Art is one of the most prominent manifestations of human culture and civilization, which has always cast a shadow on human life, and its various effects have appeared in every land and civilization. By studying works of art and their manifestations, art historians have presented a clear picture of human civilization and culture in ancient lands. Meanwhile, Islamic art emerged as a part of human culture and civilization in Islamic societies and lands, and was not necessarily popularized by Muslims. Islamic art is one of the most glorious eras in the history of art and one of the most valuable human achievements in the field of art, and includes various types of arts, such as architecture, calligraphy, painting, ceramics, metal, etc. As a result, it has attracted a significant portion of the opinions, interests, and perspectives of art history researchers. Today, despite the existence of various valuable works remaining in the lands of the Islamic world, both in the past and present, the need for extensive research and study in order to better understand deep concepts, preserve and disseminate them, and establish connections with other sciences and arts in the world today is more necessary than ever. Currently, most works of art, especially in the field of handicrafts, are kept by orientalists, world travelers, and art collectors from Islamic lands abroad and in European and American museums and collections. The collection of these works has attracted many enthusiasts from other religions and lands, and for more than half a century, extensive research and studies have been conducted by research centers and thinkers in the Western world on the works, especially Iranian works of art. The need for special study and research into works of Islamic art has been felt by Iranian researchers for about a decade, and the expansion of concepts, perspectives, and ideas hidden in the works has become more credible and important than ever before. In this regard, by proposing some fundamental and essential issues regarding the concepts used in works of art of the Islamic era, they can be examined and classified based on the variety of thematic divisions, execution methods, and materials and tools used.
This thematic classification includes central, investigative, synthesis, and content-based studies and research on: The art of book layout and Quranic manuscripts and literary and religious illustrations; the decorations and structural and fundamental compositions of Islamic buildings and architecture; the decorations and execution methods of traditional and handmade works of art such as pottery, tiles, carpets and textiles, metal, glass, etc.; and the study of the juridical, philosophical, religious, social, and cultural foundations of all works of Islamic art. The translation of this research text, written in the section on Islamic art and translated by Injanab, is presented to all researchers in the field of Islamic art who are interested in studying and researching in the field of Islamic art. Regarding the proofreading, editing, and preparation of the translated text, I would like to express my gratitude to all the friends and individuals who helped me prepare this research text in the form of a book and make it available to my friends and fellow artists. I hope its contents will be useful and can be referenced and studied by artists.
