Our Vision
We believe a beautified space fosters the inculcation of love of God. For centuries, the Muslim civilization acknowledged this. It is apparent in our architecture, calligraphy, ceramics, textiles, mastery of geometric designs, mosaics, metalwork, and more.
As Muslims living in the West, we recognize the challenge of decorating and beautifying our spaces with quality items that reflect the core values of our tradition. It is difficult to find quality Islamic goods and decor pieces. The market is inundated with low-cost mass-produced items originating from all the common countries we now complacently expect to manufacture everything.
Asrar’s goal is to offer you an alternative: expertly curated, one-of-a-kind Islamic goods and home decor offered in the form of thematic “collections”—each item is unique, thus once sold, will likely not be offered again. We strive to exclusively offer products that are aesthetically beautiful and spiritually relevant. We hope that these items contribute at least a partial role in driving your heart to the Divine and reminding you of His Magnificence, God willing.
The Name "Asrār"
Asrar is an Arabic word that is the plural form of “sirr,” which literally means “secret”. In traditional Islamic discourse, asrar signifies a specific spiritual connotation of subtle secrets hidden within the innermost center of consciousness of the human. Through the Divine Unveiling (kashf) of the sirr, it becomes possible to commence the discernment of the real from the illusory.
In his famous collection of Sufi aphorisms, the great 13th century scholar and mystic Shaykh Ibn ‘Ata’illah al-Iskandarī uses the term asrar to denote innermost secrets and spiritual openings that are awakened in the heart of the worshiper when he seeks his Lord. “When the foreign veils are removed from their hearts during the ritual prayer, thus eliminating any impediments, the doors of hidden divine mysteries and the secrets of divine knowledge open up in their hearts. Thus their ritual prayer becomes the substratum for communion with their Lord. Their hearts become imbued with sincerity and love, leaving no room whatsoever for anything besides Allah.”[1]
Thus, the ritual prayer is a profound avenue for connecting with one’s Lord in part due to the unparalleled proximity (not literally with respect to space) to God one may achieve in those moments. In one Prophetic narration, the blessed Prophet Muhammad (salla Allah alayhi wa sallam) states: The nearest a servant comes to his Lord is when he is prostrating himself, so make supplication (in this state).
About the Curator
The visionary, designer, and curator behind this project is Iman Hamze. Iman has honed an eye for design throughout her career. She started as an event manager and designer at Zaytuna College in Berkeley, CA, her alma mater. Since then, she has been trusted by many corporate clients to beautify their events including, Visa, EA Sports (Madden), Basis Set Ventures, Restoration Management Company, the Islamophobia Studies Center and more.
She also consults clients on home and office design, interior decorating, and other creative projects. She is currently collaborating on the design of a one-of-a-kind, eccentric pediatric dental office.
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I’d like to include a small dedication to my family without whom I would not be where I am today. This includes my in-laws who support my every endeavor and have added so much to my life. My siblings whom I love and cherish deeply, and their beautiful children, my nieces and nephews, who are a light in my life and in this world. My mother, my mother, my mother - for whom there are no words to adequately express my gratitude and adoration towards. And finally, my husband, whom God has blessed me beyond measure to know and love. May Allah bless and protect our loved ones. Ameen.