Muslims excelled in ornate and intricate designs since they rejected drawing and sculpting the human image for fear of idolatry. Their artistic style consists of rugs, silks, leatherwork, metal work, cotton textiles, highly glazed ceramics, and fine glass, as well as wall hangings, tiles, inlaid metalwork, carved wood, and furniture. Another art polished to sheen by Muslims was calligraphy, or stylized form of penmanship that developed into a form of the lesser arts and with which they decorated their manuscripts and books. Calligraphy was also used to beautify mosques, palaces, mausoleums, and shrines (as illustrated by the Alhambra and the Dome of the Rock) where painted and highly glazed tiles decorated the interior and the exterior of their buildings, whilst gold leafing and gold ink were used to decorate the Quran, and floral designs and geometric patterns, with bold borders on each page, employed to enhance Muslim books and manuscripts.
4. Recreation
The two most accessible types of recreation for all classes of society in the Muslim World were music and poetry. Religious poetry was a favorite played to the accompaniment of musical instruments. Some of the instruments that were used consisted of short-necked lutes, flutes, drums, and fiddles. Another popular Islamic recreation included board games, of which two of the more popular were backgammon and chess. Chess, in fact, was introduced to the Islamic World through India.
Muslims also enjoyed bathing. Public baths were arenas which upper-class men and women frequented separately in order to relax. They were open to the separate sexes on alternate days, and would double as private clubs where people could fraternize, gossip, and catch up onto the latest news. Their soak, steam, and massage would often be accompanied by music. In fact, music was a favorite occupation.
Muslims of the Classical Period also engaged in outdoor sports such as archery, javelin throwing, fencing, polo, hunting, horse racing (the sport of royalty in the Middle East with Arabian horses the steed most chosen due to their breeding and pedigree), and...
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