Online Reflection 1

LECTURE 1

The first lecture was the beginning of my journey to Islamic Architecture. It introduced me on what is Islamic Architecture all about and taught me to posse a right attitude in perceiving the fundamental principle in order to show respect to its developed civilization.

So what is Islam actually means? This lecture taught me that the word of "Islam" is actually revealed the "total surrender or total submission" to the will of God.

Besides, this lecture also taught me on the ways to love God. One of them will definitely be the ability to admire and appreciate the things that created by God - The Universe / Nature.

I just love observing and feeling the nature. They somehow give me peace in my heart by merely peep on these pictures. No doubt that we as a human posses great responsibility in taking good care of these creations that given by God. While we as an architect, our task is to study and analyze our surroundings well before any designs come into place.

Now, so what about Islamic Architecture? Through this lecture it taught me that Islamic Architecture actually means: -

- Expression of Faith

- Looking Heavenwards

- Divine Present / Acknowledge of The Almighty Allah

- Conceive with Devotion > Just glorified shelter for sun/rain/wind

- Religious Conviction

- Place a premium on Reasons > The feelings of God Magnificence does not Defy Rational Explanation

As well as the definition of Islamic Architecture: - 

- Architecture inspired by The Glorious Allah

- Architecture to realize the Pillars of Islam

- Architecture as Pursuit of Knowledge

- Architecture as Pursuit of Beauty

- Architecture guided by Al Mighty Allah

- Architecture according to Sharia': Al-Quran, Al-Hadith & Ijtihad Ulama'

For Islamic Architecture, fundamental principles like the pillars of Islam needs to be included in order to show their total submission to God. The five pillars of Islam are the Shahadah, Salah, Zakah, Haji and Sawmi Ramadan.

Description for these five pillars of Islam are as below: -

1) Shahadah: The statement that there is no God worthy of worship except Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.

2) Salah: Five daily obligatory prayers.

3) Zakah: Yearly obligatory charity based upon your wealth; given to the poor of the Muslim community

4) Haji: Pilgrimage to Makkah made in the month of Thul Hijrah.

5) Sawmi Ramadan: Fasting of Ramadan.

Other than that, there're also important principles to learn throughout this course in order for me to obtain a deeper understanding on Islamic Architecture. It is called the seven principle of Islamic Architecture which as listed below:

1) Architecture as Tawhid: Unity & Uniquity of Allah
Asserting the unity or oneness of Allah, Unity is certainly one of the most outstanding characteristics of Islamic architecture. This unity reveals itself in religious buildings, in dwellings, and in all kinds of private and public edifices, whatever the place or the era.Islam is said to embody a cohesive way of life amongst ethnically and culturally diverse peoples, this is also a form of unity of mankind.

2) Architecture of Ihtiram: Respect
The respect is clear in the use of decorative Islamic calligraphy instead of pictures which were haram in mosque architecture. Note that in secular architecture, human and animal representation was indeed present. Islamic calligraphy shows also respect to the Quran verses.

3) Architecture with Ikhlas: Sincerity
Buildings that show the sincerity of the followers to defend their land and religion. But also, in buildings like mosque.

4) Architecture as Pursuit of 'Ilm: Knowledge
Pursuit of knowledge is shown in the many buildings that Muslim architects built for their communities to learn and spread the teachings of Islam.

5) Architecture for Iqtisad: Balance
The provision of natural cooling and heating symbolizes ecological moderation and balance.

6) Architecture of Haya': Modesty
The importance of the Islamic principle of Haya' is a main characteristic in Islamic architecture. Few cultures have been as successful at making modesty look good.The division of traditional houses and the use of window screens are practical and aesthetically appealing contributions, as well as being spiritually appropriate.

7) Architecture as Dikr: Remembrance
Intricate, almost hypnotic, patterns are said to resemble rhythmic chanting, a perfect architectural example of the principle of Dhikr, the remembrance of God.

ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE IN PROPHET MUHAMMAD SAW ERA - ISLAM AS WAY OF LIFE

"Ah yes, the past can hurt, but as I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it", by Ms Anida.

This quote truly strikes my heart, as we're given two choices which is either to run or to learn. Apparently throughout the whole lecture, I'm delighted to see the development that derived from on another to archive what we called, the modernization.

Wooden Mosque in Asaita Ethiopia, image source from http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1052/5142312814_e3269c5451_z.jpg

In Al-Qur'an 9:109 said that:

"Which, then, is the better: he who has founded his building on God-consciousness and [a desire for] His goodly acceptance - or he who has founded his building on the edge of a water-worn, crumbling river-bank, so that it [is bound to] tumble down with him..."

The Wooden Mosque, the first mosque that I've ever seen that is made of wood and it posses a lot of strict and detailed requirements behind even if it seems just a very simple structure. It indeed portrays a great example on building God's consciousness by applying natural materials and construction methods that available at that period to form a pure and authentic outcome.

"There is no God but The God/Allah and Mohammad is his Messenger/Prophet". This lecture also brief me on the basic introduction and history of Prophet Muhammad SAW. Prophet Muhammad SAW was born in Mecca around 570AD and there is where and when the revelation of Islam begun.

Prophet Muhammad SAW was the son of Abdullah, whose belonged and was amongst the chiefs of the Quraysh tribe, and the Bani-Hashim clan. His father passed away before his birth and his mother died at his age of six. Hence, Muhammad went first to stay with his grandfather Abd al-Muttalib who also passed away, and then with his uncle Abu Talib. Muhammad's parents early demise signified that he had insufficient education. Therefore, he shepherded sheep in order to support himself for living.

When he was at the age of 25, he was employed by Khadija, a wealthy widow to work as her agent to negotiate her business transactions. They got married when Khadija was at her age of 40. Early records report that "God comforted him through her, for she made his burden light."

In his late 30s, Prophet Muhammad SAW had been accustomed to secluding himself in a cave in Mount Hira, a few miles from Mecca to seek solitude and contemplation. One day at his age of 40, he returned from the cave telling his wife he had either gone mad or became a prophet, for he had been visited by an angel. It was the first revelation ever since in the cave at Mount Hira where he was commissioned as the Messenger of Allah (AWJ/SWT). He gained confidence after his wife first convert and support from additional angelic visit. He slowly proclaimed himself as the messenger of Allah and always carefully clarify his role in God's work that he was only a prophet who did not work miracles but simply preached what he had received. He continued to receive revelation and later collected into single work which called the Al-Quran.

The Quran recorded:

- Book of LAW

- Revelation of past incidences

- The good news & bad news

- Allah

- Miracles of Allah

The article below explains the influences of Quran in Islamic Architecture:

Like every other Islamic discipline, architecture and its development was very much influenced and directed by the Holy Qur'an and its philosophy of life.

The spirit of Islamic faith was the unifying factor which kept together different designs of building and molded them into a style representing the spirit of Unity in multiplicity - a unique characteristic of the Islamic architecture. It also reflects the remarkable sense of harmony and equilibrium between the different, and even the opposite elements. This is because the keynote of the Islamic sciences, including architecture, is the interdependence and interrelation of all things in the Universe. There is complete equilibrium in Islamic architectural designing, as well as in city planning, between the natural environment and the natural forces and elements, like water, air and light, which are essential to human life. In planning their buildings for residence, worship or business and the streets within the town area and for other basic necessities of the city life, Muslim architects made the maximum use of the natural factors available in the area. In hot areas, narrow streets were built to preserve the cool air of the night during the hot hours of the day. When the temperatures were very high, wind towers were built to ventilate residential buildings and low basements were used during summer for spending the hot hours of noon and also for cisterns to keep the water cool.

The Holy Qur'an presents the ideal architectural style which offers the maximum comforts, joy and beauty to the residents and is in complete equilibrium with the natural environment, making the maximum use of the natural factors with the least possible waste. It is described in very simple words in Surah Al-Imran, "But those who fear their Lord, for them are gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they are to dwell forever. A gift of welcome from their Lord." (Qur'an 3:198)

And in Surah Al-Tawbah, we read, "Gardens underneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide, and beautiful mansions in gardens of everlasting bliss." (Qur'an 9:72)

And in Surah Al-Sajdah is this revelation, "For those who believe and do righteous good deeds, for them are gardens (Paradise) as an entertainment, for what they used to do." (Qur'an 32:19)

In other words, their normal residence will be in gardens with all the usual facilities, comforts and peace of home but with the added pleasure and joy of a natural environment.

The Qur'an further mentions some of the additional facilities of these residential gardens in these words, "We shall soon admit (them) to gardens, with rivers flowing beneath, - their eternal home; and We shall admit them to shades, cool and ever deepening." (Qur'an 4:57)

And in Surah Al-Ra'd, we read, "A similitude of the garden which is promised to the righteous! Beneath it rivers flow; everlasting is the enjoyment thereof and its shade (cool and temperate)." (Qur'an 13:35)

This quality of their blissful residence is clearly described in this verse, "Reclining therein upon the couches, they will find there neither (heat of) a Sun nor (the Moon's) bitter cold. The shade of the (garden trees) is close upon them and the clustered fruits thereof hang low." (Qur'an 76:13-14)

And in Surah Al-Mursalat, we read, "As to the righteous, they shall be amidst (cool) shades and springs (of water). And they shall have fruits such as they desire." (Qur'an 77:41-42)

These descriptions of ideal buildings amidst a natural environment stimulated architectural styles in the early Islamic Era and produced architectural wonders such as the Alhambra of Granada, the beautiful and massive mosques of Cordoba and Seville, Medinat al-Zehra near Cordoba, the Dome of the Rock of Jerusalem, the mosques of Istanbul, the Ibn Tulun Mosque of Cairo and the Taj Mahal of Agra. Innumerable mosques, palaces and castles in Spain, North Africa, India, Turkistan, Iran and other Muslim countries bear evidence of the grandeur and majesty of the architectural styles and modes which sprang from the Qur'anic studies. The massive structural beauty and simplicity of these buildings, especially of mosques remind one of the Majesty and Greatness of The Creator.

Among many other aspects of the Islamic architecture, its identification with the environment is predominant. It is the influence of the Qur'an and the Islamic faith that a Muslim has always felt that his life on this Earth is that of a traveler on a journey and that his permanent home is elsewhere. He has therefore tried to live in peace and harmony with his environment with the least disturbance of the latter, and his architectural designs and town planning fully reflect this philosophy of life. Sayyed H Nasr in his article on Islamic Science states, "He has thus lived in equilibrium with his environment because he has submitted himself to the universal laws which dominate all levels of existence and which are the metaphysical source of the laws governing the natural world. He has lived in peace and harmony with The Almighty and His Laws and therefore with the natural environment which reflects on its own level the harmony and the equilibrium of the universal order."

Source from http://islamicbulletin.org/newsletters/issue_5/science.aspx