Islamic
Paintings and Miniatures Showing Mohammed in Full
Mohammed Image Archive
Depictions of Mohammed Throughout History
Controversy over the publication of images depicting Mohammed (the 7th-century
founder of Islam) in the Danish
newspaper Jyllands-Posten has erupted into an international furor. While
Muslims worldwide are calling for a boycott of Denmark and any other nation's
press that reprints the cartoons, Europeans are trying to stand up for Western
principles of freedom of speech, and not cave in to censorship in the name
of multiculturalism or fear.
While the debate rages, an important point has been overlooked: despite the
Islamic prohibition against depicting Mohammed under any circumstances, hundreds
of paintings, drawings and other images of Mohammed have been created over the
centuries, with nary a word of complaint from the Muslim world. The recent
cartoons in Jyllands-Posten are nothing new; it's just that no other
images of Mohammed have ever been so widely publicized.
This Archive is a compendium of images spanning all
historical periods, cultures and genres. It will remain
online to serve as a reminder that such imagery has been part of Western and
Islamic culture since the Middle Ages -- and to serve as a resource for those interested in freedom of
expression. The images in the
Archive have been divided into the following categories:
Islamic
Paintings and Miniatures Showing Mohammed in Full
Islamic Depictions of Mohammed with Face Hidden
European Medieval and Renaissance Images
Contemporary Christian Drawings
Recent Responses to the Controversy
"I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the
death your right to say it."
Voltaire
Extreme Mohammed
**WARNING**
disrespectful and/or obscene content
(Please note that the Arabic name "Mohammed" has over
the years been transliterated into Western languages with several different
spellings -- some of which you'll encounter within -- including Mahomet,
Muhammad, and Mohamed.)
Author and Philosopher
1694 - 1778
