Art in the Spaces of Prayer
‘According to tradition the depiction of living beings in a mosque is not appropriate.’
Mosques as sacred places of Islam maintained their characteristics throughout the centuries both in terms of their architecture and in the various elements of the interior architectural space and decoration.
The ‘God’ in Islam has no concrete form and, according to tradition, the depiction of living beings in a mosque is not appropriate. When the practice of prayer is added to these concepts, the Qur’an, which consists of the words of God and his teachings, inspired the artist in the decoration and furnishings for the interior of the sacred place.
Süleymaniye Complex

Hegira 957–64 / AD 1550–7
Classical Ottoman
Süleymaniye, Istanbul, Turkey
Being the place of prayer, mosques were adorned with decorative arts in all aspects.