Architecture in the Islamic Civilization: Muslim Building or Islamic Architecture

The main problem of the theory in the arena of islamic architecture is affected by some of its Westernthoughts, and stereotyping the islamic architecture according to Western thoughts; this leads to the breakdownof the foundations in the islamic architecture. It is a myth that islamic architecture is subjected to theinfluence from foreign architectures. This paper will highlight the dialectical concept of islamic architecture ormuslim buildings and the areas of recognition in islamic architecture. It will also widen the knowledge in thecharacteristics of each point in time according to the stages of islamic architecture from the prophetic agemoving through the architecture outside the city of Medina, the Caliphs, the Umayyad, Abbasid, andarchitectural models by spatial and time periods, taking Iraq as the example to explain how the Islam influentson architecture and vice versa

Mosque architecture in Malaysia : classification of styles and possible influence

The main purpose of the research is to set up an initial framework of architectural description of Muslim architecture in Malaysia within the context of the architectural concern of ‘style’. The main concern is to elucidate clearly the different architectural styles of Muslim architecture and suggest hypotheses for future studies in relation to the forces which might have been instrumental in the conception of these styles. The research is important in order to project the message that much of what we understand as ‘Islamic Architecture’ in the present literature comes from various artistic and political agendas that have questionable merits compared to an analytical approach of Islamic architecture from the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The research is also important for practicing architects to understand that the present syntax of ‘Islamic Architecture’ with its references in Middle Eastern, Mid Asian and African models are not necessarily the best precedence to project the architectural message of Islam. As opposed to the three classification of Traditional, Colonial and Modern styles of mosque architecture, the research has identified seven main styles with a suggestion of the rationale and influences of those styles

Islamic architecture and the prospect of its revival today

This paper discusses the meaning of Islamic architecture and some of its salient characteristics. The discussion is divided into the following sections: (I) What is Islamic architecture?; (2) Islamic architecture as a means, not an end; (3) Two examples: the Islamic house and the mosque; (4) Pragmatism and Islamic architecture today; (5) Towards the revival of Islamic architecture. The paper seeks to enhance the awareness, both of the professionals and general readership, as to the importance of correctly conceptualizing and practicing Islamic architecture. The nature of the paper, along with its content, methodology and conclusions, is conceptual and philosophical, rather than empirical. The paper concludes that Islamic architecture is an architecture that embodies the message of Islam. It both facilitates the Muslims' realization of the Islamic purpose and its divine principles on earth, and promotes a lifestyle generated by such a philosophy and principles. At the core of Islamic architecture lies function with all of its dimensions: corporeal, cerebral and spiritual. The role of the form is an important one too, but only inasmuch as it supplements and enhances function

Arsitektur Islam Atau Arsitektur Islami?

. It has been regarded, there are so many discussion and study of Islamic architecture, particularly among academics and practitioners. Most of the discussion focuses on aspects of form, style, historical relics and other things that are considered physical is part of the culture of Muslims. Meanwhile, some people feel that the real Islam is not enough just realized with the physical aspect only. Currently, growing discourse about Islamic architecture which tends to emphasize Islamic values rather than physical typology of product architecture. In this matter, the author referred to it as Islamic Architecture.This paper is aimed to discover how extend to which the differences between two thinking about Islam Architecture and Islamic Architecture, and to find out the aspects which influence in Islamic Architecture product planning, through the study of various sources of the Qur\u27an and hadith, books, journals, and several articles, in addition to analysis of the author\u27s own thoughts.From those studies it was found that a discussion of Islam architecture is very different from Islamic architecture. Islam architecture emphasizes the physical aspects of the built environment, while Islamic architecture is more advanced on Islamic values which root on Al Quran and hadith or sunnah of the Prophet. Aspects of Islamic architecture that need to be developed is efficiency, egalitarian, privacy and genius loci

ISSUES AND CHALLENGES IN RECONSTRUCTING ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE IN NUSANTARA: 11 Years of Experience

The main objective of this paper is to unfold Issues and challenges in reconstructing Islamic Architecture in Nusantara. Based on the authors experience in discussing and explaining the ideas of Islamic Architecture in Nusantara which in this paper is representing by Indonesia and Malaysia. The discussion will consist of general scenario of Islamic Architecture in the world and Nusantara, problems of physical and non physical documentations of Islamic Architecture artifacts, Issues and problems in defining Islamic Architecture in Nusantara and values and frameworks in reconstructing Islamic Architecture in Nusantara. It is expected that this paper can start and provide a basis and framework for further discussion in redefining Islamic Architecture in this region

Is Green Architecture always Identical with Islamic Architecture Assessment on Stacked Grave in Majasto Cemetery Central Java

There are presumption if the green architecture is identically with Islamic one. This statement requires a comparison. For this reason the research has been done in Majasto cemetery, a place that indicate used the both, green and Islamic architecture approach. After a descriptive qualitative research has done, it was found that: (a) green architecture is not always identical with Islamic architecture depend on interpretation of Islamic teaching by local community; (b) Need the tauhid concept that green architecture can be categorized in Islamic architecture; (c) Islamic architecture is involved not only in physical form, but it goes beyond of ideological system, ideas, behavior to physical form as artifact; (d) Both, stacked grave system of Majasto cemetery plus tauhid philosophy, is a sample from green approach in Islamic architecture. That can be applied universally in Surakarta as well as other large cities

Analyzing Islamic Architecture Visual Quality in Bushehr City; Case Study: Religious Space Kazeruni Barhah (Hosseiniye)

Islamic architecture can be studied from different aspects. This paper introduces a religious place in Bushehr city of Iran, a Bahrah or Hosseiniye that is used in especial religious ceremony and was built a century ago and after recent renovations is still in use and applicable. The research tries to quantify and analyze its visual quality as an important quality in the built environment with a tool called isovist in Syntax 2D software. In this study isovist indexes of six different spaces have been evaluated in this. The research shows interesting findings of spatial form and location and its visibility; for example it shows that spaces with circulation role have more visibility also spaces of the higher floor show higher visibility than the ground floor

Islamic architecture : its philosophy, spiritual significance & some early developments

Islamic architecture is not concerned about the form buildings only. Islamic architecture signifies a process where all the phases and aspects are equally imposratnt. It is almost impossible to identify a phase or an aspect in that process and consider it more important than the others. The Islamic architecture process starts with having a proper understanding and vision which leads to making a right intention. It continues with the planning, designing and building stages, and ends with attaining the net results and how people make use of and benefit from them. Islamic architecture is a fine blend of all these factors which are interwoven with the treads of the belief system, principles, teachings and values of Islam. This book discusses the philosophy and spiritual significance of Islamic architecture, as well as some early developments in relation to the evolution of its conspicuous identity. The character of the book's studies is a philosopical, or a conceptual, rather than an empirical one. The book is divided into four chapters: 1. Towards an understanding of Islamic architecture 2. A conceptual framework for Islamic architecture 3. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and Islamic architecture 4. Islamic architecture after Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) The book is concluded by a presentation of a number of broad suggestions and recommendations which aim to spur the revival of the phenomenon of a genuine Islamic architecture today and at all the tiers of the Islamic presence

Prophet Muhammad’s observations and guidance on the construction of buildings

Islamic architecture is an architecture whose functions and, to a lesser extent, form, are inspired primarily by Islam. Islamic architecture is a framework for the implementation of Islam. It facilitates, fosters and stimulates Muslims’ ‘ibadah (worship) activities, which, in turn, account for every moment of their earthly lives. Central to Islamic architecture is function with all of its dimensions: corporeal, cerebral and spiritual. The form divorced from function is inconsequential. This, however, by no means implies that the form plays no role in Islamic architecture. The form is important, but in terms of value and substance it always comes second to function and its wide scope. The identity and vocabulary of Islamic architecture evolved as a means for the fulfillment of the concerns of Muslim societies. Islamic architecture was never an end in itself. It was the container of Islamic culture and civilization reflecting the cultural identity and the level of the creative and aesthetic consciousness of Muslims. Architecture, in general, should always be in service to people. It is never to be the other way round, that is to say that architecture should evolve into a hobby or an adventure in the process imposing itself on society while forsaking, or taking lightly, people’s identities, cultures and the demands of their daily struggles. Architecture, first and foremost, should remain associated with functionality. It should not deviate from its authentic character and stray into the world of excessive invention and abstraction. In this paper, I shall discuss the observations and guidance of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) on the construction of buildings. Indeed, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) laid the foundation of what later came to be known as Islamic architecture by introducing the latter’s conceptual and ideological aspects which were later given their different outward appearances dictated by different contexts. The aspects contributed by the Prophet (pbuh) to Islamic architecture signify both the quintessence of Islamic architecture and the vitality that is woven through its each and every facet and feature. Thus, the permanent and most consequential side of Islamic architecture is as old as the Islamic message and the Islamic community but which at the time of the Prophet (pbuh) could take no more than an austere and unsophisticated physical form

PRINCIPLES OF AESTHETICS IN ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE

Principles of aesthetics in Islamic architecture have been achieved through the analysis of the existing historical buildings and monuments. Nowadays we cannot copy the forms of our ancient architecture, but through the analysis of their forms, we can use the meaning of visual understanding of the physical aspect of our ancient architecture in the modern Islamic architecture (contemporary Islamic architecture)