The old and historic buildings in Jeddah are touchstones of authenticity in a city increasingly invaded, under the pressure of rapid urbanization, with a variety of new concepts, often not related to any cultural background,” an architect moaned sometime ago. “Islamic traditional architecture represents living models of sustainability,” he said. Local vernacular buildings could provide a model for the use of materials in a hostile climate.
When one thinks of it, not just Jeddah or Saudi Arabia, but the whole Islamic world — and the Middle East in particular — are undergoing an unprecedented transformation threatening Islamic culture, which is apparent in architectural design. Many of the new buildings in the Middle East are direct imitations of Western models that were designed for another culture and climate.
Now a local architect, Dr. Hisham Mortada, assistant professor in the department of architecture at King Abdul Aziz University in Jeddah, has written a book arguing the importance of Islamic principles of the built environment.
“We have to realize the beauty and relevance of Islam and also let it be known to non-Muslims what a rich heritage we have,” said Mortada, who gained his Master’s in architecture from Penn State University in 1989 and went on to receive his Ph.D. from the University of Edinburgh in 1993.
The book dwells on Islamic ethics of the built environment and a code of construction that takes into consideration the comfort, welfare and safety of the resident as well as the neighbors and society at large.
Mortada stresses that a return to Islamic ideals can help create an urban environment that is also eco-friendly.
Examples early Muslim architecture in North Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Central Asia could be studied and followed.
Mortada, who does not claim to be an expert on the Shariah, explores some of the essential principles for Muslim society and its living environment, and tries to explain socio-cultural and behavioral aspects in planning and design.
“In origin and substance, Islam is an urban religion,” he writes. “The necessity of urban life in Islam is also indicated in the pillars of Islam such as prayer and fasting. The concentration on the performance of these pillars requires a fixed settlement or settled way of life,” he adds.
He goes on to say that Islam is not against the Western concept that planning should be geared toward the improvement of the quality of life, but it disagrees on how this goal should be achieved. According to Islam, this goal is to support the purpose of life: Worshipping God.
Islamic town planning should be geared toward the achievement of this ultimate purpose by using Islamic ideals and commandments as the main guiding principles. This purpose of life provided guidance for the planning of Madinah, the first settlement in Islam, by the Prophet (peace be upon him). These are mentioned under various heads such as urban environment, methods, commercial, residential, educational, and industrial.
“Materials such as mud and straw bale are becoming popular among architects and residents in cities such as Santa Fe and Tucson,” he writes. “The purpose of using these techniques and materials is to reduce the reliance on energy and, in turn, oil.”
The book comes at a time of an image crisis for Islam. Perhaps in the present atmosphere of hostility and mistrust, the book will contribute to building an environment of trust, respect and understanding, showing as it does that Islam is committed to harmonious coexistence and the conservation of natural resources.
The book is amply illustrated, with photographs and sketches supporting the argument. Twenty pages of notes and bibliography guide the interested reader to further research and study.
