Islamic Art Studies

Islamic Art Studies

An Intertextual and Postmodern Reading of Suhrawardī’s Illuminationist Aesthetics and Its Manifestations in Islamic Art

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Roham Amirpour Amraee 1
Pedram Dadfar 2
Pejman Dadkhah 3
Fatemeh Shahroodi 1
1 Department of Art Research, CT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Photography, CT.C., Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
3 Department of Photography, Iqbal Lahoori Institute of Higher Education, Mashhad, Iran
10.22034/ias.2026.556019.2437
Abstract
This research examines the intertextual and postmodern reading of Suhrawardi's illuminative aesthetics and its manifestations in Islamic art. The main problem of the research is how the illuminative and imaginal system of Illuminative Wisdom (Hikmat al-Ishraq) is embodied in the form of symbols and visual structures in certain fields of Islamic art, and to what extent it can be re-read within the horizon of intertextuality theory and postmodern debates. Accordingly, first, the key components of illuminative aesthetics – such as the gradations of light and darkness, the imaginal world (ʿĀlam al-Mithāl), the luminous body (Haykal Nūrī), the allegory of birds, and the concept of Mount Qaf – are extracted from Suhrawardi's treatises and interpreted within the framework of intertextuality discourse. Then, using a qualitative and interpretive approach, several exemplary instances of Islamic art – including the organization of light in mosque architecture, glass lamps inscribed with the Light Verse, and Persian painting and illumination (Tadhhib) centered on the scenes of the Miʿraj and the depiction of the imaginal world – are subjected to comparative analysis. The findings indicate that there are significant overlaps between the illuminative-imaginal logic of Illuminative Wisdom and the logic of organizing light, space, color, and pattern in these artworks; such that one can speak of "Illuminative Art" as one of the possible readings of Islamic art. Finally, the article suggests that combining the intertextuality approach with Illuminative Wisdom opens a new horizon for a multi-layered and postmodern understanding of Islamic art and can serve as the basis for new analytical frameworks in theoretical studies of Islamic art.
Research Objectives:

Explaining and formulating the main components of Suhrawardi's illuminative aesthetics based on his treatises and philosophical works, with an emphasis on illuminative-imaginal logic and the imaginal world.
Examining and interpreting aesthetic components within the horizon of intertextuality theory and postmodern debates, in order to provide a postmodern reading of Suhrawardi's illuminative system.
Analyzing the manifestations of Suhrawardi's illuminative aesthetics in certain fields of Islamic art – such as mosque and madrasa architecture, Persian painting and illumination, and calligraphy of the Light Verses – by utilizing the intertextual framework proposed by the research.

Research Questions:

What are the main components of Suhrawardi's illuminative aesthetics, and how are these components formulated in his treatises and philosophical works?
How can a postmodern reading of Suhrawardi's illuminative-imaginal and aesthetic system be presented by employing intertextuality theory and postmodern debates?
What manifestations does illuminative aesthetics find in the structure of light, space, color, and pattern in examples of Islamic art – especially in architecture, painting, illumination, and calligraphy?

Keywords
Mystical Literature
Intertextual Reading
Postmodern
Aestheticism of Suhrawardi's treatises
Subjects
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