Paper short abstract:

In Kuwait, art serves as a mediation between Shia artists, God and Ahl Al-Bayt. The exchange of service with the latter results in specific rewards and gifts Known as Karamat. This paper will give an overview of how art is used as service to saints and what type of encounters are known as Karamat.

Paper long abstract:

In the west and most academic literature, it is believed that figures are forbidden in Islam and Islamic art is mainly known in the form of architecture, textile, ceramics and geometrical shapes. In this paper, I will briefly present an art form that is very common among Shia in the Arabian Gulf, notably in Kuwait and it is all about figures.

The term Karamat does not have a direct translation in English. It can be a kind of a miracle or a marvel, depending on context. Karamah (sig)/Karamat (plu) stems from the Arabic noun Karam which means generosity and it can be a verb by adding and removing some letters which gives a range of meanings like hospitable, kindness, and respectable. One of the important pillars in the Shia faith is the belief in Ghayb (the unknown) which gives a platform for topics like karamat and dreams to be taken seriously.

Mu'jizat and Karamat can be both translated as miracles. Mittermaier (2015) discusses the difference between these two terms in the context of Egypt and states that Mu'jizat is used among Muslim and Christian circles, whereas Karamat is generally only used by Muslims and it refers to saint's miraculous deeds which are different from those of prophets. By focusing on two stories, I shall draw upon the type of art prevailing in the region, what role a karamah has and how it is different from place like Egypt for instance.