Students, faculty, and community members gathered in the Ott Auditorium on Nov. 5 for the annual Dr. Raana Akbar Memorial Lecture on Islam and Culture. Keynote speaker Dr. Feryal Salem explored how Islamic architecture, art, and aesthetics shaped spiritual development and human understanding.
Salem, an associate professor of Arabic and Islamic studies at the American Islamic College in Chicago, presented “The Art of the Soul: Islamic Architecture, Beauty, and Spiritual Formation in Islamic Civilization.”
The lecture was part of the Dr. Raana Akbar Lecture series, established in 2011 by her husband, Dr. Waheed Akbar, to honor her memory. Dr. Raana Akbar was a physician, community leader, and former board member of the SVSU Board of Control.
Akbar established the series to honor his wife’s legacy and share information that helps address stereotypes and misconceptions about Muslim communities.
Akbar stated, “We cannot expect the understanding if we do not make the effort to explain…”
Before taking the stage, Dr. Salem was introduced by the Coordinator of SVSU’s Religious Program and professor of Philosophy, Dr. David Nichols.
Nichols said, “This lecture comes to us on an interesting week,” noting the importance of recognizing the recent decision by “we the people” in the recent election, electing the first-ever Muslim to hold a seat in the senate.
Nichols highlighted the impact of the series over the past 15 years that has and can still be viewed on streaming platforms like YouTube for those who would like to see the past lectures.
Salem challenged the audience to view architecture and beauty as more than a visual experience, instead arguing that they play a deeper role in shaping the creator and their character through cultivating spiritual awareness.
“Knowledge is not simply transmitted through relationships intended to transform the person,” said Salem as she described Islamic traditions as taking a holistic view of human well-being, emphasizing that “the mind, body, and soul” are understood as interconnected.
She drew from the examples of calligraphy, building of mosques and their structures, growing of gardens, and geometric and figurative depictions of art. She explained that art and beauty in Islamic culture were understood as the pathway to spiritual refinement rather than the mere forms of decoration. She also noted how architecture was designed to encourage mindfulness, contemplation, and honoring the connection to God.
Her impact statement stated, “If Islam has such a rich philosophy of religious leadership and spiritual care, what were the ways these sights were and continue to be transmitted? What is the medium through which the spirit of Muhammad Prophethood extends after him today?”
Following the lecture, a brief Q&A session took place where the audience members explored themes from the lecture, including the role of geometry and mathematical designs in relation to Islamic architecture. Her response to the question included background information on something she touched on during her lecture, which gave detail about the sacred spaces of mosques and the architectural order.
Another question was asked about the use of AI art. Salem stated that she felt it could be helpful in making a slide by enriching the font and making it nicer. She also stated that art has symbolism and meaning behind its creation.
“The impact on the soul and the spiritual tradition are always at the center of all Islamic practices that developed in the Muslim world,” Salem said.
For more information or to view previous lectures, visit the Conference Center at SVSU’s YouTube channel, @theconferencecenteratsvsu8943, or search for the Dr. Raana Akbar Memorial Lecture Series on Islam and Culture.
