I-Deen Magazine

http://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/217813

As Shahadah

This was a reaction of a fan at Saatchi On-Line when a blessing was at sight... 

1. 
   
   ed verf : Johan Anthierens Aula K.U. Leuven 1976 No God No Masters ni maitre ni dieu ... Johan Anthierens .... "Niemands meester, Niemands knecht!" No God No Masters, الله لا لا الماجستير , Geen God No Masters , Nuk ka zot Masters , Ոչ Աստված ոչ Masters, No, No Masters Allah, No God Masters Ez, Няма Бога, няма гаспадароў, Не Бог Не Мастърс ", o hi ha Déu mestres, 没有上帝没有大师，沒有上帝沒有大師，Nema Boga Nema Masters, Ne
   
   

   

   ed verf, Have a blessing today, &...properly say  these words. 

   1. "Ashadu Allah ila Ha 'Il Allaho, Wa, Ashadu Anna Muhammadur Rasulullah"
   Meaning: "I bearwitness that no God is worthy of worshiped but Allah, and, I bear withness, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah" .... may your past sins is wiped out and be blessed today!

A Kufi Kufi Font Chart

Polytheism is not Monotheism

Al -Nahl:75 (2008). Emulsion on Linen.  Size: 64 cm X 64 cm.

Meaning of ayat Al Nahl (Bees) : 75

“Praise be to Allah. But most of them understand not.”

Shirk and Kufr

POLYTHEISM AND DISBELIEF

One of many chatters whom Shukor Yahya knew from the Saatchi Gallery Chat Live  at http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/ is Sentinel. When he first saw this blog-site he began to call Shukor an Islamist and sent words insulting him and Islam. 

Accusing Shukor tried to lure him into terrorism and so on. Shukor was not bothered when his works and his personality were attacked but Sentinel's ignorance is actually driving himself into extreme peril without him realizing it. Surely there are billions of people like him out there who seriously needed helps and some divine lights.

O, by the way, this is Shukor Yahya's first painting in 2009. Entitles : Saba (Sheba): 41. Measures 64 cm X 64cm. Emulsion on Linen.

Meaning of ayat Saba (Sheba): 41:-

 One Day He will gather them all together, and say to the angels, 

“Was it you that these men used to worship?”

 They will say, Glory to you! Our (tie) is with You-as Protector-not with them. 

Nay, but they worshipped the Jinns:

 most of them believe in them.”

Black and explosive red background were chosen to signify the new year celebrated with drops of bombs and innocents' bloods caused by the bloody brutal Israeli invasion in Gaza.

Following is an explanation to us by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan and Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali from Madinah Al Munawarah, Salvation of all mankind from the greatest sin against Allah. 

I consider it essential to mention here some details of the greatest sin which will not be forgiven by Allah. This unpardonable sin is Shirk. Shirk implies ascribing partners to Allah or ascribing divine attributes to others besides Allah and believing that the source of power, harm and blessings comes from others besides Allah. Almighty Allah says:

   "Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be ascribed to Him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases; and whoever ascribes partners to Allah in worship, has indeed invented a tremendous sin."(V. 4:48).

Painted in 2008, entitled YaSin : 60

Emulsion on Linen. Measures 64 cm X 64 cm.

The meaning of ayat Yasin: 60

“Did I not enjoin on you, O you Children of Adam, that you should not worship satan; for that he was to you an enemy avowed?”

Almighty Allah says:

"Then when the Trumpet is blown, there will be no kinship among them on that Day, nor will they ask of one another." Then those whose scales (of good deeds) are heavy, — these are the successful.

"And those whose scales (of good deeds) are light, — they are those who lose their own selves in Hell will they abide."

"The Fire will bum their faces, and they will grin with displaced lips (disfigured)."

"(It will be said) 'Were not My Verses (this Qur'an) recited to you and then you used to deny them?'

"They will say: 'Our Lord! Our wretchedness overcame us and we were an erring people.

"Our Lord! Bring us out of this; if ever we return (to evil) then indeed we shall be Zalimuns (polytheists, oppressors, unjust, and wrongdoers).”

"He (Allah) will say: 'Remain you in it with ignominy! And speak you not to Me!' (V. 23:101-108).

"And whoever invokes (or worships) besides Allah, any other ilah (god), of whom he has no proof, then his reckoning is only with his Lord. Surely! Al-Kafirun (disbelievers in Allah and in the Oneness of Allah, polytheists, pagans, idolaters) will not be successful." (V. 23:117)

Painted in 2008, entitled Al Maidah : 116. Emulsion on Linen. Measures 64 cm X 64 cm.

The meaning of ayat Al-Maidah (The Table Spread): 116

And behold Allah will say: “O Jesus the son of Mary! Did you say unto men, worship me and my mother as god in derogation of Allah’?” He will say:Glory to You! Never could I say what I had no right (to say), Had I said such a thing, You would indeed have known it. You know what is in my heart, though I know not what is in yours. For You know in full all that is hidden.

How, When and Where Shukor Yahya went Kufi

This photo was captured about a week ago, 

entitled; Hamptie Dumptie I'm all over Kufi.

Mamoun Sakkal is from the University of Washington in Seattle. He is a doctor candidate, who is currently doing research on Kufi. He wrote to me and asked some pertinent questions about myself. So, I thought I should make the answer known to the public as well, as I sensed that there are many more people who are interested to know me - a Contemporary Artist and a Graphic Designer:

Initially I have two blogs about Kufi but now they have been reduced to just only one, at; http://shukoryahya.blogspot.com/. My manager told me to be careful about flaunting all of my works because someone out there might abuse them. So, I deleted the other but maintaining just one in orderly manner.

Since my main objective in painting is to fulfill the obligation in the effort on dakwah, I themed my work as Monotheism Rhapsody in Kufi.

MS: 1. Where and when you were born? A brief biography?

SY: I was born in Johore (3/4 mile from Singapore), at the most southern state of the Peninsular Malaysia, on 27th April, 1953. I am the youngest in a Malay family of four. My father passed away while I was 5 months old. So I grew up with my struggling mother until I finished my secondary level and religious education, where I also learned Jawi (Arabic way of writing in Malay language) then. 

1n 1972, I continue my study at MARA Institute of Technology (ITM) until mid 1976 and passed with a Bachelor in Graphic Design. I was immediately employed by McCann Erickson, Advertising Agency in Kuala Lumpur as a finish artist, visualizer and Junior Art Director. Subsequently, I moved from one agency to another as an Art Director like Idris Lim Associate, Wings BBDO and Merit Design Consultants, to earn better pays.

In 1988, I went to Melbourne on a sponsorship of Rotary International to study etching technique in depth, where I engaged myself as an Artist in Residence at Raja Azhar Gallery at Franklin Street and later moved to Flinders Lane.

In 1989, I came back to Kuala Lumpur to get employed by Ted Bates until 1998. I was the head of Design unit (USP) specializing in Branding and Packaging Design. Until today the brand I have created and designed are still on the shelves, such as Fresh and white, Dobi, Sokubuku for Southern Lion, Mach 5 and Sprinta for Petronas, Flora and Dorina for Levers, Naturel for Lam Soon and many more, until I lost my job due to economic recession caused by George Soros legacy in 1998.

After some brief short journey, I didn't waste much time and enrolled myself into a post graduate study at De Montfort University, Leicester, UK, where I earned a MA (Master of Arts in Art and Design Education) in 2002.

I was attached to the University of Malaya in 2004, but the environment doesn’t make me wanting to stay much longer there. So, I traveled to India and Bangladesh to learn the effort of dakwah for four months.

By the grace of Allah, being an artist and Graphic designer, the journey, experience and learnt from it, earned me an inspiration to do something different in painting. I was looking for a way to connect the effort of dakwah and painting then, until I saw kufi pattern which really intrigued me. So worked out a way to combine my spiritual endavour with creativity. The fruits are all the sixtyfour masterpieces in my collection today.

MS: 2. How and where did you learn Square Kufi? Please be as detailed as possible?

SY: I first saw kufi in an inside page cover of Al Qur'an in a hotel room while I was on holiday with my family at Port Dickson. The second time I saw Kufi was when I visited The Islamic Arts Muzium of Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur as ornaments to the building. Then, I learnt and made an attempt to construct Kufi typography with computer using Adobe Illustrator software on my own, by copying the surah Al Ikhlas which I first saw in the hotel room.

After a successful attempt I tried to construct more surahs, mainly the last surahs in Al Quran. My wife told me to carry on doing what I was doing because she found it interesting too.

Being a Graphic designer I have worked out a technique to transfer the design onto canvas and started painting them. Alhamdulillah!, today, I am on my 65th work and still going strong.

This sculpture was shown to me by Richard Abas (the man in the picture), on 10th , Dec. at 3.30 pm in front of Guthrie office at Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam, Selangor. He is the author of a blog kufikufi.blogspot.com/. It has been there for more then a decade ago and showing signs of decaying. Before this, I never realize that there are already some existing Kufi fans in that magnitude of level in my own country. This visit fruited more ideas and have gotten me even more motivated to carry on.

Detail meaning about monotheism by the scholars

This painting is entitled Al Ikhlas (3), painted in 2008 on Linen with emulsion paint, the size is 76 cm X 76 cm.

The meaning of the ayat:

In the name of Allah the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

1. Say (o Muhammad S.A.W.): He is Allah, (the one)

2. Allah-us-Samad (Allah - the Self-Sufficient Master, Whom all creatures need, (he neither eats nor drinks).

3. "He begets not, nor was He begotten."

4. "And there is none co-equal or comparable onto Him." 

According to Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan and Dr. Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din Al-Hilali from Madinah Al Munawarah, (March, 1999), the authors of "Interpretation of the Meanings of The Noble Qur'an in The English Language" Published by Darussalam Publishers, printed in Italy ; 

Tauhid (Islamic Monotheism) has three aspects:

(A) Oneness of the Lordship of Allah; Tauhid-ar-Rububiyyah: To believe that there is only one Lord for all the universe and He is, the Creator, Organizer, Planner, Sustainer, and the Giver of security, that is Allah.

(B) Oneness of the worship of Allah; Tauhid-al-Uluhiyyah: To believe that none has the right to be worshipped (e.g. praying, invoking, asking for help from the unseen, swearing, slaughtering sacrifices, giving charity, fasting, pilgrimage) but Allah.

(C) Oneness of the Names and the Qualities of Allah: Tauhid-al-Asma was-Sifat:

To believe that:

(i) One must  not  name  or  qualify  Allah  except  with  what  He  or  His Messenger (s.a.w.) has named or qualified Him;

Painted in 2008, entitled Shahadah. Emulsion on Linen, measures 64 cm X 64 cm

ii) None can be named or qualified with the Names or Qualifications of Allah; e.g. Al-Karim;

(iii) We must believe in all the Qualities of Allah which Allah has stated in His Book (the Qur'an) or mentioned through His Messenger (Muhammad s.a.w.) without changing their meaning or ignoring them completely or twisting the meanings or likening them (giving resemblance) to any of the created things e.g. Allah is present over His Throne as mentioned in the Qur'an (V. 20:5):- 

"The Most Gracious (Allah) rose over (Istawa) the (Mighty) Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty)," over the seventh heaven; and He comes down over the first (nearest) heaven to us during the last third part of every night and also on the day of 'Arafah (Hajj, i.e. the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah), as mentioned by the Prophets.a.w. , but He is with us by His Knowledge, not by His Personal-Self. Also Allah says:

"There is nothing like unto Him and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer" (V.42:ll). This Noble Verse proves the quality of hearing and the quality of sight for Allah without likening it (or giving resemblance) to any of the created things, and likewise He also says:

"To one whom I have created with Both My Hands," (V.38:75); and He also says: "The Hand of Allah is over their hands." (V.48:10).

This confirms two Hands for Allah, but there is no similarity for them. This is the Belief of all true believers, and was the Belief of all the Prophets of Allah, from Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses) and 'Isa (Jesus) till the last of the Prophets, Muhammad s.a.w. (It is not as some people think that Allah is present everywhere — here, there and even inside the breasts of men).

Painted in 2004, entitled Al Ikhlas (1).Emulsion on canvas, measures 50 cm X 50 cm.

These three aspects of Tauhid are included in the meaning  of La ilaha illallah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah). It is also essential to follow Allah's Messenger, Muhammad s.a.w.: Wujub al-Ittiba' and it is a part of Tauhld-al-Uluhiyyah. This is included in the meaning, "I testify that Muhammad s.a.w. is Allah's Messenger," and this means, "None has the right to be followed after Allah's Book (the Qur'an), but Allah's Messenger s.a.w."ilaha illallah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah). It is also essential to follow Allah's Messenger, Muhammad s.a.w.: Wujub al-Ittiba' and it is a part of Tauhld-al-Uluhiyyah. This is included in the meaning, "I testify that Muhammad s.a.w. is Allah's Messenger," and this means, "None has the right to be followed after Allah's Book (the Qur'an), but Allah's Messenger s.a.w."

Allah says: "And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad s.a.w.) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it)." (V.59:7) 

And also Allah says: "Say (o Muhammad s.a.w. to mankind), 'If you (really) love Allah then follow me [i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur'an and the Sunnah (legal ways of the Prophet s.a.w.)], Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins.' "(V.3:31)

This painting is also entitled Al Ikhlas (2),

was treated with the inclusion of ornaments around the ayat,

formed by arrangement of shapes of Sinar leaves

which I collected during my visit to Greece in 2006.

 

It was painted on Linen with emulsion in 2007,

the size is 76 cm X 76 cm.