Muslims Contribution to Architecture

Architecture

- Minarets

- Domes

- Madrassa

- Gardens

- Calligraphy

- Bookbinding

- Gilding

The Muslims made advances in the area of architecture, calligraphy and visual arts related to decorations and patterns..

The main areas of development in architecture were the construction of dome based mosques with minarets, madrassas, gardens and redesign of the interior of houses to reflect an Islamic way of life.

The mosque, with its minarets, is perhaps that most famous symbol of Islamic architecture. The minaret was not used in the pre-Islamic Arab societies, nor used during the time of the Messenger of Allah (Peace Be Upon Him) or the first four Khulafa'.  

However, as the population of Madinah grew it became difficult for the muezzin to reach all the people from a rooftop of a house. So the need to extend the sound of the adhan led to the development of the minarets. Thus, in 709 CE/91 AH Khaleefah 'Umar ibn 'Abdul 'Aziz commissioned the construction of four minarets on the four comers of the Prophet's Mosque. Each minaret was about thirty feet high and with a base of4x4 meters.

The minaret is definitely an original architectural concept introduced to the world by the Muslims. Since its early development, Muslim architects and engineers developed various materials and techniques to construct minarets across the Muslim world, allowing for local designs to blend gracefully with the environments.

The dome is also an area where Muslims made original contributions.

Although the concept of the dome existed before Islam, it is in the architectural design and construction of the dome that Muslims contributed towards. An example of one such contribution is the construction of Star Ribbed domes where a set of parallel arches to used to support the dome. These arches are rotated, and are offset from the center so that the apex does not become the main join. The rotated parallel arches provide visual elegance and serve to load balance the weight of the dome. The Star Ribbed dome was first introduced in Spain with the building of the dome on the Great Mosque of Cordoba in 784 CE, where four parallel arches were used that resulted in eight-pointed star designs. This design became very popular with Muslim architects as it provided balanced proportions and stunning appearances.

Later on, twelve-sided and sixteen-sided stars were also used. The number of rotations increased over time and produced domes with twenty four, thirty two, forty eight, and sixty four rotations.

The Muslims also developed the madrassa concept that perhaps became a blueprint for many educational institutes like the modern day college and the university. The madrassas were designed to be self-contained; meaning that they were architected to house classrooms, rest areas, prayer area and sometime a courtyard. Later on, living quarters were added for students who came from far lands.

Muslims were pioneers in the field of education, and they started to establish education institutes in the very early period of Islam. The Guinness Book of World Records considers the University of Al Karaouine, established in 859 CE in Fez, Morocco, as the oldest continuously operating institution of higher learning in the world .

The Muslims took exceptional interest in the architecture and landscaping of the public gardens. Darted across many parts of the Muslims world from Spain to India, there are fabulous gardens that were once a joy to visit, rest and play.

The innovations in architecture were also extended to the home. Islamic way of life stipulated that privacy of the individual is of paramount importance, thus, the home became the focus for design innovations. A typical Muslim house was built on a rectangular shape with a central courtyard, and with external high walls. Normally there were no windows on external walls; if there existed, they were situated high so that passersby cannot see inside of the house. This reflected the importance of the interior space was important, not the outside. The interior were also designed to keep male and female quests separate as free social mixing between non-related people is not allowed. Thus, there were separate quarters for men and women.

Another interesting fact to note is that the Islamic governments constructed rest areas along the main travel routes. This was in line with the duty of the Islamic government to look after its citizens. The architecture of these rest areas reflected the needs of the travelers; they consisted of rooms for sleeping and shelter, water supply, a mosque and other essential requirements for travelers. Remains of these rest areas are found even today all over the Muslims world.

Calligraphy has always been very special for the Muslims. This is due to the fact that the Quran has been revealed as a book, thus it was written for its preservation, and for the subsequent transmission of the Quran and the hadith to the world beyond the Arabian peninsula. The Muslims displayed great deal of ingenuity in the science of calligraphy, often extending the work from paper to stone, wood and metal.

Dome 

Arch

Arch

Arch

Dome

Dome

Dome

Dome

Minarets

Minarets

Minarets

Minarets

Mughal Garden

Mughal Garden

Mughal Garden

Mughal Garden

Mughal Garden

Taj Mahal

Muslims also played a significant role in the development of bookbinding, and they excelled in the art of gilding (the art of applying a thin layer of gold, simulated gold or other metal to a surface). This influence was extended later to development of bookbinding in Europe, where the first gilded bindings appeared mid-15th CEN

Muslim Contribution to Engineering

Engineering

- Windmills

-Axle

- Crankshaft

- Waterwheel

- Hydraulic Apparatus

- Magnetic Needle

-Dams

- Guns and Cannons

- Wind, Tidal and Steam Power

Many centuries before the Industrial Revolution in Europe, Muslims had already started on the path of innovation in the field of engineering and industrialization. There is ample evidence that suggests that Muslims were the first to make industrial uses of tidal power, wind power and steam power.

As for wind power, the Muslims were using windmills in the 7''' century CE to grind com and to draw water for irrigation. It is reported that windmills were widely used during the rule of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab", the second Khaleefah.

Building on the knowledge of the water flows, the Muslims invented water turbine, which had water wheels with curved blades onto which water flow was directed axially. This was first described in a 9th century CE Arabic text for use in a watermill.

The Muslims are noted as the first to invent various types of industrial mills. These include, hullers ", paper mills , saw mills, ship mills, stamp mills, steel mills, sugar mills and tide mills. By 11^th century CE, mills of all types were established across regions from Spain and North African to the Middle East and Asia.

In additional to the mills, many other industries were established for astronomical instruments, ceramics, chemicals, distillation technologies, clocks, glass, matting, mosaics, pulp and paper, perfumery, petroleum, pharmaceuticals, rope-making, shipping, shipbuilding, silk, textiles, weapons, and the mining of minerals such as sulfur, ammonia, lead and iron. The first large factory complexes were built for many of these industries. Knowledge of these industries was later transmitted to medieval Europe.

Another area of ingenuity of the Muslims can be seen in harnessing steam for power. Engineer Taqi al-Din described the first practical steam turbine as a prime mover for rotating a spit. In his book, AI- Turuq alSaniyya fi al-Alat al-Ruhaniyya (The Sublime Methods of Spiritual Machines), completed in 1551 CE, he wrote:

The Muslims' contributed greatly towards mechanical engineering as well. They worked on the mechanics of wheel, usage of axle, waterwheel, lever pulley, gears, toothed wheel, and other mechanical devices such as crank shaft.

Amongst the famous mechanical engineers of the 13th century CE was Abu al-'Isa Ismail ibn Razzaz Badi al-Zaman al-Jazari. He wrote amply on various mechanical engineering topics and invented a number of machines. His best work was published in 1206CE title AI-Jami bain al amwal-Amal al-Nafi fi Sinat 'at al-Hiyal (The Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices), in which he described in great detail 50 mechanical devices. Amongst his work include water clocks, hand washing device (for making ablution), machines for raising water, double acting pumps with suction pipes, use of a crank shaft in a machine, calibration of orifices, lamination of timber to reduce warping, static balancing of wheels, use of paper models to establish a design and casting of metals in closed mould boxes with green sand.

Qaisar ibn Abu al-Qasim, a mathematician and astronomer (d. 1251 CE) made improvements on the waterwheels. Such improved types of water-wheels are still seen on Orontes10 and are among the landmarks of Hama. Muslims led the world at that time in making clocks. Muhammad ibn 'Ali ibn Rustam al-Khurasani was a famous constructor of clocks, and as a result, he was called al-Sa 'ati (the clock maker).

The Muslims were also the first to use explosive material in guns and cannons. The purpose of this invention was to throw bullets at the enemy from a long distance. The Chinese used sodium nitrate only. But the penetrating power of explosives was discovered and used only by the Muslims. The earliest known military applications of these explosive gunpowder compositions were the explosive cannons first used by the Muslims to repel the Mongols at the Battle of Ain Jalut in 1260 CEo The statement given by Ibn Khaldun in his History of Berbers also proves the use of the guns at the time of war.

Friend in Need, Friend Indeed

Always Help Your Brother

 Allah said, "Be good to others, for Allah loves those who are good."

The Prophet Peace Be Upon Him said, "For me to walk with my brother to fulfill his need Until it is fulfilled is more beloved to me than making it’ikaf ( staying ) in this mosque of mine for a month!"

He also said, "The one who helps his brother in need, Allah helps him when he is in need."

The Prophet Peace Be Upon Him would be walking in the street and a slave-girl would stop him, saying, “I need your help." He would remain with her until he would hear her needs. He would then go with her to her master to fulfill her needs. In fact, the Prophet Peace Be Upon Him used to mix with people and have patience over their harms. He used to treat them all with a merciful soul, tearful eyes, a preaching tongue and a loving heart. He would feel that he and others were one body. He would feel the poor man's poverty, the sad person's grief, the ill man's disease and the needy one's needs.

Just look at how, as he sat in his mosque speaking to his Companions, he would see a group of people coming to him from afar. He wouldnotice that they were a group of poor people coming from Mudhar in the direction of Najd. Due to their extreme poverty, they were wearing garments made of wool having white and black stripes. Some of them would find a piece of cloth, but wouldn't have the money to buy a needle and thread in order to stitch it together. Therefore, they would tear it from the middle, poke their heads through the hole, and allow the garment to fall and cover their bodies. They had come wearing such garments, with their swords hanging around their necks.

They did not have any lower garments, turbans, or cloaks.

When the Prophet Peace Be Upon Him saw how hard they were struggling and that they had nothing to wear or eat, his complexion changed. He stood up and went off to his house but couldn't find anything to give in charity. He left and entered another one of his houses, looking for something to give, but couldn't find anything there either.

He then went to the mosque, prayed the Dhuhr prayer and climbed up to the pulpit. He thanked and praised Allah and said,

"To proceed, Allah has said in His Book:

'0 mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord Who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate and from them two has spread abroad a multitude of men and women. Be careful of your duty toward Allah in Whom you claim (your rights) of one another, and toward the wombs (that bear you).

Indeed! Allah has been a watcher over you:

He then recited: '0 you who believe! Observe your duty to Allah. And let every soul look to that which it sends on before for the tomorrow. And observe your duty to Allah. Indeed! Allah is Aware of what you do: He recited more verses, admonished the believers and said in a loud voice, "Give in charity before you are unable to give it anymore! Give in charity before you are prevented from doing so!" A man gave charity from his Dinar, another gave from his Dirham, another gave from his wheat and another gave from his barley. He further said, "Let no one of you belittle whatever you give in charity:' He began to mention the various items people may give in charity until he mentioned," ... even if it were a piece of date." A man from the Ansaar rose with a package in his hand, and, the Messenger of Allah Peace Be Upon Him took hold of it while he was on the pulpit. When the Prophet Peace Be Upon Him took it, a sense of joy was apparent on his face.

He said, "Whoever initiates a good practice and acts accordingly he will have its reward along with the reward of anyone who acts according to that practice, without there being any decrease in their reward. And whoever initiates a bad practice and acts accordingly, he will bear its burden along with the burden of all those who act according to it, without there being any decrease in their burdens."

The people got up, left for their homes and returned with charity. One came with a Dinar, another came with a Dirham, another came with dates whilst another came with clothes, until two piles accumulated in front of the Prophet Peace Be Upon Him a pile of food and a pile of clothes. When the Prophet Peace Be Upon Him saw this, his face brightened like the moon. He then divided it up amongst the poor people. (Muslim) Yes! The Prophet Peace Be Upon Him used to enter people's hearts by fulfilling their needs. He would spend his strength, time and his wealth for their sake.

When ‘A’ishah RadiAllah Unha was asked about the Prophet's behavior at home, she said, "He would either be fulfilling the needs of his family members, or serving them."

Wouldn't you like to make your way into people's hearts by fulfilling their needs?