Qur’anic Calligraphy in Mosque Spaces as Aesthetic Reception: A Living Qur’an and Phenomenological Study

Abstract

This study examines Qur’anic calligraphy in mosque spaces as a form of aesthetic reception within the framework of Living Qur’an studies. Focusing on three mosques in Jember Regency, East Java—Masjid Jami’ Al-Baitul Amin, Masjid Raudhotul Muchlisin, and Masjid Jami’ Al-Falah Mangli—this research explores how Qur’anic verses are visually presented, interpreted, and experienced by mosque congregants. Employing a qualitative phenomenological approach, data were collected through participant observation, in-depth interviews, and visual documentation. The findings reveal that Qur’anic calligraphy functions not merely as decorative ornamentation but as a multidimensional medium encompassing theological authority, aesthetic expression, and social meaning. Congregational reception varies from symbolic reverence and visual appreciation to deeper reflective engagement, shaped by individual religious knowledge and cultural context. Using Karl Mannheim’s sociology of knowledge, the study demonstrates that Qur’anic calligraphy embodies objective, expressive, and documentary meanings that collectively articulate Islamic identity and spiritual values within communal worship spaces. This research contributes to Living Qur’an scholarship by highlighting the significance of aesthetic practices in shaping contemporary Muslim religious experience.