About Me

Hello!

I’m Sarrah, with 2 r’s—a self-taught, Muslim artist based in Philadelphia, PA.

As a kid, I was always drawn to anything art-related. Taking inspiration from animated TV shows and movies, graphic novels, and family members with artistic talent. In 2016, at 11 years old, I decided I wanted to pursue art as a career and started taking drawing seriously. At 14 years old, I was introduced to painting. Growing up, if my father saw that I was taking interest in something, he would buy any and everything that was related to it. I started with pencil and paper, then alcohol markers, then watercolor. At some point I owned every kind of medium. One day I just decided to use the acrylic paint and canvases that I had and ever since then, it's been the medium that's stuck with me. I spent the next 5 years learning how to work with acrylics and perfecting my style.

During Ramadan 1445, I began researching art in Islam for the second time since I started, and decided to switch my style completely for the sake of Allah, starting from scratch. For the first time, I felt challenged by painting, realizing that putting limits on something as limitless as art can make you more creative and encourage you to paint with meaning, giving the artist and the viewer a deeper connection to the piece. This left me questioning what art truly is and the validity of opinions from those who do art the “right way”.

Tag along, as I express this feeling into each piece I paint. Hoping to inspire others to look at art from a different perspective.

إنْ شَاءَ ٱللَّٰهُ

Hadith on Pictures: Making images without a soul

Ibn Abbas reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Every maker of graven images will be in Hellfire. Every image he made will be given a soul to punish him in Hell.” Ibn Abbas said, “If you must do so, make images of trees or whatever does not have a soul within it.”

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2110

Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Muslim

عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ كُلُّ مُصَوِّرٍ فِي النَّارِ يَجْعَلُ لَهُ بِكُلِّ صُورَةٍ صَوَّرَهَا نَفْسًا فَتُعَذِّبُهُ فِي جَهَنَّمَ وقَالَ ابْن عَبَّاسٍ إِنْ كُنْتَ لَا بُدَّ فَاعِلًا فَاصْنَعِ الشَّجَرَ وَمَا لَا نَفْسَ لَهُ

2110 صحيح مسلم كتاب اللباس والزينة باب تحريم تصوير صورة الحيوان وتحريم اتخاذ ما فيه صورة غير ممتهنة بالفرش ونحوه

 

Hadith on Shirk: The Prophet removes graven images from home

Aisha reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, entered the house while there was a curtain with pictures on it. The color of his face changed, then he grabbed the curtain and tore it into pieces. The Prophet said, “Verily, among the most severely punished on the Day of Resurrection are those who make such graven images.”

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6109, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2107

Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi (authenticity agreed upon) according to Al-Bukhari and Muslim

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا قَالَتْ دَخَلَ عَلَيَّ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ وَفِي الْبَيْتِ قِرَامٌ فِيهِ صُوَرٌ فَتَلَوَّنَ وَجْهُهُ ثُمَّ تَنَاوَلَ السِّتْرَ فَهَتَكَهُ وَقَالَتْ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِنَّ مِنْ أَشَدِّ النَّاسِ عَذَابًا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الَّذِينَ يُصَوِّرُونَ هَذِهِ الصُّوَرَ

6109 صحيح البخاري كتاب الأدب باب ما يجوز من الغضب والشدة لأمر الله

2107 صحيح مسلم كتاب اللباس والزينة باب تحريم تصوير صورة الحيوان وتحريم اتخاذ ما فيه صورة غير ممتهنة بالفرش ونحوه

 

Hadith on Images: Angels do not enter homes with dogs, graven images

Abu Talhah reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog, nor an image in a likeness.” Abu Talhah said, “The Prophet means by likeness an image of living souls.”

Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3225, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2106

Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi (authenticity agreed upon) according to Al-Bukhari and Muslim

عَنْ أَبِي طَلْحَةَ عَنْ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ لَا تَدْخُلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ بَيْتًا فِيهِ كَلْبٌ وَلَا صُورَةُ تَمَاثِيلَ وقال أبو طلحة يُرِيدُ التَّمَاثِيلَ الَّتِي فِيهَا الْأَرْوَاحُ

3225 صحيح البخاري كتاب بدء الخلق باب ذكر الملائكة

2106 صحيح مسلم كتاب اللباس والزينة باب تحريم تصوير صورة الحيوان وتحريم اتخاذ ما فيه صورة غير ممتهنة بالفرش ونحوه