:08:55,080 Islam's huge empires accumulated vast wealth and commissioned great palaces to demonstrate 50 00:08:55,080 --> 00:09:09,480 their power and authority. Palaces such as Alhambra in Granada and the Topkapi in Istanbul 51 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:15,440 were built to house tens of thousands of soldiers, servants, eunuchs and officials. 52 00:09:20,070 --> 00:09:25,590 Great empires also fostered trade and the development of the bazaar, which remain at 53 00:09:25,590 --> 00:09:35,870 the very heart of the Islamic city. An extensive network of spectacular caravanserai, roads 54 00:09:35,870 --> 00:09:47,309 and bridges were constructed to ease the flow of people and goods. 55 00:09:47,309 --> 00:09:53,070 Commemorative buildings were also important, such as the great Taj Mahal in Agra, created 56 00:09:53,070 --> 00:09:58,690 by the Mughal emperors who were an Islamic superpower and eloquently demonstrated this 57 00:09:58,690 --> 00:10:31,929 through their incredible architecture. 58 00:10:31,929 --> 00:10:39,639 The beauty of Islamic art and architecture transcends time and space. 59 00:10:39,639 --> 00:10:45,340 It reaches across the boundaries of language and culture. 60 00:10:45,340 --> 00:10:52,480 At its very heart are a set of common beliefs, ideas and aesthetics which give it a remarkable 61 00:10:52,480 --> 00:11:07,769 coherence. 62 00:11:07,769 --> 00:11:15,669 The collection in this museum demonstrates the breadth and depth of this tradition, from 63 00:11:15,669 --> 00:11:24,039 the harsh beauty of the art of warfare to the delicate intricacy of textiles, ceramics 64 00:11:24,039 --> 00:11:27,539 and glass. 65 00:11:27,539 --> 00:11:34,299 Through all these objects, the unique qualities of Islam find a powerful expression.