Artistic shot titled "The Infinite Explanation"

Title: The Infinite Explanation

Collection: Qatar Islamic Museum

Artist: Ali Baba Oranj, an Afghan artist who was a refugee in 2021 when the Taliban took control. He was among the refugees temporarily admitted to Qatar while preparing to apply for asylum in the U.S.

Description:

The artwork features Surah Al-Fatiha from the Quran written in gold. The artist explains:

“The circle you see represents the sun, and the edges of the circle symbolize the rays emanating from the sun, signifying how the sun illuminates darkness, much like the Quran illuminates our souls.

I used gold because it is the most beautiful and precious color that can be used in any manuscript. As you can see, there are multiple layers on the painting, with some areas having up to six layers stacked on top of each other. These layers represent the experiences I have gone through, each layer symbolizing a phase of my personal life, especially the recent transformations I experienced in Afghanistan. In those times, our future was uncertain; everything seemed black or gray, and it was hard to see what lay ahead. Such conditions undoubtedly impact the artist’s psyche.

In the end, I would like to mention that this work required tremendous effort. I had to complete it as quickly as possible, waking up at 3:30 AM and working until 10 or 11 PM. Another challenge was the size of the work, as the Quran is a sacred book that deserves to be represented grandly. I had to work while standing, as it is not permissible to place the Quran on the ground. Therefore, working on it while standing for 12 to 14 hours was exhausting. Additionally, I had to remain in a state of ritual purity while working on the painting.”