Ihsan (c) 2010 Aida Toure

Description: “Ihsan” is a 3 inches wide painting on a cuff bracelet. Ihsan which means” doing what’s beautiful” evokes the very essence of spirituality. Ihsan represents harmonious acts that can only rise from cultivation of a pure heart. This wearable painting has green, blue, golden, diamond, salmon orange and flesh pink colors, its backing is a pink velvet that feels extremely soft on the skin. To see different angles of this jewel please visit fragranceoflight.com.

~Ihsan~

The lover always looks
to lose her senses
in the Bliss of Tawhid,
her heart wandering
the scope of its own expansion
only to return to
divine immersion,
for it knows the Majesty
of its Source.
Lo! Illumination is the kiss
of Ihsan upon the lover’s soul.

(c) 2010 Aida Toure.

THE THRONE 3″ WEARABLE PAINTING:  cuff bracelet

The Throne (c) 2010 Aida Toure | fragranceoflight.com

Description:  “The Throne” is a 3 inches wide cuff bracelet, all hand-painted with acrylic; it was very pleasant to work on the details of this scintillating piece. “The Throne” evokes the original station of the soul as we journey through the material dimension that may seem disharmonious yet we are still connected to the most sublime Reality; our challenge is to awaken to it like all the sages (as) have done through meditation/prayer and virtuous living. (More about the jewel on fragranceoflight.com)

THE LOTUS OF THE LIMIT/SIDRAT-AL-MUNTAHA 22″x28″  acrylic on canvas

The Lotus of the Limit

Description: In the Islamic tradition, The Lotus of The Limit is a gigantic celestial Tree that represents the point beyond which no one passes but the beloved (saw) of The Divine. This painting was inspired from a reality that is beyond the seven heavens and which was experienced by Prophet Muhammad (saw) during his nocturnal Miraj’ or Ascension. The poem that offered this painting was Sidrat Al Muntaha, The Lotus of The Limit.

~ Sidrat-al-Muntaha: Lotus of The Limit ~

Everywhere I look
it circles and circles!
My heart curves

to the calligraphy
of your Love.
Muted by Sound

and shapelessness,
ego falls off itself
and bows with joy,

all of being now
surrendered as if the letters
printed of the Scriptures.

Each page, an immaculate cloak
around the gentle soul
who whirls to the tone

of the Return.
Bewildered by the Book
of the Universe,

your inner being leaps
from worlds to worlds
wild yet wise, it reads Nature

Jesus (as) appears upon the Word
Moses (as) nearby
and Muhammad (saw) passes

the Lotus of the Limit
to unite with the Light
that made him.

There is some universal prayer
which the prophets (as) lead,
all in unity; lo! Sura Al Kahf

strolls by the eye
and right then Aida’s
brush dries out!

2007 copyrights Aida Toure.

EMERALD VERSES 20″x10″ acrylic on canvas panel

Emerald Verses (c) 2007 Aida Toure

Description: “Emerald Verses” was inspired from this poem. Working on it felt like an unending calligraphic promenade that relates of our collective journeying from and toward The Creator of the Worlds.

Love is the fragrance that invites mankind to The Divine One’s apostles (as), their Revelations awaken us to the Way all human souls innately know.

~ Emerald Verses ~

Illuminated is the Heart
that chants the glories

of The Sublime’s throne.
Blessed be the soul

who embraces Injil
through the Holy Qur’an

like earth embraces truths
through the galaxies’ currents.

The Word commands “read!”
Lo! The inner eye opens:

Djibril (as) on his emerald seat,
Jesus (as) walking upon the sea,

Noah (as) gathers the light of humanity
and prophet Muhammad (saw)

crowns the collective being
with the altitudes of humility.

You see, Love is this gentleness
that governs the Muslim Universe,

while the moon transcribes to us:
“… unto Him is the journeying!”

2007 copyrights Aida Toure

THE PROPHETS’ FOOTPRINTS 14″x18″ acrylic on canvas

Prophets' Footprints (c) 2006 Aida Toure

Description: This painting celebrates the lovers’ aspirations to follow the prophets (as) in their unity. The center of the piece here represents the inner/outer Kabba/Center where the prophets (as) of The Divine converged, leaving their luminous footprints for us to trace and follow with grace and love. “The Prophets Footprints” started from this poem.

~ The Prophets’ Footprints ~

Look at what you started!

Love has knocked again…

A kiss on your hand’s scent

and the soul collapses, every time

with the wish to no longer be.

Who will attenuate this tender

teasing that only you can do?

You drop red gold nuggets

on the believers’ prayer mat,

Love nurses their fragments

and the royally wretched

ego walks out but to follow

the prophets (as) footprints.

We delight in not-being

and in laying at your feet,

alternately.

There is the flirtation

we wanted: continuous,

lingering long enough

to silence the bells

of grief, of temporality.

Your kindness has left

our shy hearts confounded

wondering how we are

worthy of all this Mercy.

2007 copyrights Aida Toure.