Can art be called Islamic?

My paintings are but expressions of the aspirations of the oppressed majority around me. They are reflections of a society in need of social change. The geographical, socio-political and religious environments, consciously or unconsciously, impart character and style to any work of art. Despite the sanctions of the obscurantists, the contributions of Muslims to the fine arts are indisputable. Art in Muslim countries bears a distinct imprint of the political conditions that have a bearing on the sensitivity of the artist. Yet it would be a misnomer to talk about 'Islamic art'. Can one call Mughal paintings 'Islamic', since the Mughal school of art comprised many Hindu artists, and their subject matter was secular? While other religions used art as the expression and propagation of their faith, art under Islam did not take this path – it is truly secular, and has resisted all attempts to follow the prescriptions of religious doctrines.

~ A R Nagori is a painter based in Karachi.