Islamic Architecture

Islamic Architecture

In need of liberation from its own shadows

If a building just by having Minarets & Arches can be called
Islamic, then any person wearing skull cap and beard can be called a Muslim.
But this can not be true, there can be many people wearing Skull cap and beard,
but they may not be Muslim, and there can be many Muslims not wearing Skull cap
or beard, similarly there can be number of buildings having Arches and Minarets
but definitely not representing Islamic Architecture., on the other hand there
can be many building with out
Arches and Minarets but very strong representative of Islamic Architecture.

When ever the term Islamic Architecture is used,
it gives a set type of perception, - Buildings having -Arches, -Minarets,
-Domes, or buildings having Calligraphy as ornamentation element, -Building
built during Medieval period, -Building built by a Muslim ruler, -Building
constructed in Muslim ruled states of central or west Asia. The finer
description may even refer to -symmetrical balance also as one of the most
pronounces esthetical element.

But is it all, complete and true to define any
Architecture as Islamic Architecture or there is something beyond all these? Is
it not true that all these are shadows which have castigated the Islamic
Architecture? Architecture is metamorphism of the people's expression backed
with specific purpose and glued to certain place on the face of the earth in
some specific time frame that is period.

There are two distinct parts to study of
architecture; one is the study of Architecture which exists that is basically
history. It may be history of yesterday or of last decades, -century or of
thousands of years spanning back to 5000 BC or more. The other part is
architecture for tomorrow, which keeps evolving like a metabolic action of the
society, and gets metamorphosed with time.

Analytically Architecture is driven by People, Period,
Place and Purpose. Because of this Architecture has always been studied and
classified, either in terms of 'Place' like Egyptian, Indus, Greek, Roman,
Byzantine or in terms of 'Period", First Kingdom, Second Kingdom, Mughal
dynasty, Lodhi Dynasty, Safavid Dynasty etc.

But when the term Islam is referred then it can
neither be confined to any place or region nor it can be to any period. The
term Islam has Universal Connotation and is there for all times to come, though
the origin can be dated 1400 years back. The Islamic Architecture needs to be
liberated from it own shadows, and seen in totality for the whole civilization
as well for all times to come.

Whenever the term Islamic Architecture is used,
it gives a set type of perception,
* Buildings having Arches, Minarets, Domes, or16.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";mso-fareast-font-family:<br />
"Times New Roman";color:black">
* Buildings having Calligraphy as ornamentation element,
* Building built during Medieval period,
* Building built by a Muslim ruler,
* Building constructed in Muslim ruled states of central or west Asia.
The finer description may even refer to -symmetrical balance also as one of the
most pronounced aesthetical element.

If a building just by having Minarets &
Arches can be called Islamic, then any person wearing skull cap and beard can
be called a Muslim. But this can not be true, there can be many people wearing
Skull cap and beard, but they may not be Muslim, and there can be many Muslims
not wearing Skull cap or beard, similarly there can be number of buildings
having Arches and Minarets but definitely not representing Islamic
Architecture., on the other hand there can be many building with out Arches and
Minarets but very strong representative of Islamic Architecture.

In this situation the extreme cases can be
taken. The nucleus of Islamic faith Holy Kabba is a Cube without any Arch
Minarets or Domes. Similarly when Muslims gather there for Hajj (pilgrimage)
they do not wear any sort of head cover during that period.

It is a shear co incident that when Islam was
spreading its message, in the construction industry the Arches and Domes were
used to make large built spaces, which got natural patronage with Islam at that
time and were perfected with that stride.

Similarly the Minarets also came to fulfill the
functional requirement of calling the people for congregation five times in a
day, as at that time probably every wrist was not having a watch nor there were
Loud Speakers to give the call. The natural choice was for a high platform to
give a call for assembly which led to the development of the Minarets. Minarets
eventually took the role of beacon to give direction to people to reach the
places of prayer, especially in the alien places as even at that time because
of mercantile economy people use to travel a lot to unknown places in search of
new markets. With time Minarets became a symbol for identification.

Often the rich building of the Medieval period
-Mausoleum and Tombs may be referred as Islamic Architecture, but Islamic
theologian may question how they can be Islamic, as building of Mausoleum and
Tombs are not endorsed as Islamic way of life.

1. Jama Masjid, Delhi

2. Humayun's Tomb, Delhi

In common parlance Symmetrical Balancing is

taken as very pronounced element of Islamic Architecture, but this is again a
coincidence that at that time this was one of design element which was in vogue
due to various factors. It can neither be attributed to Islam nor can it be
used to confine Islamic Architecture vocabulary. The asymmetrical balancing in
Islam can be seen in organizing the five times prayer. All the Five prayers are
unequally distributed in terms of their timing as well there performing module,
but are in absolute balance and harmony in a routine day of any follower.

The implication of accepting these set
definitions is that when the technology of construction got replaced with next
generation of technology, it is given the impression that with this the
transition in construction technology the chapter of Islamic Architecture stands
closed. What ever is being built with next generation of construction
technology can not be Islamic. To put it straight, what ever has been added on
the surface of earth during the 19th & 20th century had no contribution of
Islamic Architecture nor it is going to have any contribution in future.

On the contrary the rudimentary imitations with
assembling of Arches and Domes which may be totally out of synchronization with
dynamics of Architecture can be called Islamic Architecture which are normally
in Absolute Defiance to Islamic spirit.

But is it all, complete and true to define any Architecture as Islamic
Architecture or there is something beyond all these? Is it not true that all
these are shadows which have castigated the Islamic Architecture?

Architecture is metamorphism of the people's
expression backed with specific purpose and glued to certain place on the face
of the earth in respect to some specific time frame that is period.

There are two distinct part to study of
architecture, one is the study of Architecture which is existing that is
basically history. It may be history of yesterday or of last decades, century
or of thousands of years spanning back to 5000 BC or more. The other part is
architecture for tomorrow, which keeps evolving like a metabolic action of the
society, and gets metamorphosed with time.

Analytically Architecture is driven by People,
Period, Place and Purpose. Because of this Architecture has always been studies
and classified, either in terms of 'Place' like Egyptian. Indus, Greek, Roman,
Byzantine. Or in terms of 'Period', First Kingdom, Second Kingdom, Tutan
Khaman, Mughal dynasty, Lodhi Dynasty, Safavid Dynasty etc.

But when the term Islam is referred then it can
neither be confined to any place or region on earth nor it can be confined to
any period. The term Islam has Universal connotation and is there for all times
to come, though the origin can be dated to 1400 years back. The term Islamic
with Architecture means the Architecture that is Universal as well an Architecture
that is Timeless.

Depict Essence of
"Islamic" Architecture

When the Term Islamic Architecture is accepted,
It implies with the architecture representing Islamic philosophy and
symbolizing Islamic way of living, which is universal and that is for the
global society, as well that has to be eternal, that is relevant for all times
which have been passed and which will come as future. In this context it is to
be seen that the four elements of Architecture that are defined as People,
Period, Place and Purpose are complimented with a fifth element, which
encompasses all these four elements that is 'Philosophy'. The Architecture
which imbibes the basic philosophy of Islam can be termed "ISLAMIC
Architecture".

This is the expression of the Islamic Philosophy
and way of life expressed in the Architecture is Islamic Architecture. The
magnetism of Islamic Architecture is in its pluralistic feel, strong
discipline, scale, purity reflected in Geometry, truthfulness of form and
functionality, Clarity of expression.

Islam is a philosophy and a way of life, having
its emphasis on pluralistic living and universal brotherhood, harmony, rhythm,
discipline, order, human value, simplicity and truthfulness. Functionality and
care for Nature.

Holy Kabba itself is the first and foremost
source to influence and command the basics for the Islamic Architecture. The
simplicity of the form of Holy Kabba laid the foundation and the direction for
the evolution and development of Islamic Architecture. Cube the most basic,
simplest and pure form is the form chosen for Holy Kabba.

The Elements which can be attributed to Islamic
Architecture can be, -Purity of Form, -Strong Geometrical Order, -Clarity in
surface treatment, Honesty in application of materials, Harmony and
Functionality.

In that context even the Bahaus movement of
Early 20th Century can be seen closest to Islamic Philosophy. At the same time
the Era of Cubism can also be seen in its proximity with Nucleus of Islam that
is "Kabba". But some thing was missing in the Bahaus; that is the
dynamism and rhythm.

Absolute discipline and
true application of materials

The second source for the Islamic Architecture
can be "Azan" the call given for the prayer five times in a day.
Islam is dynamic with rhythmic and Harmonic motion, which can be directly seen
from the Qirat the way Holy Quran is recited. And the way the Azan in called.
The importance of Scale and Balance and modulation, can also be inspired for
the Islamic Architecture from these practices.

The elements of 'Strong Discipline' and 'Order'
and balance can be derived, from the manner in which the Salah (Prayer) is
scheduled and integrated in the daily routine of Islamic way of living,
traditionally also in all sort of Islamic Architecture strong Geometrical order
and discipline with perfect balancing has always been followed, which is the
essence of Islamic Architecture.

Calligraphy, is a unique way of play with the
geometry without losing the discipline and order, which keeps the rhythm and
dynamism in expression, which has also been used in Architecture in surface
treatments for ornamentation. So the ornamentation too is integrated with
consideration of scale and without losing the order and discipline.

Extensive use of Jali in the Islamic
Architecture is there for making building energy efficient not just for
ornamentation. Jails are effectively used as shading devices as well for
regulating the breeze, in terms of flow, direction and reduction of heat gain
using the venture action, responding to the climatic consideration. The application
of Jali in Islamic Architecture is the signature to endorse the sensitivity
towards nature climate and energy efficiency. The uniqueness of Jali is in it's
retention of strong geometrical discipline while serving the functional
requirement,

An exemplary
truthfulness of functions.

There are many more direct sources for giving
direction for the Architecture in Islamic Philosophy and way of living, They
needs continuous exploration interpretation and adaptation. Like the Holy Quran
itself which is for all times, so it keep revealing itself continuously with
changing time and context, and it remains up to date and relevant for all
times. Similarly the Islamic Architecture has to be up to date and relevant for
all times and all situations and context.

With this retrospection and reinterpretation of
Islamic Architecture and with the widening up of the domain of Islamic
Architecture there may be a question what type of Architecture will not qualify
to be covered within the parameters of the Islamic Architecture.

Islam means peace. Any architecture having clash
in its form or expression, in its treatment can not be Islamic. Islam means
purity and truth, any Architecture with falsification, - camouflaging, visually
polluted elements and forms cannot be called Islamic. Islamic is for harmony
with nature, thus any architecture defying nature can not be Islamic.

The Islamic Architecture needs to be liberated
from it own shadows, and seen in totality for the whole civilization as well
for all times to come. The traditional Islamic architecture needs to be renamed
as Islamic Medieval Architecture. To pay the way for emergence of contemporary
Islamic Architecture, that will have the spirit and expression of Islamic
Philosophy but the building typology of today. That will be the vocabulary for
Islamic Architecture of today.

This has become more relevant today for the
global society, as today's architecture is heading with total aimlessness and
hollowness, total confusion with shallow mirage chasing. Totally defying and
mutilating in nature, Confused and camouflaged. It has become a challenge for
architecture fraternity to steer the dynamics of today's Architecture with more
rational and logical objectivism.