From Incarnation to Epiphany: The Metaphysical Foundations of Aniconism in Islamic Art

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Hamedeh Rastaei
Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Ale-Taha Institute of Higher Education, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/mi.2026.11098
Abstract
The phenomenon of aniconism (the absence of icons/images) in Islamic art is neither merely a jurisprudential restriction nor simply an aesthetic preference; rather, it is deeply rooted in the metaphysical worldview of Islam concerning the relationship between God, the universe, and the manifestation of the Sacred. By focusing on the fundamental theological distinction between two paradigms, "Incarnation" (Tajasud) and "Epiphany" (Tajalli), this study demonstrates that the aesthetic divergence between Christian and Islamic art stems from two distinct answers to the question of how the Divine is present in the world. In Islamic theology and philosophy, particularly within ‘Irfan and Al-Hikmat al-Muta‘aliyah, the long-standing tension between transcendence (Tanzih) and anthropomorphism/immanence (Tashbih) is resolved by distinguishing between the Level of Essence and the Level of Divine Action. The Divine Essence transcends any determination or physical form, whereas, at the level of Action and Names, divine reality manifests through epiphany (Tajalli) in the mirror of multiplicity, rather than through physical embodiment (Tajasud). Consequently, no single, determinate form can serve as an exclusive bearer of the Sacred, rendering iconography metaphysically unjustified.
Furthermore, jurisprudential prohibitions should be understood as an ontological extension and historical safeguard designed to prevent the limitation of the Infinite and the reproduction of idolatrous practices. Ultimately, this paper shows that "aniconism" represents a condition of possibility for a positive, distinctive aesthetic in Islamic art, one that visually manifests unity within multiplicity (Wahdat fi al-Kathrat) and the non-representational presence of the Sacred through calligraphy, geometric patterns, and arabesques.
Keywords
Aniconism
Islamic Art
Incarnation
Epiphany
Transcendent Philosophy
Islamic Mysticism
Chittick, W. (2005). Worlds of Imagination: Ibn ‘Arabi and the Problem of Religious Diversity [A'valam-e Khayal: Ibn ‘Arabi va Mas'alah-ye Ikhtilaf-e Adyan], translated by Ghasem Kakaie, 1st ed., Tehran: Hermes Publications & International Center for Dialogue among Civilizations.
Sadr al-Din Shirazi, M. (1998), Al-Hikmat al-Muta‘aliyah fi al-Asfar al-‘Aqliyyah al-Arba‘ah. 4th ed. Beirut: Dar Ihya al-Turath al-‘Arabi.