All students should feel safe and comfortable at school so they can learn. This is a simple statement that hides a multitude of complexities because human beings are diverse and complex. Accommodating Muslim students is one small part of this complexity, and the issue that seems to raise its head periodically in the art room is the question: Is it okay for Muslim students to draw/paint/sculpt human figures and faces?
I asked art teachers if they had come across this issue, and if so, what questions they had and what guidance would be helpful. This is what they asked:
Q: I have had Muslim students say they cannot draw faces. I don’t know if this is avoidance or true.
Q: If a student can’t draw portraits, how do I adapt lessons like self-portraits or figure drawing without them feeling left out?
Q: Does anyone know if Islamic beliefs about not drawing living things apply to all Muslims, or is it more about personal or family interpretation?
Q: What’s the best way/most sensitive way to approach parents about this?
Q: I’ve seen Islamic art with figures in it. Isn’t that proof that some Muslims don’t have a problem with it?
What does it say in the Quran?
I spoke to Anwar Akhtar, director of The Samosa Media project which is an an arts and media charity whose aim is to promote inclusivity, community cohesion and intercultural dialogue through the arts, film and media.
“There is nothing in the Quran that states you can’t draw humans or animals. In some Hadiths, images of living beings are discouraged based on concerns about idolatry.” Anwar Akhtar
A Hadith is a record of Islamic oral tradition that captures the reported sayings, phrases and actions of the Prophet Muhammad. Each Hadith is linked to a chain of narrators—individuals who are said to have transmitted and recounted the Hadith, forming a traceable line back to its origin.
Different Muslims have different beliefs. While some adhere to stricter interpretations based on Hadiths, others embrace a broader perspective that accommodates artistic expression.
Strategies for Accommodating Muslim Students in Art Lessons
You need to respect your students’ wishes when religious beliefs drive them. It is likely that they are repeating the wishes of their parents. Here are some ways to proceed.
- Ask and Listen:
- Have a respectful and private conversation with the student to understand their perspective. Explain that you understand that some Muslims will draw portraits and others won’t. I would try to gauge, from what the student says, how strict the parents might be!
- Contact Parents
- In a kind and non-confrontational way, explain to the student that when this situation arises, you always contact parents to see how they would like to proceed. There is a suggested email here that you can copy and tweak for your own use.
Depending on the feedback you receive from the student’s parents, they will either be able to proceed with the planned portrait project, or you will have to offer an alternative.
Offering an Alternative Project
I can suggest two ways to approach this. (Please comment below if you have other ideas!) The first is to offer a project that matches the existing learning objectives as closely as possible i.e. a similar project. The second is to draw upon the student’s culture and/or lived experience to create a project.
1. Offering a Similar Alternative Project
If you opt to offer a similar alternative project for a Muslim student, I would first look at the objectives of the portrait project and edit out the portrait-related content. See the example below. What would the new objectives be?
You could create a still-life or architectural or perspective project that included proportion and developing drawing skills, as well as tone, texture, and colour. Students could still experiment with different mediums and techniques and research relevant artists. All students could still self-assess and evaluate their work.
2. Offering a Project the Relates to the Student’s Culture/Experience
This would take a lot more think-on-your-feet planning. It would depend on how open and engaged the student was. If the student was at a stage in their art career where they could research independently, this could be an exciting route to go.
I appreciate that teaching is difficult enough and that running two projects simultaneously makes it more difficult but this is the profession we are in. Our job is to make sure every child in the room makes progress no matter their ability, gender, race, religion or background. Being sensitive and flexible is all part of that.
Below are Historical and the Contemporary Muslim Artists
Historical Figurative Muslim Artists
The artists below are widely assumed to be Muslim due to the cultural and political contexts in which they lived and worked. They created their art under the patronage of Muslim rulers in predominantly Islamic societies, producing works that aligned with Islamic traditions and aesthetics. Additionally, many of their commissions were for Islamic texts or court projects that reflected the values and narratives of the ruling elite.
Kamal ud Din Behzad (c. 1450–1535)
This illuminated manuscript can be found at the British Library. It clearly tells a story! Behzad was a master Persian miniaturist whose works often depicted human figures in richly detailed narrative scenes. I love the combination of flowing Persian text and simplified figures. This artwork contains a lot of detail and is only 24cm x 17cm.
Sultan Muhammad (c. 1500–1550)
This illustration can be found at the Aga Khan Museum in Canada. A leading painter of the Safavid Empire, Sultan Muhammad was renowned for his intricate and vibrant illustrations that depict human figures, animals and mythical scenes.
Mir Sayyid Ali (c. 1510–1572)
A prominent artist of the Mughal Empire, known for his refined and lifelike portraits as well as his richly detailed depictions of courtly life and historical events.
Contemporary Muslim Figurative Artists
The artists below create a wide variety of work and include portraiture as either their main or part of their practice.
Shirin Neshat (Iran/USA)
Shirin Neshat‘s photographs and video installations explore the cultural issues that shape her native Iran, with particular emphasis on the experience of women. Her powerful Woman of Allah, 1993–97 series combines images of women with written words taken from religious texts.
Lalla Essaydi (Morocco):
Lalla Essaydi, originally from Morocco and now based in the U.S., is represented by Howard Yezerski Gallery (Boston) and Edwynn Houk Gallery (New York). Her work, featured in collections like the Art Institute of Chicago and the Williams College Museum of Art, explores Arab female identity through a personal lens. Blending Islamic calligraphy with the female form, she revisits her Moroccan girlhood, navigating the space between past and present. Drawing on Orientalist imagery, her art challenges traditional narratives. She works across various media, including painting, photography, video, and installation.
“In my art, I wish to present myself through multiple lenses — as artist, as Moroccan, as traditionalist, as Liberal, as Muslim. In short, I invite viewers to resist stereotypes.”
Ala Ebtekar (Iran/USA):
Ala Ebtekar (b. 1978) is an American visual artist of Iranian descent, known for his work in painting, drawing, illumination, and installation. His art explores time, light, and the universe, blending scientific and historical perspectives. He reimagines centuries-old image-making techniques, creating works that collapse past, present, and future. Through sculpture and photography, Ebtekar invites us to see our fleeting moments as both small and significant.
Ahmed Mater (Saudi Arabia):
Ahmed Mater (b. 1979, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia) is a Saudi artist and physician known for working across photography, calligraphy, painting, installation, performance, and video. His art explores Islamic culture, history, and the rapid transformations shaping the region, often touching on themes of consumerism and geopolitics. His work has gained international recognition. In 2003, he co-founded Edge of Arabia, an initiative aimed at showcasing contemporary Arab, particularly Saudi, art and culture.
Hayv Kahraman (Iraq/USA):
Hayv Kahraman (b. 1981, Baghdad, Iraq) is a Los Angeles-based artist whose work explores themes of identity, memory, and migration, shaped by her experience as an Iraqi refugee. Her paintings often center on the human body, representing both herself and the collective experience of displacement.
Kahraman has held solo exhibitions at institutions like CAM St. Louis, the Joslyn Museum of Art, and the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. Her work has also been featured in major group exhibitions, including No Man’s Land: Women Artists from the Rubell Family Collection and UNREALISM in Miami. She was shortlisted for the 2011 Jameel Prize at the Victoria and Albert Museum and has received the Excellence in Cultural Creativity award from the Global Thinkers Forum.
Wafaa Bilal (Iraq/USA):
Iraqi-born artist Wafaa Bilal is internationally known for his interactive and performance-based works that spark conversations about politics, war, and identity. His art explores the contrast between his life in the U.S. and his deep connection to Iraq.
In his 2007 project Domestic Tension, Bilal lived in a gallery for a month while online participants could remotely fire a paintball gun at him—a powerful commentary on war and surveillance. The Chicago Tribune named him 2008 Artist of the Year, and his book Shoot an Iraqi reflects on this experience. He continues to push boundaries with projects like 3rdi, And Counting…, and 168:01, which raises awareness about cultural destruction and the power of education.
Bilal’s work has been featured in the Iranian pavilion at the 2015 Venice Biennale and is held in collections such as LACMA, the Museum of Contemporary Photography (Chicago), and MATHAF (Qatar). He holds degrees from the University of New Mexico and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is currently an Arts Professor at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.
Melek Mazici (Turkey/Finland):
Melek Mazici (b. 1956, Istanbul) is a visual artist who has called Finland home since 1981, first in Turku and later in Helsinki. Blending Finnish and Turkish influences isn’t just part of her life—it’s a key inspiration for her art.
Her work often explores the subconscious, bringing hidden images to the surface. Through contrasts of space and harmony, her paintings create a dreamlike sense of depth, revealing the quiet yet powerful worlds our minds can imagine.
Imran Qureshi (Pakistan):
Imran Qureshi blends traditional 16th-century Mughal miniature art with contemporary abstraction, creating paintings and installations that explore themes of beauty, violence, and renewal. His signature use of gold leaf symbolizes the celestial, while red paint and delicate floral motifs reflect both fragility and resilience. His work balances contrasts—violence and beauty, death and regeneration—highlighting the tension between tradition and modern life. For Qureshi, the flowers emerging from his paintings represent hope, a reminder that even in hardship, the possibility of renewal remains.
I would love to hear about your experience of accommodating Muslim students in your art room. Please comment below.
Useful Resources
Muslim Council of Britain – Resources for Schools
The British Museum Islamic Gallery
The Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo
Further Reading
What Is Cultural Competence In Education? Why It’s Important
Assessing Teachers’ Cultural Competency
