About a month ago, I was asked by a friend to create something beautiful for his daughter, who gets married today. We settled on a mirror. I planed, sanded and beveled the baswood boards, then routed a bead on the inside of the frames before carving. The wood was finished with linseed oil and then polyurethaned for protection. The picture of the entire frame is a little blurry, please see the following close ups of the individual sides.
On the bottom I carved the words “Allah is beautiful and He loves beauty.” This is a hadith, something Muhammad (pbuh) was recorded to have said. Of course, in the context of a mirror, I intended more than a surface interpretation of the hadith. The intent was that a person look in the mirror and reflect on the divine beauty they carry inside.
On the top of the Mirror I carved Allah in the center, and I surrounded it with two wings made of hanging flowers. The wings stem from two rosettes that are based on a twelve point geometry.
On the right side of the mirror I carved a rose, and on the associated scroll I carved the divine name al-Wadude, the Love.
On the left side of the mirror I carved a dove carrying a banner which reads, as-Salaam, the Source of Peace and Safety.
When you build a mirror it is hard not to see yourself in your work!
I am grateful for the opportunity to work on such an extensive project, and hope it is enjoyed by the new bride and groom for many years to come.
mashAllah, bless you and your work, it is enviable 🙂