Articles
Bosnian Series Art Statement
My whole being is shattered as I watch helplessly and read about the brutality and atrocities committed in Bosnia-Herzegovina. I feel the pain and I feel the loss. But Faith gives me strength. I believe that Truth shall prevail over Falsehood and Good shall triumph over Evil.
What madness has overcome these people to want to annihilate other human beings who were once their friends and neighbours? Have they no Faith in God? Must the world stand still and watch these grotesque and inhuman acts being committed?
For guidance I return to the Qur'an. I discover once again Surah 40 which is called Ghafir (Forgiver) or Al Mu'min (The Believer). The Surah is the beginning of a series of Surahs (40-46) which starts with the Abbreviated Letters Ha Mim. According to Yusof Ali's interpretation, the theme of the entire series is "the realation of Faith to Unfaith, Revelation to Rejection, Goodness to Evil,Truth to Falsehood. It is shown that the first in each of these pairs is the real friend, helper and protector of man, while the second is his enemy."
In my paintings, I've used the letters Ha Mim and the word Rahim which means the womb. Ar-Rahim is one of the attributes of Allah meaning The Compassionate. There is a connection between Rahim and Ha Mim. Rahim symbolizes the completion and healing of Ha Mim. It is with the Compassion of Allah, that we can prevail over the heinous acts and atrocities taking place in Bosnia.
Man without Faith will also do terrible things because he rejects goodness, inner strength and compassion.
No matter who and what we are and the Faith we adhere to, we are all children of God. To show our love and respect for Him, we must learn to love and respect one another.
The happenings and killings in Bosnia have blemished the entire world for it is an evil sickness that we are all responsible for today.
I share these feelings with you. If what I express affects you in some small way, I have accomplished my goal. I am deeply grateful to the Almighty for giving me this opportunity.
Sharifah Zuriah Aljeffri
1992/93