Challenging the widely held but erroneous belief that Islam forbids the representation of prophets and saints, Flaskserud (U. of Bergen, Norway) explores Islamic iconography and Muslim perspectives on the use of imageries in ritual contexts and devotional life, by analyzing the representation, reception, and function of imageries in Iranian Shia environments. The study is based on her ethnographic field research with male and female informants in Iran between 1999 and 2003, but also incorporates an iconography approach. She considers in turn the portrait of Imam Ali, the battle at Karbala, and images and decorative designs in ritual space. Specific topics include the iconography of Imam Ali and its reception, the representation and reception of Karbala in color posters, and images in the liturgy of commemoration and celebration. Annotation ©2011 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)