Dr.Jihad Awad
Dr. Jihad Awad is currently an associate professor of architecture at Ajman University of Science & Technology in UAE. He studied architecture and urban design in Jordan, USA and Germany. He has taught at different universities in Palestine and was head of department of architecture at An-Najah National University in Nablus, Palestine (1997-2000).
Jihad Awad – Short Bio:
Dr. Jihad Awad is currently an associate professor of architecture at Ajman University of Science & Technology in UAE. He studied architecture and urban design in Jordan, USA and Germany. He has taught at different universities in Palestine and was head of department of architecture at An-Najah National University in Nablus, Palestine (1997-2000).
His main fields of interest are traditional architecture in the Middle East, Islamic architecture and urbanism, and contemporary architecture of the Arab world.
He has published numerous papers and articles in different journals, regional and international. He was involved in organizing many conferences, symposia and workshops. He is member of advisory boards and committees for many journals, associations and institutions.
Currently, he is working on different books: “Design Concepts in Architecture,” with contributions by 80 renowned architects; “Future Visions for Architecture & Cities of the Islamic World,” with contributions by many Arab scholars and architects; and “Rasem Badran: The Architecture of People, Place and Time.”
Here I will try to briefly examine what it means that the Prophet (pbuh) and his sunnah (traditions) serve as the foundation, or the source, of Islamic architecture.
To begin with, however, it must be said that if we want to talk about the sunnah as the foundation of Islamic architecture, and by extension as the foundation of Islamic culture and civilization, a regular and appropriate reference to the Holy Qur’an ought to be made as well. This is because to talk about the sunnah means in so many ways to talk about the Qur’an. The Prophet (pbuh) and his sunnah cannot be separated from the Qur’an for the reason that it is the latter that the Prophet (pbuh) directly received from Allah as an inspiration and guidance, which he then earnestly applied before anybody, and like nobody, else. In the process, and through a constant divine supervision and inspiration, the Prophet (pbuh) extensively explained and also complemented the message of the Qur’an wherever such an initiative was needed and was divinely sanctioned. Thus, the Prophet’s lifestyle or sunnah, as an accumulated legacy resulting from the mentioned process, accounts for an explanation, interpretation, extension and the first and most exemplary implementation of the Qur’an.
One of the most controversial topics, which has been the subject of debate by many scholars, is the nature of the Islamic city. Studies on the nature and morphology of the Islamic city began in the late 19th century with historians trying to find a model for this Islamic city in comparison to the "West" and from an "Orientalist" point of view, i.e. French Historians were more concerned with North African cities while the British were more focused on Egypt and Syrian cities. It is a topic that may not be viewed from one angle but rather from many including urban, geographical, socio-historical, legal and architectural frameworks and this is mainly why the debate remains unresolved.
Prague, August 29-September 1, 2012
Deadline: Oct 1, 2011
The Renaissance era is often said to be a significant turning point in European history, as a period of cultural and economic reformations that were shaping the identity of the “West.” This new identity was based on a revolutionary shift in knowledge about the world in this period. Cultural discovery of the non-Western lands, triggered after the 16th century by European travelers, opened new doors for cultural and economic exchanges.
Yulia Eka Putrie, Indonesia
Masjid Kampus UGM is the campus mosque of Gadjah Mada University, sited in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The mosque is interesting because it is one of the examples of Indonesian tropical mosques which blends universality of Islamic values and locality of Indonesian social and ecological context in its architecture.
Universality of Islamic values for example appears in the openness of the mosque building for social interactions for the surrounding community from any social status and economic level. The openness of this building can be seen from its low and transparent courtyard border. The main prayer hall is also wide opened without walls in its both north and south sides. The human scale of the entire mosque building is another form of the application of modesty and humility values in Islam, which also strengthens the welcoming atmosphere for its users. Moreover, in this mosque architecture we can also notice a good example of the compatibility between beauty and function, which is also one of the lessons in the Qur’an and the whole universe. The exploration of aesthetic aspects in the mosque is well-considered with the values of moderation and functionality in Islam, where nothing is left disadvantageous and excessive.
People are both the creators and demolishers of every civilizational accomplishment. They too are the only beneficiaries of each and every valuable civilizational upshot. Similarly, people are the creators and inhabitants of cities, a locus of civilization. They create cities and then live and work in them. They do this either commendably, thus securing and enjoying the fruits of their right acts so long as they stick to the right schemes which led them to such a state, or appallingly with no clear purpose or direction. In the latter scenario, things are always bound to eventually work against the inhabitants of a city, making their lives both miserable and injurious. Allah says to this effect: “Mischief has appeared on land and sea because of (the meed) that the hands of men have earned, that (Allah) may give them a taste of some of their deeds: in order that they may turn back (from evil).” (al-Rum 41)
The Qur’an furnishes us with a number of lessons on housing. One of those lessons is related to the relationship between the house phenomenon and people’s spiritual failings.
The Qur’an warns that the blessing and sanctity of the house must not be abused. The house must notbe turned into a field, or a catalyst, for defying Allah’s authority and the authority of His divine commandments. Doing that would imply a clear sign of one’s disobedience and ungratefulness. In case someone rebels against Allah, using his house as a place and protective shield for his misbehavior, then only he will be the one to be blamed for whatever might come next as a consequence. Often, however, it is not only the people that are affected by the unavoidable outcomes resulting from their mischief, but also their houses, the very symbols of their being and their identities.
I. Personal Particulars
Name: Dr. Ahmad Sanusi Hassan
Current position: Associate Professor
II. A. Academic and Professional Qualifications
1991 Bachelor of Science , University of Houston, Texas, USA.
1993 Bachelor (Honorable Graduation Award in Architecture Design Category) , University of Houston, Texas, USA.