Islam is one of the oldest established religions in the country. Filipino Muslims was once a dominant group in the Philippines. Most of the population is concentrated in the Mindanao region.
Islam is primary to what influences their daily lives, and that influence transcends also in their arts.
Islamic Art
Characterized by abstraction of actual object or human form
To address their belief that any figural representation is a distraction to worship
Mosque structure
Composed of minarets, domes, and prayer halls
Minarets are tall, slender spires with a hemisphere crown, generally twice as high as the dome
Dome is large and usually covers the entire prayer hall
Prayer hall (musalla)
A room with big space where Muslims gather to pray, without chairs, pews, or any other furniture to accommodate as many people as possible
Kiblah wall
Positioned on the direction of the Kaaba in Mecca, indicating the direction to face when praying
Has a semicircular niche called mihrab at the center, where the imam conducts prayers
Mihrab
A special room where the imam, the worship leader, conducts prayers
The kiblah and mihrab are the most decorated part of a mosque, using nonfigurative designs, repetitive patterns, and geometric shapes, in bright and distinct colors, and sometimes with calligraphy designs.
Famous mosques in the Philippines
Grand Mosque in Cotabato
Pink Mosque in Maguindanao
Golden Mosque in Manila
Okir (Maranao) or Ukkil (Tausug)
A traditional Filipino art form used in mosque architecture, using geometric and curvilinear patterns and stylized representation of folk motifs like flowers and animal forms
Okir addresses the tawhid belief of Islam that rejects direct copying of images of nature, although the motifs are derived from nature, their elaborate composition makes them not a direct copy.
Popular Okir motifs
Sarimanok (a legendary bird of the Maranao people)
Naga (a form of dragon or snake)
Batik
A design technique using wax-resist dyeing on fabric, originated from Indonesia and widely used by Muslim communities in Mindanao
Batik process
1. Artist draws design on fabric using wax to prevent dye from penetrating the cloth
2. Waxing and dyeing is repeated until desired patterns and colors are achieved
Batik uses geometric and curvilinear patterns that are arranged in an abstract manner, addressing the tawhid Islam principle. Human or animal images are rare motifs, but it usually showcases floral prints.
