Islam, Muhammad and the Moors

• Religions and philosophies in Asia include Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, and Taoism.
• Religion pertains to a person's beliefs in a powerful, higher being or force that causes all things and events.
• Monotheism is the worship and belief in one God.
• Polytheism entails worship and belief in many Gods.
• Islam is the religious faith of Muslims, based on the prophet Muhammad, with central themes of belief in one God, Allah.
• Muhammad, also known as Mohammed, was an Arab prophet and founder of Islam, AD 570-632.
• Moor refers to a member of the Muslim people of northwest Africa who invaded Spain in the 8th century and occupied it until 1492.

Crossroads of Commerce

• Arabia was an ancient trading link between the Mediterranean and the Far East.
• In the 6th century, troubles in Byzantine and Persian empires threatened major trading routes to the Persian Gulf and the Nile/Red Sea passage.
• Merchants turned to slower land routes through Mecca, which became Arabia's center.

Islamic Architecture

• Moorish Architecture is Islamic Architecture of North Africa and Spain under Moorish domination, characterized by large mosques and elaborate fortresses.
• Sanctuaries are divinely endowed holy places.
• Haram (Enclosure) Mecca, associated with Abraham, is venerated as a holy man (hanaf) and the first Muslim believed to have built the Kaaba.
• Al-Munuwwara, (The Illuminated One) Medina, the city of the Prophet, is located in western Arabia, north of Mecca.
• Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) Jerusalem, also known as the Mosque of the City.
• Haram (Enclosure) Mecca: The Kaaba in Mecca is the direction (qibla) towards which all Muslims pray, the goal of the pilgrimage.
• Al-Munuwwara, (The Illuminated One) Medina, is the city of the Prophet, and includes his burial places and was the first Islamic city to support the Prophet.
• The Haram al-Sharif (The Noble Sanctuary) Old City of Jerusalem is associated with the mystical night journey and ascension of the Prophet Mohammad.

Principal Islamic Architectural Types

• Include mosque, tomb, palace, fort, and gardens.
• Mosque buildings are associated with the presence of Islam, similar to churches, temples, or synagogues in other religions.
• Masjid is the Arabic word for mosque.
• A place of prostration is where believers bow their heads to the ground in veneration to God, part of a ritual of prayer and an expression of faith.
• A space is reserved for the community of believers to gather to pray and deal with community affairs.
• Could be anywhere, including a private house (house of the Prophet in Medina).
• Open space where stones serve as symbolic boundaries, like musallas (places of prayer) on the edges of traditional cities.

Elements of Islamic Style

• Architectural Design of the Prayer Hall comes in three Main Forms:
  • Hypostyle hall: The roof supported by parallel rows of uniform columns is common throughout Islam for the first 500 years, especially in the Arab-speaking world.
  • Iwan: Developed in Iran, a high vaulted hall open on one side, situated in the middle of the courtyard wall.
  • 15th c.: Ottoman Turks evolved a variety of mosque types where the dominant feature was a large central dome surrounded by smaller domes and semi-domes.
• An Iwan is a vaulted hall or space, walled on three sides, with one end entirely open.
• Trademark of the Sassanid architecture of Persia, later adopted in Islamic architecture, opens onto a central courtyard and is used in both public and residential architecture.
• Functions as a two-story passageway, and acts as a connection between parts of the building or an entrance.
• Has the effect of separating what is below from what is above through its roof and defining a point on earth through its sides.
• A Sahn is a courtyard surrounded by riwaqs, (colonnaded or arcaded porticos) with wells or fountains.
• Great Mosque of Kairouan Late 9th c. (Prayer hall): The prayer hall is divided into arcades with round arches on columns of Roman and Byzantine origin.
  • Imposts of carved wood or stone were fitted to columns to compensate for height differences, and ceilings were plastered or painted.
• Ulu Cami in Bursa, 1396 (Prayer Hall)'s massive pillars divide the spacious hall.
  • The name of Allah appears with decorative symbols in the calligraphy on the walls and pillars.
• A Minbar is a pulpit entered by a flight of stairs and stands next to mihrab, dating back to the Prophet.
  • Originally a high three-stepped stool, was used for sermons, proclamations and readings.
• The Mihrab is one of the symbolic and most decorated features of the mosque, often with lamps symbolizing divine presence and the universality of the Muslim message.
  • An interior prayer niche is adorned with perforated wall panels.
  • Vaulting is painted with beautiful tendril ornamentation, side walls and front arch are faced with shimmering metallic luster tiles.
• Qibla is the direction of the prayer, and commemorates the Prophet's presence.
• Dikka refers to a raised platform from which the respondents repeat the ritual postures, so the stages of prayer may be transmitted to a larger congregation.

Other Parts of Mosque

• Include domes and cupolas.
• They are featured in all Islamic architecture from both Sassanian and Early Christian architectural traditions.
• Symbolize of Heaven with God at the center, as well as the locus of the Divine Throne.
• The Minaret: In the 1st c. was primarily a visual beacon indicating a Muslim community in Arabian sanctuaries such as Mecca, as a possible location of a holy place, is considered the place from which the faithful are called to prayer by a muezzin.
• A cupola or lantern consists of a dome-shaped or quadrilateral ornamental structure located on top of a larger roof or dome, used as a lookout or to admit light and ventilation.
• On the Court of the Palace of Lions (Court of Lions' arcades, Alhambra, Granada): Built by Mohammad V, the lavish ornamentation on the arcades utilizes foliage and geometric decoration.
• Minute mosaic tiles include calligraphic bands and medallions containing dedications, quotes from Koran and prayer to Allah.
• The application of decoration is a typical feature of Islamic architecture.
• A Muqarnas is a type of corbel used as a decorative device in Arabic and Persian architecture.
  • These refer to designs with formations resembling stalactites, using elements known as alveole.
  • They take the form of small pointed niches, stacked in tiers projecting beyond those below, and can be constructed of brick, stone, stucco or wood.
  • Applied to domes, pendentives, cornices, squinches and the undersides of arches and vaults.
• Arabesque is an artistic motif using plant-like scroll pattern repetition.
  • Materials used include mosaic, carved, glazed terracotta, calligraphy with inscriptions from the Quran and flowing nature of plant forms.
• An Islamic garden is a cool place of rest and reflection, with many references in the Qur'an.
  • Referred to as an earthly analogue for the life in PARADISE promised to believers.
  • Elements include fountains, pools and greenery, walls or screens to enclose an area, a harmonious symmetry and geometric shapes.
• Stambha (or Laths) are memorial pillars in Indian architecture, bearing carved Inscriptions, religious emblems, or a statue.
• Lit (monolithic stambha) as distinguished from one built up of stone courses.
  • Columns are crowned with bellshaped capitals based on Persepolis and decorated with animals. There is Hellenistic and Iran influence in the forms.
  • Symbolic elements include a lotus, a wheel, four animals, and a lion (Sakyamuni Buddha).
• Rock-cut sanctuaries/cave temples were initiated by Asoka with the Barabar and Nagarjuni caves excavated out of granite rock.
  • Chaityagrihas/Chaitya are places of worship patterned after the shrines of Vishnu, with the form of the fire altar placed on the raised platform in the apse of the hall.
  • Vihara - monasteries Consisted of cell and one or more small chapels.

Facade of the Chaitya at Bhaja (Western Ghat)

• Dating back to the 1st c. BC, the sanctuary is a faithful reproduction in stone of wooden structures represented on the relief of the period.
• The façade is broken by a large horseshoe-shape bay, and the sanctuary is apsidal in plan.
• Hindu religious philosophy describes life as a summation of individual life spans in the cycle of rebirth, with enlightenment achieved through pure deeds, thoughts, and dedication,
• In Hindu architecture, or sthapatya, is classified as one of the crafts, first passed down to mankind by Visvakarman.
• Influenced by foreign invaders, the Vastu shastra constitutes the mathematical and diagrammatic basis for generating design, a metaphysical plan which incorporates the heavenly bodies and supernatural forces.
• The metaphysical plan is associated with the Earth and its movable and immovable basic elements of nature.
• A Mandala consists of a circle for Heaven (timelessness), and a square (earth; four directions).
• The Temple should always face East- the place of the origins of the sun, destroyer of darkness.
• Each contains a house grid with sloping roof and open courtyard in accordance to the position of the gods in the mandala.
• The center is called the station of Brahma- the first of beings, then surrounded by the 12 sons of Aditi, and the remaining spaces the Akasha
• A Mandira- a Hindu temple where the God abodes, and a place if Art and Knowledge. The design ideology behind a hindu temple:
• Link men and gods
• Depiction of the macrocosm and microcosm.

Elements of a Hindu Temple

• Vimana - a Sanctuary with two parts with Sikhara as the top, and Garbhagriha as the inner bottom.
• Sikhara- known as spire and pyramid with different shapre based on the region.
• Dravidian (southern) style: Found rivers, Square in plan and can be curved.
• Nagara(northern) style: Found in the Vindhyas plan and shapes depend on the number.
• Versara or mixed style is a found in krishna made of Shapes. combinations, and sikhara,
• Garbhagriha- the Womb of chamber, and the most innermost part. Inside Murti has been placed with entrance for doorways. Pradakshina Patha- walking passgeway around Garbhagriha, to walk around the worship and show respoect for God. A mandapa-pillared hall assembled for devittees and assembly. Water- Is assential for clean and for bathrooms.walkways.
• Gopurams
• Amalaka • Himalayan Architecture is spread across India, Pakistan, Nepal and China, Influenced by India and China.
• The area is diverse with its earthquake tendency.
• Wood, metals and stone Materials and used.
• Region shaped by Hinduism and Bhddsh, and is predominantly followed.

The Region has common building Styles

• Stupas- oldest monuments, relics and buildings. Swayambhunath- Date back, religeous Temples- Have styles and regions based on the regions. Durbar- Square generic name to describe old palace near nepal. Town houses- Newar Architecture by the inhabitants of Architecture. Cetiya Guara- Guara built and stone brick and influences is evident.