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Architecture Its philosophy, spiritual significance & some early developments
BY: SPAHIC OMER
Published by
(iJ - - - - A . S . NOORDEEN - - - -
C Dr. Spahic Orner Firsl Published 1430 /2009
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or slored in a rettieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher.
Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia
Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
Dr. Spahic Orner
Islamic Architecture I Dr. Spahic Omer Bibliography: IDS. 371 ISBN: 978-983-065-286-3 I. Malays-Malaysia. 2. Malays-Malaysia-Social conditions. 3. Malays-Malaysia-Politics and govemmenL 4. Malays-Malaysia Econimic conditions. I. Title. 305.89923 ;-
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Published by h; ,I A.s. NOORDEEN i."!l;:~ ::v:::. \trS 1:;:rq P.G.Box 42 - Gombak, \ Location: ~fPJ 1\5T/\( J)lJLAI fK IJJ 53800 Kuala Lumpur Tel: 03-40236003 Fax: 03-40213675 e-mail:
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Contents Introdudion
ix
1 Towards an Understanding of Islamic Architecture Introduction The meaning of Islamic architecture Islamic architecture as a means, not an end Two examples: the Islamic house and the mosque The house The mosque
Practicing and teaching Islamic architecture today Islamic versus Muslim architecture The Qusayr al-Amra palace as an example
1 1 8 21 27
35 43 ; 48
2 A Conceptual Framework for Islamic Architecture
Introduction Tawhid (God's Oneness) The implications of tawhid for architecture Man as the vicegerent (khoJifah) on earth v
57 59 63 75
ISlAMIC ARCHITECTURE
The relationship between the vicegerent (khalifah!
and environment Environment as Allah's faithful servant The implications of the concept of man as the vicegerent (khalifah) on earth for architecture Comprehensive excellence (ihsan) The implications of comprehensive excellence for architecture Islam as the final and universal revelation The implications of Islam as the final and universal revelation for architecture
77 81 86 96 98 108 115
3 Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and Islamic Architecture Introduction 125 Islam and society 126 The Qur'an and the Prophet's sunnah (traditions) 130 as the foundation of Islamic architecture Islam and the categorization of building activities 136 Prophet Muhammad's attitude towards 141 architecture Building mosques for Allah 144 Mosque decoration 147 Building activities over graves 152 Building hauses 154
Some of the Prophet's disapproving traditions on building The Prophet's mosque as an epitome of the Prophet's contribution to the evolution of the identity of Islamic architecture
Function-form relationship VI
164
170 175
CONTENTS
Respect for the environment. Cleanliness Comprehensive excellence Promoting just saciDl interactions "La darar wa la dirar" (There is no inflicting or returning of hnrm) Indigenous versus foreign influences
178 182
183 185 189
193
4 Islamic Architecture after Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) Introduction The genesis of Islamic architecture and the genesis of Islamic civilization The Umayyads The first Abbasid period Islamic architecture and the Islamization of the community Establishing tokrant relations with non-Muslims as a segment of the Islamization of the community A "prelude" to Islamic architecture First category: The austere Muslim buildings Second category: Transforming churches and temples into mosques First example: the Great Umayyad Mosque in Damascus , Second example: the Persian fwdn (Hall) in al-Madd'in or Ctesiphon : Avoiding architectural deviations Following in religion vis-a-vis inventing in civilization The case of the caliph Mu'awiyah b. Abi Sufyan
vii
200 202 214 231
253
259 265 266
,275 283
306
311 318
324
lSl.AMIC AROiITECfURE
The caliph aI-Walid b. Abd ai-Malik and the Great Urnayyad Mosque The case of the caliph U"",r b. Abd al-Aziz Funerary architecture . . . . arch'rlecture Po/JhczzJng The pragmatism and functionality of Islamic architecture
328 329
332
.. 338
347
Conclusion: Towards the Revival of Islamic 365
Architecture
Bibliography
371
Index
381
...
VlII
