The Story of a Picture Shiite Depictions of Muhammad

Abstract

In spite of the relative prohibition of graphic representation of living beings, especially members of the Prophet’s family,1 as expressed by religious authorities in the Islamic world, colourful paper prints showing Ali, son-inlaw of Muhammad, and his sons Hassan and Hussayn, even the Prophet himself, are not rare in contemporary Iran. In this article the authors tell the story of how a picture of a Tunesian boy became the model for popular selling posters depicting the Prophet Muhammad as a beautiful young man.2