Hoosier, and Muslim Artist Uzma Mirza Illustrates the 99 Names of God

THE JOURNAL GAZETTE
By Rosa Salter Rodriguez

“Al Fattah (The Opener)” by Uzma Mirza illustrates one of the 99 Names of God.

INDIANA---Uzma Mirza, who has a degree in architecture from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, has practiced with firms in Connecticut, Chicago, Indianapolis and Fort Wayne. The roots of her art, Mirza says, lie in the Arabic calligraphy used for centuries in creating copies of the Quran, the Muslim holy book, and in the religion’s understanding of God. Some of the pieces now on display are embellished calligraphy of verses from the Quran or prayers, while others are her unique representations of the names of God. In Islamic theology, Mirza explains, there is one all-powerful and all-knowing God known as Allah. But Muslims often understand and invoke the deity through what they call the 99 Names of God, with each name describing one of God’s attributes – for example, The Compassionate or The Bringer of Justice. [link]