NEW THOUGHT OF NEW CENTURY
ART RESEARCH ON QURAN IN THE LIGHT OF 21ST CENTURY

Colors are the indicators of beauty and attraction of our universe and our identity. When colors are given shape of words, they symbolize such meanings which have special reason. When we talk through colors then we come to know, how important they are in our life. Through these same colors, beautiful work has been done on Quran, which has gained special attraction by people and this work through this beautiful combination of colors concept of Quran learning through art become bright.
It is said that art is not inheritance of any one. It is God, who give art to some one and gives him honor to do some thing for his religion. Some bodies have been given special artistic qualities, they can perform different works with success in the same time and if all those work are of different types then it gives much surprise that how they made it possible and in the same time, they hold the success. Col Amar Raza is the same young man, who is an Army Officer and he is pilot of gunship helicopter by profession but on other hands, he did effective and surprise work, which is totally different from his technical and scientific job. The art of joke and science are totally different subjects, but he says that he feels these same.
The greatest miracle of Quran is that God himself has taken the responsibility to protect it and has given the duty to the people to represent it beautifully. God gave the best body, energy as well as curiosity and when man gives full honesty, devotion and observation then he becomes the viceroy of God on earth. Amar is the same man to whom God gave him responsibilities to present Quran in a fresh way. The knowledge of this holy book is being discovered since it has been sent on earth and Insha Allah will be continued till the Day of Judgment. He chose the way of research through art and his work is available in library of Great Masjid-e-Nabvi.
Amar Raza decorated the Holy verses of Quran through colors that verses are giving clear meanings. Verses clarify its meaning on the readers. He made brought the meanings and orders of Quran through this art. After great efforts of seventeen years, he completed work on 114 Surahs of Quran. Amar Raza such gave a peak to this book that Muslim word can be proud of it. He gave new concept of understanding Quran through colors and raise a new thing that only gives thinking about greatness of the God. Through his art, he made Pakistan well known and bright and he just gave benefit to mankind. In 2006, he properly started “Quran and Art Research Center” which got popularity not only in country but also nation wide. It is the only institute of Pakistan through which he gave concept of Quran learning and understating through colors. Colonel Amar Raza art works are present in “Quran and Art Research Center”. There is an art gallery in which art on Quran is available. Our representator visited this institute and ask different question about this art work. The conversation on art is being published for the interest of people.
Q. How did you develop interest in this art?
Amar Raza : In 1978, when I took admission in 8th class in Military College of Jhelum, where there was an art club. I never thought that I will be able to do drawing. It was just chance, I used to make protracts and landscapes as a hobby. In the same time I took interest in Quran learning. I felt that if God has given me an artistic mind, why I don’t use it for great mission. I thought that Quran has been translated in almost all languages but language of colors is still pending and I started work on it. After a lot of efforts, uses of colors became easy for me and then my work became respectful. I never learnt this work by some one. It is God gifted.
Q. You are related to Military but this job is totally different. Is there any special reason to choose this art?
Amar Raza : I feel no difference and any difficulty in these jobs. The flying of helicopter and calligraphy of Quran have the similarity. I never let my art able to disturb or become harmful to my duty but by the praise of God I translated Quran in colors and the reason was this that meanings and orders of Quran should be made bright though colors and words because the message of Quran should be spread in each and every part of the world.
Q. You just give detail of any Surah, which give idea to people that understanding of Quran though colors is so easy?
Amar Raza: First of all before art writing, I deeply studied the meanings of surah and thought upon that for couple of days. After getting satisfaction, I started my work of art and I made full efforts that the formality of art and calligraphy should be observed, like Surah-e-Fatiha’s meanings are so brightly presented through different colors. Like when it is said by God “O God show us the right path of those to whom you have become merciful”. So white path is made in its background. White color is showing the holiness of right path the word coming out of Allah. Black color is used in the background of the word ‘Walaz-zoa leen’ it gives meaning about those people, moving on wrong path and God is angry with them. Black color is representing the eagerness of God. When the word comes “Malik-e-yomid Deen” there is a circle showing the earth and the Day of Judgment in it. When we read the Surah with colors its meanings becomes easy. Same as Surah Al-Humza, in this Surah the evil of society is given, in which the biggest to save money or making of property and look after it indeed. So these people will be thrown in ‘Hutma” (The great fire made by Allah). In this Surah, when the word comes ‘Nar Ullah” here we found fire in its background and yellow color is use in the background of fire. Same like that when we go through other Surahs their meanings becomes so clear and reader will found attraction in it.
Q. You also introduced this art on international level, what was the response?
Amar Raza: By the praise of God, people liked and appreciated my work at international level. Most of our presentations were held in Europe. In 2006 we worked with 200 children on the topic of diversity which was displayed in ‘House of Commoners” British. Same art was also presented in Saudi Arabia, America, and Canada. In April, 2007 an exhibition was held in “World Trade Center” Dubai, which achieved tremendous appreciation and become the pinpoint of people attraction. Recently in July 2007, Quran and Art Research Centre held another exhibition in Art Council of Karachi, which is more appreciated by peoples.
I presented my work in different manners and introduce “Tajasum” (Without reading of Surah, meanings by; become easy to understand). People liked and appreciated it and said that this is the easiest way to understand Quran. Kids of primary schools, students of universities and disable children liked it. We found good response from Europe and we are also working with them on “learning Quran through colors”. We prepared a “drawing basis lesson plan” on Arabic and Islamiyat and these articles were demanded by the universities of America and Europe. They say that it became easy to learn and understand through colors and drawing. Different international universities wished to synchronize art department with us. The art faculty ‘Bail Mount” (University of America) adopted our style of calligraphy, which represents the “Mid Eastern Art”. My calligraphy represents the concepts, which holds educational and communicational procedures in it.
Remarks by the students of Bail Mount University:-
“Raza works are impressive though I am not Muslim. We have poster some of his work in the art building that every one should see. What makes him so special that he is the first to use colors to depict the holly Quran”.

Q. For what kind of social activities your art can be used?
Amar Raza: Quran and Art Research Center arrange “Spiritual Therapy Workshop” for recovery of drug users. The purpose of this workshop was that people using drugs for getting their missions and making their lives aimless, we should fulfill their lives with colors given by the God and to make them follow God’s message. So that they should have some reason to live. We should think for such people to make them beneficent member of the society as well as in social structure, where they may perform their role to become responsible citizens. This workshop got positive response and it was effective for these people. They took keen interest in this workshop and made promise that after recovery of health they will get membership of “Quran and Art Research Center” to fill their lives with colors. They wished that this workshop should be arranged weekly.

Q. What is your point of view that how Quran learning can become easy through Art?
Amar Raza: The basic concept of this art is to clarify the meaning of Quran through colors and words because till the time people don’t understand Quran, Islam cannot be truly preached. The message of Quran can be spread with ‘Fehm-o-Tadabir” (thinking and action) in the whole world. This concept give love to God as well as well enable to feel reality of God. Quran and Art Research Center is working for the subject reason. The message should be spread in each and every part of the world. The project of this research is that through this art message of Quran, social message and historical realities should be present in totally different and interesting manners so that the learning of Quran should be in special way. We should change our old thinking and become practical to spread Islam so that we become in line with the developed countries and to spread message of Quran. This way of learning made it easy to understand Quran. Children not only feel it easy to read Quran but also learn by heart and to convey message of Quran to other societies and nations. Wherever we arranged exhibitions, viewers say that they can understand meanings of verses. This work got huge popularity although we did not follow the rules of calligraphy and graphic designing, even we did not ponder to any “school of thought” because is a self-defined work. In our exhibition every category of persons visits. Students from diplomatic institutions, religious institutions and from all other fields (male and female) are equally getting benefit through this art of Quran learning.

Q. Have you introduced this art into your schools and colleges?
Amar Raza: We have arranged workshops and exhibitions in schools and colleges for same purpose, which got appreciation by the students. After that number of students of these institutes joined us and their work is also part of our research. Through this modern way, they used to learn and spread Quran’s message by using other modern techniques and equipments. New learning way of Quran and art will be introduced as “Islamic IT support programme” in which children will be able to understand meanings of verses of Quran. This curriculum will be introduced in CDs and booklets. These ways will guide the students. Learning and understanding of Quran will become much easy and Islamic art will get promotion in schools and colleges. So that our young generation should understand Quran and become able to get its benefits. We have to steer our social society out of present crises and also to give it holy light of Quran. We should move 15 years advance in our art so that up-coming generation should not face such problems as we are facing in preaching of Islam.

Q. When did you feel satisfied with yourself through your work?
Amar Raza: The greatest success of my work is that in the main library of Masjid-e-Nabwi there are 20 special articles from all over the world and the 21st is mine. The complete Holy Quran written in my art is selected over there. They discussed each aspect of this artwork and after getting satisfied.

Q. Other than Children, what kind of people can get admission in “Quran and Research Center”?
Amar Raza: In “Quran and Art Research Center” any group of age can get admission. We have arranged a gallery and classroom where we teach Quran. We have also an art room for children and adults, where they use their creative mind to become a member of this great Quranic Research. We provided colors and other supporting material to work frequently.

Q. Do you need cooperation from Government to fulfill your expenditures?
Amar Raza: I am working with noble passion. Most of the expenditure comes through my pocket; little comes through friends and also through Islamic Calligraphy like calendars, posters, diaries and CDs etc. Government should sponsor and appreciate such people working on Islamic art.

Q. Is learning of Quran by art is helpful to promote Islam?
Amar Raza: According to this question, I would like to say that Government should promote such art moreover “A center of excellence” should be created in which thinkers and scholars could work together through different angles and arrange their educational system in such way that up coming generation should get advantage of Quran. It is not duty of just Government but an ordinary person should also sponsor such art to complete the mission. Such kind of Islamic festival should be arranged to make a platform in preaching parties, school, universities and ordinary person should present their work in shape of stalls. New and bright thoughts with a moderate way of living, is the real purpose of life.
Different institutes are working since centuries but as Muslim community, no doubt we are working individually but in joint matters, due to difference of thoughts, clashes occur and result is in front of us.

Q. Do an ordinary person can learn and understand the holly Quran through this art?
Amar Raza: Love for Quran and reading through colors, creates creosotic thinking in reader’s mind. This is the basic quality of our art that understanding of Quran becomes simple. All these colors are not meaningless but having the whole universe in them. Understanding of Quran through colors keeps deep thinking, love and passion in its background. The way in which words and meaning of Quran are presented is in beautiful color language, which improves understanding of Quran for practical change in life.

Q. In last what message you want to convey people?
Amar Raza: The only message from my side is that we should forget all clashes and observe new century demands to convey the psychological aspects of Quran in the society so that the learning and understanding should be brightened through colors among people. We should keep inventions beyond 15 years in our mind to develop learning of Quran. Children should be taught Quran with the help of colors and to make the concept clear that Quran is the right way to spend life and after reading and understanding the message of Quran life pattern should be made clear. My message for all is that learning of Quran, thinking about its knowledge and to earn something for the Day of Judgment, which is our real mission.
Allah says:-
“No doubt this Quran is a guideline for all people of the world”.
Quran is the greatest gift for humanity by the God. Its actual purpose is that it should be learned with understanding and to act upon it. Its lesson is grantee to become successful in life and on the Day of Judgment. At last I pray from Allah that Allah may give opportunity to learn Holy Quran as per its requirements. In my view it requires that when we read it, interest should automatically strike our heart.


Translation and compilation by

Farah Deeba
Quran and Art Research Centre
E-mail: quraniart@hotmail.com