Developing a New Framework of a Contemporary Islamic Garden based on Quranic Paradise Imagery of Tafseer Surah Waqiah

Abstract

The Islamic garden was the earthly image of Paradise. The pre-Islamic Persian gardens derived the garden and tried to recreate the world within an enclosed space. After the conquest of Persia by the Arabs in the 7th century, not only was the Persian garden itself influenced by Islam philosophy, but this erudite form of garden spread throughout the Islamic world. It became the fabled Moorish gardens in Southern Spain the Generalife Alhambra as well as the basis of the Moghul gardens in Kashmir and India. Through these Spanish gardens the impression of the Islamic garden spread to the New World where its influence can still be traced in the Spanish colonial gardens of the South West, the Revival gardens of the early 20th century, especially in California, and even in the spare modern style of the Mexican landscape architect Luis Baragan. The Muslims emphasized the restrictions to dress the garden and keep it-man the steward. The design of the Islamic gardens influenced with specific intents in mind, relating certain ideological principles and objectives rooted in the Islamic faith and the Muslim culture using distinctive design elements. However, Quranic paradise imaginary provides a foundation for understanding Islamic Gardens as clearly shared by established Islamic Gardens such as the gardens of Persia, Mughal India and Moorish Spain. Accordingly, traditional Islamic Garden applied the typical design elements of an Islamic garden for instance the water features, courtyards, trees, flower and calligraphy on walls. The earlier civilization and arid environment are the factors that may have prejudiced the design of the historic Islamic gardens.ObjectiveAn ideal design of the a contemporary Islamic Garden should be considered others criteria such as value in Islamic teaching. A qualitative research which involves content analysis and descriptive throughout tafseer of Islamic teaching and descriptive analysis through tafsir of Syed Qutb ‘In the Shade of the Quran’ is applied.MethodologyIslam has continuously revealed the life after death. This tendency can be seen in several Islamic sources such as theosophical manuscripts and fundamental texts. Those occasionally mentioned in the holy Quran about heaven and hell in some of the verses. Surah Al-Waqiah has presented beautiful descriptions of paradise among other metaphorical verses, in which we can find out the basic elements of landscape and garden design. At the beginning, this paper deals with the history of main elements of Islamic garden such as water in early culture and mythos. Many verses in Holy Quran invite the human to think about the amazing order of this world and creation of skies, earth, mounts, and seas. In Islamic insight, the world phenomena are assumed as signs of the God and one of the ways to achieve unity and recognition of God for thoughtful humans is to journey in horizons and rational wayfaring in divine signs. Thereupon, we also review the Islamic principle of paradise to realize the main concept and design features of it mentioned in Quran.ResultsA framework of a contemporary Islamic garden throughout Islamic values is formulated.ConclusionThe outcome of this study determination contributes to the body of knowledge by proposing a new framework of Islamic Garden that suitable to the Malaysia context. Furthermore in the Surah Al-Waqiah, a paradisiacal garden is described as an unlimited paradise and secures space, with diverse trees planted in specific locations, accessed to through eight gates. From these finding, it is expected that at the end of study a framework of Islamic Garden principles based on applying the ideological principle in Islamic faith and Quranic paradise imagery will be formulated. The outcome will contribute to the body of knowledge by proposing a new framework of Islamic Garden that suitable to the Malaysia context. As a conclusion, an Islamic garden should be design based on district design elements, its contextual, local culture and ideological principles rooted in Islamic faith to enhance garden space for recreational and restoration function. The general Islamic garden principles and Quranic paradise imagery derived from verse of Quran can help people to establish systems, regulations, attitudes and views in order to understand and control their worldly life in accordance with their needs, region and time. Moreover, the responsive authority has to come out with a specific guideline that can be applied in improving our Islamic garden design. The ideas of implementing the Islamic garden into the garden in Malaysia is perceived as relevant and encourage effort to support the governance approach in creating an Islamic environment. This study also indicates that as Muslim landscape architects have always tried to develop the landscape architecture and design principles for their garden design from the verses of the holy Quran.