Islamic Urbanism Research Articles

Islamic Social Welfare in DK Jakarta: Addressing Inequality and Promoting Social Cohesion

This research paper examines the role of Islamic social welfare in addressing inequality and enhancing social cohesion in Daerah Khusus Jakarta (DKJ). Using a descriptive qualitative approach, this study analyzes official statistical data from DK Jakarta in 2022-2024 through the theoretical framework of Putnam's social capital, Crenshaw's intersectionality, and Foster-Iaione's urban commons. Key findings reveal the effectiveness of the zakat-waqf network in mitigating the impact of inflation, reducing it from 3.30% (2022) to 1.98% (2024). Mosques act as centers of socio-economic innovation through programs such as "Jumu'at Berbagi" and "Digital Sharia Cooperatives". The intersectional approach in the "Ta'lim Muyassar" program effectively addresses the complexity of educational inequality. The concept of Islamic-based urban commons creates a participatory city governance model. This study produces an adaptive Islamic social welfare model, introduces "Urban Fiqh", and develops an "Islamic Urban Well-being" index. Limitations of the study include a limited geographic focus and a lack of longitudinal data. Further research is suggested to conduct comparative studies across cities and explore blockchain integration in the zakat-waqf system.

Ensuring Peace, Public Order and Stability In The Context of Preventing Violence In Islamic Urban Design and City Planning

Islamic cities exhibit distinctive features aimed at preventing violence, promoting human well-being, and safeguarding the rights of individuals. These characteristics encompass deliberate choices in urban planning and governance. Key attributes include a mosque-centric layout, expansive public squares, green spaces, organized urban fabric, and efficient administrative management. The maintenance of public order was entrusted to the head of state in the capital and governors in other regions, with additional officials such as commanders, ḳāḍīs (judges), Muḥtasib (market overseer), Ṣāḥib al-S̲h̲urṭa (chief of police), and ʿasas (security officers) appointed to ensure security and peace. Akhism provide additional assistance at this stage. This research will delve into Islamic cities' physical infrastructure and institutional framework, focusing on violence prevention. Given Islamic urbanism's diverse geographical spread and historical evolution, the study will analyze select early-period cities, considering urban plans and administrative systems to facilitate comparative analysis.

The changing piety and spirituality: a new trend of Islamic urbanism in Yogyakarta and Surakarta

The prevalence of urban spiritualism is on the rise among residents of major cities.One observable manifestation of urban spiritualism is the growing number ofdiverse social recitation gatherings. The present research looks into four distinctprofiles of assemblies that have emerged in the urban areas of Yogyakarta andSurakarta. The four assemblies comprise Muslim United and Teras Dakwah. InSurakarta, it is worth noting the presence of two prominent organisations, namelyMajelis Ar-Raudhah, established by Habib Novel Alaydrus, and Majelis BusytanulAsyiqin, founded by Habib Syech Assegaf. This study elucidates the techniquesemployed by the aforementioned four assemblies to disseminate moderatereligious knowledge within urban circles, as well as their respective reactions tothe evolving spiritual dynamics observed within urban communities. The presentstudy employs a qualitative methodology, specifically a field study approach. Thefindings of this study suggest a shift in the dominance of religious authority amongrenowned ustadz and habaib figures. By endorsing the dissemination of widelyrecognised da’wah conducted by these prominent individuals, it contributesto the enhancement of religious literacy among urban populations. The studyfindings also interpret the santrinisation and piety activities observed in urbancommunities as a tangible expression of the veracity of religious teachings.

Sector Analysis of Islamic Capital Markets and Artificial Intelligence Functioning as Sharia Advisors

Artificial intelligence technologies will have a significant impact on a variety of career areas, including jobs in finance and law. The fact is that the Islamic capital market sector tends to use AI technology. There are now proposals to replace the role of sharia advisors with AI technology. The research conducted is legal research using qualitative methods. The legal historiographical approach was chosen to show the responsibility of the sharia board in realizing the concept of Islamic urbanism. The idea of Islamic urbanism is closely related to AI technology and the capital market as the main places for both of them to work in cities. This research has three objectives. It analyzes the role and function of artificial intelligence technology, Islamic capital markets, and the part of Sharia Advisors in the industry. Then the problem of using AI technology in the Islamic capital market is identified. Moreover, it offers a solution to using the proposed innovative technology. This paper argues that the ability of technology to replace the role of Islamic advisors in the Islamic capital market sector is limited. This is because AI technology, although advanced, can only deal with the physical world of cities but still needs to embody the concept of Islamic urbanism. At the same time cannot replace the role of sharia advisors.

New Islamic Urbanism: The Architecture of Public and Private Space in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Stefan Maneval (2019)

Review of: New Islamic Urbanism: The Architecture of Public and Private Space in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Stefan Maneval (2019) London: UCL Press, xix, 242 pp., 3 maps, 16 b&w and 31 colour illus., ISBN: 9781787356436, £25.00 (paperback); ISBN: 9781787356443, £45.00 (hardback); ISBN: 9781787356429, £0.00 (open access PDF)

فنّ الخطّ العربي بين الروح الإسلامية والبعد الاستيتيقي

This research tries to explain the art of Arabic calligraphy; This ancient art, with its distinctive formations, decorations, and geometries, decorated with Islamic letters of the spirit, imparts a special breath to the fonts and gives them an aesthetic imprint and medallion of difference and individuality. Therefore, this intervention falls under the Title “ Arabic Calligraphy Art Between the Islamic Spirit and the Strategic Dimension”, is an attempt to answer the central problem of calligraphy, namely: Arabic combining the Islamic spirit with an aesthetic dimension? Or in other words, how does the spirit of Islam give Arabic calligraphy an aesthetic and aesthetic dimension? This study will rely on a historical descriptive approach, because it will describe the phenomenon of Arabic calligraphy art in addition to its history, origin, and development, to achieve the focus and axis of the study which is represented in the aesthetics and reliability of the work. this calligraphy. The study achieved a series of results, the most important of which were: 1- Arabic calligraphy is a symbol of Arab civilization. 2- The emergence of Islam contributed to the interest in calligraphy and the transition from the spoken system to the written system. 3 - Muslims are attracted to Arabic calligraphy as a means to communicate with them, communicate their civilization and culture, and spread their religion throughout the world. 4 There is a close connection between Arabic calligraphy and Arabic identity, namely that the art of Arabic calligraphy is the language and spirit of this Arabism. 5- The Islamic spirit of Arabic calligraphy has breathed into it an aesthetic and aesthetic dimension, making it a symbol of Islamic urbanism and decoration on clothing and others.

Cairo: An Arab city transforming from Islamic urban planning to globalization

Traditional Arab Islamic urbanism has been ignored for decades, and Arab architects have been unwilling to revive traditional features and they are complying with the new urbanism movement. Since the late nineteenth century and the beginning of the twentieth century, the style of big Arab cities has become substantially westernized, historic Arab cities transformed from traditional to modern Western urbanism led to a loss of Islamic cultural identity, many factors led to the transformation of the urban structure of these cities including social, economic, legislative and functional which leads to loss of local identity by introducing new architectural and urban forms. This paper will focus the scope of study on old Islamic Cairo, Khedivate Cairo and The New Administrative Capital (NAC) and will analyze the transformation happened to the urban structure using the comparative analysis methodology to reach the research aim and know why the conventional urbanism of Arab Islamic cities has been ignored? And also to show how other Arabic cities like Doha in Qatar and Masdar in UAE tried to overcome the same problem by using the contemporary interpretation trend.

The Role of Culture on Islamic Architecture

Islamic architecture is an ongoing argument for an extended period. Is it Islamic architecture, Muslim architecture, or architecture in Islam? Is it just visual elements or a way to use the inner space? Whatever the answer is, we will use the term Islamic architecture in this paper. To search and dig out the identities of so-called Islamics. This paper is seeking after these identities and their relations with Islamic culture to solve international architecture concepts without modifications or adaptation. The main goal is to extract the sociocultural aspects that define that architecture to be called Islamic Architecture. An analytical research method uses some attempts to interact the environmental conditions and social aspects with cultural and religious values to define Islamic architecture's identity. The study result and summary could be used to evaluate the satisfaction of the built environment of Muslims when and wherever they are. As a comprehensive result, Islamic Design Principles, Islamic Planning Principles, and Islamic Urban Design Principles could be extracted from Islamic sources and used everywhere at any time by anybody. These design principles may be used to upgrade the workability of the existing residential buildings simply by revising the opening's location, heights, and treatments. Architecture with that dynamic, flexible culture gives its identity a chance to compete globally to survive locally.

Urban Agency and the City Notables of Medieval Anatolia

Scholarship on the city in the Islamic world has generally played down the autonomy and collective agency of cities. This article explores the case of Anatolia, usually neglected in discussions of Islamic urbanism, focusing on the Seljuq period of the 13th century. While much scholarship on Anatolia acknowledges the role of futuwwa (trade-based confraternities somewhat analogous to guilds), I argue the independence of these organisations has been overestimated, for many were closely linked to sultanic power. The paper suggests that in fact power was negotiated between rulers and urban notables (a‘yān), who had considerable autonomy and who brokered binding contracts (sawgandnāmas) with sultans that expressed their rights and obligations. A‘yān played a crucial role in decisions such as the surrender of their cities to conquerors and in negotiating terms, a role for which analogies can be identified elsewhere in the Middle East. Finally, the article makes some preliminary suggestions as to the identities of these a‘yān.

New Islamic Urbanism: The Architecture of Public and Private Space in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, by Stefan Maneval

New Islamic Urbanism: The Architecture of Public and Private Space in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, by Stefan Maneval

Contemporary urban utopia, a query trapped in the capitalist kaleidoscope

Purpose This paper aims to assess the contemporary paradigm of urban utopia’s ability to fulfil its goals and to evaluate its attainability in the first place. Its main question is: are contemporary urban utopias achievable? If not, is there an alternative? Design/methodology/approach In light of modern urban utopia’s failure to achieve the “good city/society,” skepticism regarding utopianism has prevailed. However, many scholars stress the significance of utopianism, calling for its revival. Recently, a new paradigm of urban utopia has emerged; one that stems from present capitalist urban conditions and requires resolving its ills. It puts great emphasis on rights as a means to accomplish the good society and the just city. This research critically examines contemporary urban utopia to evaluate its ability to fulfill its goals. It poses questions such as: Does capitalism facilitates achieving its goals? Could rights as a means achieve the good city/society? If not, is there an alternative? To answer these questions, a substantially different perspective, that of Islam (as a societal system), is used as a utopic paradigm that could open up new paths for developing an alternative utopia. Findings It is found that despite the focus of both the Islamic societal system and mainstream contemporary urban utopia is on the concept of rights, vital dissensions exist between the two models regarding the concept of rights per se. Hence, the urban utopia of the good city and society is achievable, yet, it cannot transpire within the capitalist kaleidoscope. Originality/value Recently, discussions on what constitutes the future city and the alternative conceptions to the (Western) post-Enlightenment approaches generally offered in the English language planning literature have been on the rise. Therefore, this paper contributes to this debate through critically assessing Western contemporary urban utopias from a non-Western perspective, that of Islam. It introduces an alternative model based on Islamic urbanism that could open doors for deeper thinking regarding the alternative future/good city.

Makyung in Contemporary Malaysia: Strategies for Preservation and Proliferation

ABSTRACT This article researches the efforts and the strategies to keep Makyung, a traditional dance theater form of Malaysia (practiced in the region of Southeast Asia) alive and relevant in society today. Makyung was proclaimed as an Oral and Intangible Heritage of the World by UNESCO in 2005. However, the art form struggles to find a foothold in contemporary Malaysia against the backdrop of growing Islamic fundamentalism, modernity and urbanization. This article documents the efforts and explorations from the educational institutions, nonprofit organizations and grass-roots participation that are essential in bringing this to new audiences with stories that speak to contemporary society. The article posits that collective efforts from all concerned would yield the best results.

Early Islamic Kūfa in Context: A Chronological Reinterpretation of the Palace, with a Note on the Development of the Monumental Language of the Early Muslim Élite

Abstract The origin of the congregational mosque-dār al-imāra combination—despite wide acknowledgement of its symbolic importance and spread in early Islamic urbanism—has until now been considered the mere result of a measure to protect public treasure implemented in Kūfa at a very early date (638) as a consequence of a burglary. A critical analysis of literary sources, combined with a systematic review of the available archaeological evidence, has made it possible to confute this traditional view in favour of a new dating for the emergence of the first Kūfan dār al-imāra and its architectural development, suggesting interesting insights pertaining to the monumental propaganda promoted by the ruling élite in the Umayyad era.

Surveilling Gender through Architecture and Urbanism in Early Modern Spanish-Algerian Spaces

AbstractInfluenced by feminist perspectives on urban and architectural studies, this essay examines the relationship between premodern Muslim urbanism and gendered relations, an issue that has received little attention in Hispanic cultural studies to date. This discussion will center on two particular features of domestic architecture and city planning typical of sixteenth- and seventeenth-century Algiers: the location and nature of street-facing windows and the communicable rooftops. Focusing primarily on Christian writers such as Antonio de Sosa, Miguel de Cervantes, and Lope de Vega, Velasco explores how their accounts document the ways in which women in Algiers could find unexpected and illicit ways of turning the high windows and the communicable rooftops to their advantage. Despite the constraints presented by an urban design and domestic architecture intended to segregate the sexes and control behavior, women in early modern Algiers (many of whom were recent immigrants from Spain) found ways to utilize their built environment to observe and navigate the world around them, gain access to a public domain commonly reserved for men, and sustain networks with other women in ways that might bypass traditional spatial, social, and personal restrictions and limitations. Through female-only gatherings and other forms of camaraderie that made use of traditional Islamic urbanism, Muslim women in Algiers found ways to challenge long-standing dichotomies of male/female, public/private, interior/exterior, visible/hidden, and chaste/lustful.

Mellah Al-Jadid. the Jewish Quarter of Tetouan, Morocco; An Identifiable Architecture?

Architecture and Islamic urbanism have been the subject of intense academic interest for decades, however, the Jewish neighbourhoods, which were a vital component of cities with a Muslim majority in the Maghreb, have been ignored, or have been scarcely studied. Few researches related tend to approach the study of these minority neighbourhoods as isolated units (from the point of view of exclusion and singularity), considered exceptions to the “ideal” Islamic city, without taking into account the multiple connections between the Mellah and the rest of the Medina. In this paper, an approach arises to the domestic architecture of the new district, Mellah al-Jedid, through typological analysis, trying to clarify the following issues: Has a community with 2000 years old roots been able to define itself to the point of getting an identifiable one? Can be recognized a distinctive Jewish Mellah Moroccan architecture?

Documentation of archaeological sites in northern iraq using remote sensing methods

Abstract. The MULINEM (The Medieval Urban Landscape in Northeastern Mesopotamia) project is aiming to investigate a Late Sasanian and Islamic urban network in the land of Erbil, historic province of Hidyab (Adiabene) that is located in the northern Iraq. The research of the hierarchical urban network in a defined area belongs to approaches rarely used in the study of the Islamic urbanism. The project focuses on the cluster of urban sites of the 6th–17th centuries A.D. This paper focuses on remote sensing analysis of historical sites with special interest of FORMOSAT-2 data that have been gained through a research announcement: Free FORMOSAT-2 satellite Imagery. Documentation of two archaeological sites (Makhmúr al-Qadima and Kushaf) are introduced. FORMOSAT-2 data results have been compared to historic CORONA satellite data of mentioned historical sites purchased earlier by the University of West Bohemia. Remote sensing methods were completed using in-situ measurements.

Islamic city and urbanism, an obvious example of sustainable architecture and city

Abstract. Urbanism entered a new phase by the arrival of Islam so that the formed foundation of urban life changed in the Sassanid era. Urban communities experienced major developments in accordance with Islamic rules in social and economic dimensions. Also, establishment of mosques resulted in physical alteration of cities. By gradual dominance of Islam in Iran, the fields were ready concerning rapid growth of cities and creation of new cities with transformed form and modern culture. Following these changes and in accordance with comprehensive ideology of Islam and its philosophical principles, the concept of “ Islamic city and urbanism” was raised as a new topic in urbanism worlwide and in particular in Islamic countries. This concept is tangibly apparent in the theory of “physical development of construction and designing new cities”. On the other hand, introduced in the late twentieth century and followed by sustainable cities, the relationship between human, sustainable environemnt and development has seriously started in architecture and urbanism in order to create balance between diverse biological levels and perception from the environment. The objective of this paper is to introduce and compare sustainable urban development indicators and urbanism. It tries to answer whether or not Islamic city is an abvious example of sustainable city. In this regard, general principles of sustainable developmnet, theoretical framework of sustainable city, and principles of Islamic city are first studied. Research method is descriptive-analytical and it is based on library data and resources. The research results show that taking advantage of special Islamic principles and values, Islamic cities have been able to follow indicators which are taken into account in sustainable cities.

Regenerating the “Creative Place”: A New Approach in Promoting Contemporary Heritage of Islamic -Iranian City (Case Study: Naqsh-E-Jahan Square of Isfahan)

Regenerating the historic cities and adapting them with the circumstances and developments of contemporary life is one of the essential strategies for improving the social, economic and cultural situations in historic cities. The changes of socio-cultural conditions have necessitated more attention to high potential urban contexts such as historic hubs for improving the mentioned conditions. This research aims at studying a recent phenomenon in cities based on social, cultural and economic innovations called “creative place” .The objective of the theory of “creative place” is developing strategies for achieving a new model of sustainable development that is consistent with the spirit of time in response to the following question: “How can we achieve the concept of creative place as a new model of sustainable development based on culture and identity in regenerating the historical centers of a modern Islamic-Iranian city?” .According to the approach of “sense of place” and using interaction between the three areas discussed in the creative place, i.e., Art & Culture, Knowledge-based organizations, and Community projects, this subject is analyzed using content analysis method and reviewing the literatures. Then the environmental components in renewing the historical hubs of Iranian-Islamic contemporary city is detected using the approach of “creative place” .In the final step, the environmental factors of Naqsh-e-Jahan Square of Isfahan are recognized and analyzed in order to become a creative place. This study concludes that recognizing the features of contemporary heritage of architecture and Islamic urbanism of Iran in order to establish a basis for the realization of creative place idea, leads to the recognition of the rich factors involved in this heritage.

Location Pattern of Mosques: The Case Study of Nabi Mosque according to Verses, Hadithes and Prophet's Sira

One important characteristic of Islamic culture is the subject of art and architecture that has passed a particular and evolutionary process in dealing with neighboring civilizations and cultures with a supplementary and constitutive role. During prophet’s life (PBUH) and Saudi Bedouin, Islamic architecture began its own identity by establishing Prophet’s Mosque in Medina without any special glaze and decoration but full of eternal concepts. This building is considered in different aspects, however, this article only focuses on one aspect which is the locating of the mosque according to the prophetic pattern of Islamic urbanization in an analytic and comparative method (comparing Verses and hadith with the Prophet’s Sira). Although the location of prophet's mosque was affected by geographic environment and Saudi Arabian native culture, it matches with paradigms of Quran and hadith. Furthermore, it was built by divine order and the characteristics such as: dominance of the urban space, centrality, extensibility and retrofitting, independence, invitation, unity and absorbing the majority, universality, material and spiritual prosperity and development, were noticed. This article intends to investigate the locating criteria of mosques on the base of verses and hadith and compare the result with Prophet's Sira.

Fustat and the Urban Growth Pattern in Early Islamic Period

The settle of al-Fustat was built in the year A.D. 642 (After Hijra 21), like in today’s modern real estate; location was already there for a metropolis-building site. Availability of trade routes, urban agglomeration of various trades, cheap materials and goods, proximity to water and seaways and easy access to regional cities made the al-Fustat and the greater al-Qahiria an ideal place for urban exponential growth and which at later times became a model for a mega city. To understand the expansion of al-Fustat is to understand its underlying cultural, religious, and socio-economic phenomena is very critical along with its demographic pattern. It had a complex organic growth which she saw at its earliest time on expansion. Indeed, the effect of early Islamic urbanization had a long lasting effect on the physical and socio-economic discourse of the city.