Online Reflection 3

LECTURE 3

Through this lecture, it taught me about:

1) Architecture with Ikhlas: Sincerity

2) Architecture as pursuit of 'Ilm: Knowledge

ARCHITECTURE WITH IKHLAS: SINCERITY

"And withal, they were not enjoined aught but that they should worship God, sincere in their faith in Him alone, turning away from all that is false; and that they should spend in charity; for this is a moral law endowed with ever-time soundness and clarity." Al-Qur’an 98:5

To define this principle, there are two modes of expression of submission to God:

i) Outward physical actions of the body (prayer)

ii) Inward action of the heart

Through these, I've learnt to analyze whereby the islamic architecture got to reflect the principle through its exterior and interior. Other than that, this principle has explained that Muslim need to achieve their belief / Aqidah by removing their doubt of God from heart. Also, the sincerity of the heart involves deep contemplative or constant thoughtful as well as achieve purity in mind in order to build within the conformity to God's will.

To translate all these into architecture, the design considerations are expressed as below:

i) Spaces are constructed with the absence of human imaginary idols. All portraiture of rusul / prophet / divine messenger / apostle / companions / saints / Muslims scholars and etc. are avoided in order to prevent idolatrous worship and to show respect to God.

ii) Art without showing images but sublime silence for contemplation. Muslims use nature and project soul through geometric subtraction as well as the application of prominent role of mathematic. They are inseparable as it is the sacred nature of islamic architecture that also came from Quranic.

Nature such as flora is translated into architecture by using geometric subtraction, image source from lecture note

iii) Integration of Mathematics allows embodiment of geometric proportion, harmony and balance. For example like Karatay Madrassa (School of Sacred Science) by Jalaluddin Karatay, its architecture has shown sincerity by constructing a central dome that open to sky and evoke non-materiality and intellectual beauty by using the integration of mathematics.

Karatay Madrassa, image source from http://www.muslimheritage.com/ImageLibrary/karatayFigure4.jpg

Central dome of Karatay Madrassa, image source from http://dome.mit.edu/bitstream/handle/1721.3/65652/157209_sv.jpg?sequence=2

Plan shows balance of Karatay Madrassa whereby it can be mirrored, image source from http://www.muslimheritage.com/ImageLibrary/InceFigure1.jpg

iv) Courtyard or garden are constructed in domestic living spaces. They are arranged around as it shows a celestial paradise presentiment according to al-Quran. For example like Palatine town of Medina Azahara, its high garden allows view to lower garden and general landscape that has provided a feeling of taste of paradise that placed at its feet, as it crossed with pools or pavilion in its intersection. By having gardens through which running water flow gives the sense of delight.

Palatine town of Medina Azahara, image source from http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QLJyOgFyr2k/TbiDAWzczcI/AAAAAAAAA5Y/aIhIfdaTIsE/s1600/003-patio-jardin-medina-azahara-jardinsuperior-seccion-long.jpg

Acequia Court shows pool in courtyard, image source from http://www.eveandersson.com/photos/spain/granada-generalife-palacio-patio-de-la-acequia-large.jpg

v) Reflection of light, refraction and transformation of light rays produce from the water makes the buildings richer in terms of beauty, grace and elegance.

Arrayanes Court shows casted shadow and reflection of it, image source from http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6157/6191757615_04fb832bcd.jpg

One of the famous example would be the Alcazar of Seville, Spain that achieved "ikhlas" principle through architectural design.

Alcazar of Seville shows pool inside a courtyard, image source from  http://www.hotelsevillapalace.es/CLIENTES/www.hotelsevillapalace.es/imagenes/galeria/alcazares.jpg

ARCHITECTURE AS PURSUIT OF 'ILM: KNOWLEDGE

“Read - for thy Sustainer is the Most Bountiful One who has taught (man) the use of a pen - taught man what he did not know.” Al-Quran 96: 3-5

Knowledge is the light of truth. As Prophet Muhammad SAW always told Muslims that acquisition of knowledge is corresponding with clear vision and it is mandatory upon every Muslims. It can be portrayed through architectural way as below:

i) Architecture of Inscription. The Arabic language will be expressed using calligraphy that carved on the buildings to celebrate aesthetic and reveal ilm' and wisdom word of Quran.

Islamic Architecture of inscription, image source from http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5245/5374712720_72e6e7f4e4_o.jpg

ii) Architecture of light as expression. The building will illuminate due to the effects of sun rays and moon light and it will reveal intricacy through the casted shadow from the wall inscription or ornamentation. While the moving point source nature of sunlight will bring every individual at different spaces to project soul with light and experience God as if God is speaking to them.

Light as expression, image aource from http://www.allempires.com/forum/uploads/3/Vakil.jpg

iii) The building has to be the focal point of education and culture to allow Muslims develop wisdom and knowledge in order to perform well in future for evolution.

Al-Azhar Mosque as a place of knowledge spreading, image source from http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5191/5821545980_29afe3f43c_z.jpg

Arabic inscription on wall, image source from http://farm1.staticflickr.com/219/464483772_abc86d58f3_o.jpg

THE ABBASIDS OF BAGHDAD

The Abbasid dynasty (750-1517 AD / 132-93 AH) held political leadership of the Islamic world from the Umayyad caliphs in the middle of the eighth century, declaring their position as male descendants of Muhammad through his uncle, al-Abbas, to legitimize their assert to the caliphate.

Whereas Umayyad architecture developed from the Hellenistic and Late Antique tradition of the eastern Mediterranean, Abbasid architecture is noticeable by a new monumental scale, the utilize of structural systems composed of massive brick piers and arches, and adornment of brick and carved and molded stucco. Moving the caliphal capital from Syria to Iraq, where they discovered the new city of Baghdad, the Abbasids appropriated much of the eastern artistic traditions of the former Sasanian empire into their urban design and architecture. The new capital city of Baghdad was discovered near the ancient Sasanian capital of Ctesiphon, and with its symbolically charged round plan epitomizes the integration of eastern models of kingship into a new architectural ethos.

Abbasid Baghdad is also known as the Round City, because it was surrounded by a moat and outer wall that formed a perfect circle.  This unique layout was not completely without precedent—it was based on Sassanian traditions (the ancient Sassanian capital of Ctesiphon was located nearby), and incorporated earlier Near Eastern models of kingship. Image source from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/82/Baghdad_150_to_300_AH.gif

Mosque

The combination of eastern traditions with building types established during the Umayyad period is especially evident in Abbasid mosques. Though they continued to make use of the Umayyad rectangular hypostyle plan with arcaded courtyard and covered prayer hall, the Abbasids constructed mosques characterized by their monumental scale and the integration of brick construction, stucco ornament, and architectural forms developed in Mesopotamia and regions to the east. The Great Mosque of al-Mutawakkil at Samarra, still the greatest mosque in the world, with its fortified appearance, reliance on brick construction, and the spiral minaret (perhaps drawing on the ancient Near Eastern tradition of the ziggurat) axially aligned with the mihrab, exemplifies the Abbasid mosque type. Other surviving Abbasid mosques are the late ninth-century Mosque of Ibn Tulun in Cairo, the Tarik Khane of Damghan (Iran) of between 750-89, and the ninth-century Masjid-I-Tarikh in Balkh, Afghanistan.

The Great Mosque of al-Mutawakkil at Samarra, image source from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/Great_Mosque_of_Samarra.jpg

For The Great Mosque of Samarra constructed by al-Mutawakkil was 256 by 139 metres (840 by 456 ft) and columns supported a flat wooden roof. The mosque was decorated with marble panels and glass mosaics. The prayer hall of the Abu Dulaf mosque at Samarra used arcades on rectangular brick piers running at right angles to the qibla wall. Both of the Samarra mosques have spiral minarets, the only examples in Iraq. A mosque at Balkh in what is now Afghanistan was about 20 by 20 metres (66 by 66 ft) square, with three rows of three-square bays, sustaining nine vaulted domes.

Palace

While, Abbasid palaces established the same monumental scale, the use of brick construction, and widespread stucco ornamentation that appear in the mosques. In contrast to the relatively modest and self-contained Umayyad estates, the Abbasid palaces of Samarra (founded 836, abandoned in 892) and the Jawsaq al-Kharqani or Bayt al-Khalifa of c. 836 included military quarters, extensive gardens and recreational spaces, residential courts and richly decorated ceremonial spaces in sprawling complexes along the Tigris.

Abbasid palace, image source from http://www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/imageislam/EricaImages/AbbPalace.jpg

The earliest Abbasid palace, constructed around 775, is the al-Ukhaidir Fortress. It shows a plan derived from earlier Sasanian and Umayyad palaces. The palace lies in the desert about 180 kilometres (110 mi) to the south of Baghdad. It is rectangular in shape, 175 by 169 metres (574 by 554 ft), with four gates. Three are in half-round towers that protrude from the wall, and one in a rectangular recess in the wall. Inside there is a vaulted entrance hall, a central court, an iwan (hall) open to the court opposite the entrance hall, and residential units. Sasanian techniques persist in the construction of vaults with pointed curves using rubble and mortar faced with brick and stucco, blind arches as adornment for large wall surfaces, and long vaulted halls with recesses behind arches supported by heavy pillars. Verbal descriptions signify that palaces in Baghdad had similar layout, although on a larger scale. 

Al-Ukhaidir Fortress, image source from http://mw2.google.com/mw-panoramio/photos/medium/89110493.jpg

Palaces at Samara such as al-'Ashiq and al-Jiss, built around 870, portray polylobed moldings carved deeply into the intrados of the arches, giving the appearance of a foliate arch. Floors were sometimes of marble, more often tiled. The reception rooms of palaces at Samarra had carved or molded stucco dados decorating the lower part of the walls, and stucco also decorated doorframes, wall-niches and arches, in three distinct styles. Other palaces that have been excavated often have a domed central chamber surrounded by four iwans facing outward.

Abassid architecture shows the application of arches and stucco, image source from http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/Porte_Grande_Mosquée_El_Mehdi_Mahdia.JPG

Information's source from:

1) http://archnet.org/library/sites/sites.jsp?letter=&country_code=&place_id=&type=&style=Abbasid&usage=&century=&decade=&order_by=site&showdescription=1

2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbasid_architecture

For extra information please check out http://islamic-arts.org/2011/architecture-of-the-abbasids-iraq-iran-and-egypt/