Transcendental Art, Artist and Sublime Art’s Audience from Muhamad Ghazali’s Perspective

Among the works of past Iranian thinkers, there are key points in the theoretical foundations of art that reveal the rationale behind artists' distinctive perspectives on art. By referring to these points, it is possible to formulate the theoretical and doctrinal foundations of Iranian-Islamic art. This provides a direct criterion derived from the cultural context for the analysis and interpretation of Iranian art. It is essential to emphasize that Iranian-Islamic art is not devoid of philosophy. Imam Mohammad Ghazali is among the prominent Iranian thinkers who dedicated significant attention to the concepts of beauty and art in his discussions. While earlier studies have delved into his views on imagination, taste, and beauty, the present study focuses more closely on Ghazali's thoughts regarding the pinnacle of art, the artist's role, and the art audience. The objective of this study is to delve into Ghazali's criteria for assessing the value of art, ranging from the inferior (even prohibited) to sublime art. Additionally, the study explores the conditions and characteristics required by artists to create high-quality art, as well as the traits of the audience necessary for perceiving sublime art. Ultimately, the study aims to collect, categorize, and analyze Ghazali's perspectives on these matters. The primary research question addressed is: What criteria does Ghazali employ for evaluating the value and credibility of art, the artist, and the audience? The fundamental study adopts a descriptive-analytical approach, with information gathered through a review of written sources. The research findings highlight that, according to Ghazali, the significance of art's transcendence lies in its connection to morality, truth, beauty, awareness, and perfection. A sublime artist, according to Ghazali, requires a deep understanding, contemplation, and personal development. Moreover, the audience cannot fully grasp transcendent art unless they approach it from a moral perspective, with the goal of refinement and a genuine appreciation of beauty.