In fact, the only man-made image
事实上 唯一的人造图像
is a wonderful piece of calligraphy
是一件杰出的书法作品
which is a quote from the Koran.
语句出自《古兰经》
It's as if what we're expected to do when we come in here
就好像我们来到这里的意义就是
is to see and go away with the Word of God.
目睹真主阿拉的启示 并将其铭记于心
Islam, as a faith of the word,
作为一门恪守经文的宗教
is enshrined in the Koran itself.
伊斯兰铭刻于《古兰经》中
There are many famous sayings and stories that condemn idolatry
有许多有名的谚语和故事谴责盲目崇拜
and give warning about the dangers of images.
并且对图像的危险给予了警告
But in the ancient city of Istanbul itself,
但在古城伊斯坦布尔
a very different picture of Islam fills our field of vision.
进入我们视野的却是一幅迥异的伊斯兰图景
Islam is absolutely not an artless religion.
伊斯兰教绝不是缺乏艺术的宗教
In the whole history of the faith,
在它的整个历史进程中
you cannot trace a single, uncontested line
你无法根据某一条毫无争议的线索
about images of living creatures or about the image of God.
回溯生物图案或真主肖像的发展过程
In the Middle Ages, the Islamic world held some of the most
中世纪时 伊斯兰世界针对美学
intricate debates on aesthetics, the nature of beauty,
美的本质 人类眼睛的光学原理
the optics of the human eye,
以及我们对自然界的感知
and our sensory experience of the natural world.
发起了多次极为复杂的争论
And there's a kaleidoscope of stories and parables
千变万化的故事与寓言

that are Islam's conversation with itself
描述了伊斯兰教内部
about the role of the artist and the purpose of the image.
对艺术家角色与图像意义进行的讨论
And one of the most revealing
其中一个最具启发性的故事
takes us into the domestic life
带我们一窥先知穆罕默德
of the Prophet Muhammad himself.
本人的家庭生活
One day, Muhammad came home to discover that his wife Aisha
有一天 穆罕默德回家发现妻子阿伊莎
had acquired a tapestry
得到了一条挂毯
with images of living creatures woven into the design.
花纹中交织着生物的图案
And she'd hung it up.
她把它挂了起来