In an era where religions violently dominate society and the human mind, the (mis)interpretation of the holy scripts is like an endless table tennis game, where the role of the table has been taken by the uneducated and the insecure. Darkness is everywhere and the only light is the one of a fragile surface.
God Bless is a series of four paintings, based on the writings of the two most influential books of the human history, the Quran and the Bible (Old and New Testament).
God Bless II includes writings of the Quran in Arabic.
Medium: oil, spray & acrylic on canvas
Dimensions: 91 x 122cm
Year: 2015
Chapter/Verse
2/188 – And do not consume one another’s wealth unjustly or send it [in bribery] to the rulers in order that [they might aid] you [to] consume a portion of the wealth of the people in sin, while you know [it is unlawful]
2/190 – Fight in the way of Allah those who fight you but do not transgress. Indeed. Allah does not like transgressors
2/195 – And do good; indeed, Allah loves the doers of good
2/231 – When ye have divorced women, and they have reached their term, then retain them in kindness or release them in kindness. Retain them not to their hurt so that ye transgress (the limits)
2/256 – There is no compulsion in religion
2/274 – Those who spend their wealth [in Allah ‘s way] by night and by day, secretly and publicly – they will have their reward with their Lord. And no fear will there be concerning them, nor will they grieve
4/2 – And give to the orphans their properties and do not substitute the defective [of your own] for the good [of theirs]. And do not consume their properties into your own. Indeed, that is ever a great sin
4/130 – But if they separate [divorce], Allah will enrich each from His abundance
5/5 – Live with them [your wives] in honour, not in fornication, nor taking them as secret concubines
5/32 – Whosoever killeth a human being for other than manslaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind
7/33 – My Lord has only forbidden immoralities – what is apparent of them and what is concealed – and sin, and oppression without right
8/61 – And if they incline to peace, then incline to it [also] and rely upon Allah. Indeed, it is He who is the Hearing, the Knowing
11/85 – O my people! Give full measure and full weight in justice, and wrong not people in respect of their goods. And do not evil in the earth, causing corruption
17/31 – And do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you. Indeed, their killing is ever a great sin
18/46 – But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [one’s] hope
23/96 – Repel evil with that which is better
42/42 – The way (of blame) is only against those who oppress mankind, and wrongfully rebel in the earth
45/15 – Whoever does a good deed – it is for himself; and whoever does evil – it is against the self. Then to your Lord you will be returned
55/9 – And establish weight in justice and do not make deficient the balance
73/10 – And be patient over what they say and avoid them with gracious avoidance
Panos Antonopoulos 