The Riq 🎶

 

Turkish girl playing the riq while the nightingale sings.  Medieval Ottoman era.

Riq is the modern tambourine that originated in Arab classical music. Traditionally the riq is made with a wooden frame, fish or goat skin head, and brass or copper jingles (zills). Decorations often include intricate mosaics or mother-of-pearl inlay work. Modern versions frequently use synthetic materials like plastic or polyester instead of fish or goat skin.  It features five pairs of jingles and requires a high level of skill to play, involving intricate finger-roll techniques.

In Islamic civilization, the riq became a central and "noble" instrument in court music, serving as the rhythmic foundation for ensembles featuring instruments like the oud (ancestor of the European mandol) and qanun (or the piano of the east). Its name derives from the Arabic word رق.

The culture of riq spread to Europe via the Islamic influence in Spain during the Al-Andalus period; and also through the Ottoman influence in 17^th and 18^th centuries.  Europeans later named this musical instrument "tambour" leading to the name tambourine.

It continues to be an essential instrument in traditional classical and folk music in the Muslim world from Turkiye across North Africa, Northern Middle-East and Iran.

In the Muslim world, the riq is more than just a simple tambourine; it is an instrument that embodies centuries of rich musical tradition and cultural expression.  

Beauty of Stain Glass Architecture Originating in Islamic Persia

 

Welcome to my ai oil on canvas artwork on stain glass decorative architecture, a speciality of Islamic persia.

Stained glass, known as orosi in Persian architecture, flourished across the Timurid, Safavid, and Qajar periods as a hallmark of aesthetic refinement. 

During the Timurid era (14th–15th centuries) though stain glass was less dominant than tilework, the architectural emphasis on the grandeur of geometric precision was introduced.  Early forms of colored glass began appearing in Mosques and civic buildings, often framed within intricate lattice windows. 

The Safavid dynasty (16th–18th centuries) elevated orosi to an art form, blending it with elaborate wooden sash windows and floral motifs. These windows were designed to modulate light and temperature while casting complex reflections that enhanced the distinctive ambiance of Mosques, palaces and private homes as stain glass architectural works developed into symbols of poetic and real life beauty.  

During the Qajar period (18th–early 20th centuries), orosi reached its zenith.  Qajar artisans created vibrant compositions of colored glass set in wooden grids, often with floral and arabesque designs.  These windows adorned Mosques, mansions and royal residences, such as the Nasir al-Mulk Mosque in Shiraz (also known as the Pink Mosque) and the Dehdashti mansion in Bushehr, where light and color played across interior surfaces to evoke luminous sanctuaries of elegance and serenity.

Ottoman Caliph, Sultan Murad III and his Beloved Wife, Safiya Sultana — 1575

 

Safiye Sultana was the beloved wife of Sultan Murad III, son of Sultan Selim II and grandson of the great Ottoman Sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent (Suleiman I) and his wife Khurram Sultana. Safiya was a very powerful figure during the Sultanate of Women in the Ottoman era. 

Officially the Sultanate of Women is stated to be approximately a 130-year period (1530s-1650s) in the Ottoman Empire where mothers and wives of the Sultans wielded immense political power, influencing state affairs, foreign policy, and succession, especially when their sons succeeded their fathers were below 20.  But actually the trend of women as co-rulers with their husbands lasted within the Ottoman system for much longer than 130 years, almost till the end of the Ottoman rule early 1900s. 

This practice was introduced by Suleiman the Magnificent of Ottoman imperial women holding court, managing finances, and acting as regents, marking a significant shift from tradition to direct political engagement. 

Murad III became Caliph when he was only 18 as his father, Sultan Selim II died from an accident after 8 years in power.

Birds, Flowers and Fruits — A combination of Still Life and Wildlife Arts

 

Pansies, red berries and green grapes. Oil on Canvas.

On a mahogany table. pink snapdragons, daisies and a bird beside a stain glass lamp and its shadow.  Photography effect.

Vibrant summer contrasts, riped red respberries and warblers with blue and yellow plumage.  Oil on Canvas.

Lavender flowers, a little brown sparrow and an old lighted lantern.  Oil on Canvas.

Red squirrel and cherries. Kids' storybook pic.  Watercolor.

Scholars in Al-Andalusia (Islamic Spain) 📖📗

 

My ai art captures the scholarly atmosphere of 11th-century Al-Andalusia 🤍

Two young scholars in their traditional abayas and turbans, the trees and gardens of Al-Andalusia, the books, the finest combination of rich textures 🌺🌳   Oil on Canvas.

The Day of Karbala 😢

 

My ai artwork of the unforgettable day .. 🌿

Serene Desert Village, South-West Algeria Late 1700s

 

Beneath the moonlit sky in the terrace, a young woman spins threads of memory while her husband pens words of wisdom, their shared silence echoing the rhythm of tradition. Beyond the arched doorway, the village glows—homes alight with warmth, a Mosque radiant with devotion, and two desert travellers on horseback tracing the winding path toward the Mosque. In this tranquil moment, the desert breathes stories of love, heritage, and the enduring beauty of night 🕌

Variation of the same scene: