Hilya

A ḥilya by Hâfiz Osman (1642–1698), who established the standard layout used for this type of calligraphic panel

The term ḥilya (Arabic: حلية, plural: ḥilān, or ḥulān; Turkish: hilye, plural: hilyeler) denotes both a visual form in Ottoman art and a religious genre of Ottoman-Arabic literature each dealing with the physical description of Muhammad. Hilya means "ornament". They originate with the discipline of shama'il, the study of Muhammad's appearance and character, based on hadith accounts, most notably al-Tirmidhi's Shama'il al-Muhammadiyya "The Sublime Characteristics of Muhammad". In Ottoman-era folk Islam, there was a belief that reading and possessing Muhammad's description protects the person from trouble in this world and the next, it became customary to carry such descriptions, rendered in fine calligraphy and illuminated, as amulets.[1][2] In 17th-century Ottoman Turkey, ḥilān developed into an art form with a standard layout, often framed and used as a wall decoration. Later ḥilān were written for the four Rashid caliphs, the Companions of the Prophet, Muhammad's grandchildren Hasan and Husayn, and walis or saints.

  1. ^ Bakker, Freek L. (2009). The challenge of the silver screen: an analysis of the cinematic portraits of Jesus, Rama, Buddha and Muhammad. BRILL. p. 209. ISBN 978-90-04-16861-9.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference DermanN.Y.)1998 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).