ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE Flashcards
refers to the building traditions of Muslim populations in the Middle East and other areas where Islam has ruled since the 7th century
ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE
The religion of Islam began in?
Arabia
Muhammad from Mecca saw visions of an angel
610 AD
Message from Allah to stop worshipping false idols and to accept the will of god
Islam
what was the message from Allah that the Arabs rejected?
to stop worshipping false idols and to accept the will of god “Islam”
Muhammad moved to Medina and converted the people to Islam
622 AD, the Hegira
Within ____________, the framework of religion and military organizations tasked with spreading the faith was established
10 years
This city then fought Mecca and in 630 AD destroyed all its idols and converted it to Islam
Medina
Muhammad died in _________, but his Muslim followers were ready to spread his teachings
632 AD
Concerted efforts by conquering ___________ to spread Islam
Arabic tribes
- North into __________
- Westward to _______
Central Asia; Africa
Along trade routes into ______
India
Among the _______ and Mongols
Turks
Spread of Islam is associated with?
military conquest and racial movements
Establish a cultural tie with the _____________, with the _______________________
Arabian heartland; annual pilgrimage to Mecca
In the alluvial plains, brickmaking and walling were universal, and __________ was widely available as a commodity.
MARBLE
Public life was reserved for?
men
women had a secondary role
for domestic and agricultural work
people of the book
Christians and Jews
They were given the freedom of worship and self-government
Christians and Jews
Muslims translated into Arabic many scholarly writings from?
Greek, Persian, and Indian
Rulers and scholars were interested in?
mathematics, astronomy, geography, medicine, philosophy, and science
The Arab tribes who spearheaded the spread of Islam were?
tribal
The Arab tribes who spearheaded the spread of Islam were tribal, and as a result, emerging Islamic communities’ behavior patterns and cultural characteristics were founded on?
desert customs
Over the years, as Muslim communities stabilized, a ______________________formed in which public activity was reserved for men.
distinct social pattern
played a secondary role
Women
Women played a secondary role, virtuallY
submission to Allah’s will
Islam
the world’s second-largest religion
Islam
Islam, or submission to Allah’s will, is the world’s second-largest religion, with around how many followers?
1.9 billion followers
Allah translates literally as?
“the God”
meaning the one true God and the same one worshipped by the Christians and Jews.
Allah
It is the third of the Abrahamic religions.
Islam
Islam was founded by the ____________ in _____
Prophet Muhammad; 610
Where did the Prophet Muhammad founded Islam?
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
the most important city in Islam
Mecca
it would be the counterpart of Jerusalem for the Christians and Jews
Mecca
Last of 3 great religions of the Middle East
Judaism, Christianity, Islam
Muhammad is the prophet
One god Allah
is held to be Allah’s will for creation
Faith
opposite to Iconography of Christianity
Abhorrence of image worship
Arabic: “Recitation”
Qurʾān
Qurʾān is also spelled as?
Quran and Koran
the sacred scripture of Islam
Qurʾān/Quran/Koran
According to conventional Islamic belief, this was revealed by the angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad in the West Arabian towns of Mecca and Medina beginning in 610 and ending with Muhammad’s death in 632 CE.
the Qurʾān
wrote down the words of angels who brought him messages from Allah
Muhammad
After his death, these accounts were compiled into a holy book
Muhammad; Qurʾān
Speaks of the power of Allah, to accept his will and to praise him
Qurʾān
Muhammad began to preach the message of submission to God, which the angel had revealed to him. This included the?
Five Pillars of Islam
Five Pillars of Islam
- Shahada
- Salah
- Zakat
- Sawm
- Haj
the fundamental profession of faith
Shahada
“There is no God but God (Allah), and Muhammad is His Messenger.” This is stated three times in front of a witness to become a Muslim.
Shahada
the ritual prayer toward Mecca, completed five times a day.
Salah
the obligatory donation to
charity.
Zakat
the obligatory fasting during the month of Ramadan
Sawm
pilgrimage to Mecca that lasts five days and is obligatory at least once in every Muslim’s life.
Haj
It is believed that this five-day event at the Kaaba in Mecca, the holiest place in Islam, washes away every Muslim pilgrim’s sins in the eyes of God.
Haj
holy war
jihad
sometimes added as a pillar to spread the faith and defend it from attack
jihad
Islamic Architectural Character
- Balance and symmetry
- Concept of perfect creation
- Formal Landscape
- Centered upon God
- Use of Striated Masonry
discourages innovations and favors established forms
Basic conservatism
as in the concept of perfect creation
Symmetry and balance
Related to a principal axis, the ________, pointing toward Mecca
kiblah
Islamic Decorative
Elements (Decoration)
- instead of human and animal forms:
abstract and geometric motifs, calligraphy, floral abstraction, geometric interlacement, moldings and friezes, carvings in bas relief, stone inlay and mosaic, patterned brickwork, ceramic and glass mosaic, painting, timber inlay, Arabesques, screen or pierced grilles in marble
Islamic Decorative Elements (Geometric Pattern)
The Islamic emphasis on repetition, balance, symmetry, and pattern formation is
exemplified by these designs. Geometry combined with optical effects such as balancing
positive and negative areas, as well as sophisticated use of color and tonal values
Islamic Decorative Elements (Calligraphy)
All the letter proportions are mathematically
determined. Inscriptions are commonly utilized as a frame along and around major architectural elements such as gateways and cornices
________________, like other Islamic decorations is closely tied to geometry.
Calligraphy
refers to floral motifs created by combining lines and vegetal elements, which can be
flowers, leaves, or tree branches.
Arabesque
can be found covering surfaces on buildings like mosques, as well as items like ceramic tiles and glassware
Decorative arabesque patterns
The prophet Muhammad called on people to honor Allah in prayer
Mosque/Masjid
mosques were built wherever Islam had sprea
- Principal place of worship
- Building used for Friday prayer
- Prime purpose was contemplation and prayer
- Could also be used as a school, place for
transactions, storage for treasures, place
for hearing official notices - Masjid
- Madrassah
small prayer house
Masjid
religious college and mosque
Madrassah
- Inward-looking building
- Courtyard with sides punctuated with gateways, prayer chambers, and porches
- No positive object of attention or adoration
- Conceived around an axis toward Mecca
Mosque/Masjid
In every mosque, there is _________________________________, showing the direction of Mecca
a wall with a hole or niche cut into it
biggest Mosque/Masjid
Fami Masjid/ Friday Mosque
collegiate Mosque, for learning
Madrasah
cloistered or arcaded courtyard is a fundamental feature
Sahn
fountain
Fawwara
niche oriented towards Mecca
Mihrab
reading desk
Dikka
screen
Maqsura
Minbar
a raised platform for ceremonial announcements
open-fronted porch facing a court
Iwan
Prayer hall
Liwan
tower from which a call to prayer is made
Minaret
axis oriented towards Mecca
Kiblah
colonnade or arcade
Liwanit or Riwaq
A cloistered or arcaded courtyard is a fundamental feature
Sahn
Ablution fountain.
Fawwara
Niche oriented towards Mecca.
Mihrab
Reading desk
Dikka
Screen/Divider
Maqsura
Raised platform for ceremonial announcements
Minbar
Open-fronted porch facing a court.
Iwan
Prayer hall
Liwan
Tower from which a call to prayer is made.
Minaret
appear as a part of the architecture of Mosques in the form of towers and it often features one or more balconies.
Minarets
The towers act as visual aids to direct people towards the mosque, and they also act as focal points during the Islamic call for prayers.
Minarets
The forms of the minarets commonly seen range from
thick, squat, spiral ramps to soaring, delicate, pencil-thin spires.
The base of these minarets is usually?
square in shape
The number of minarets found in mosques varies from
one to six
These Minaret towers stand as the?
Landmarks of Islam
Islam Faith Personalities
- Muezzin
- Imam
- Caliph
- Sufi
caller who summons the faithful to prayer
Muezzin
a man who leads the congregation in prayer
Imam
successor to the prophet as military, judicial, or spiritual leader of Islam
Caliph
holy man
Sufi
Domes usually appear as a part of roofs and ceilings and are hemispherical structures.
Domes
It can stand upon a rotunda structure, a drum, or a system of interlocking pendentives.
Domes
The apex of the dome may feature an _________ to permit natural light inside.
Oculus
Domes made their first appearance in?
Mesopotamian Architecture
They adopted the dome as one of its main features after getting influenced by the model of the pre-existing Byzantine domes in Ottoman architecture.
Islamic Architecture
Different types of domes include?
Onion Domes, Beehive Domes, Braced Domes, Coved Domes, Compound Domes, Crossed-Arch Domes, Ellipsoidal Domes, Geodesic Domes etc.
They are prominent elements found in Islamic Architecture and their placement usually defines the entrances to buildings and rooms.
Arches
Different types of arches include?
Pointed Arches, Ogee Arches, Horseshoe Arches, and Multifoil Arches.
The double-arched system of the __________________________ and, the pointed arches of the _________________ provide excellent examples of how arches become indispensable features of Islamic architecture.
Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba; Al-Aqsa mosque
resemble stalactites or honeycombs and become the 3d sculptural ornamentations that often appear as a part of vaults.
Muqarnas made its first appearance in the Mesopotamian region and the North-Eastern Iran region. One of the largest Muqarnas belongs to the Jazira region of Eastern Syria and Iran.
Muqarnas
The underside of domes, pendentives, arches, vaults, squinches etcetera usually host the?
Muqarnas
The word ‘Muqarna’ stems from the Arabic word _______ meaning ‘Intricate Work’.
Qarnasi
form an integral part of Islamic Architecture as it symbolizes the vastness and complexity of Islamic ideology.
Muqarnas
Muqarnas made its first appearance in the?
Mesopotamian region and the North-Eastern Iran region
One of the largest Muqarnas belongs to the?
Jazira region of Eastern Syria and Iran
are a traditional Persian architectural design that creates natural ventilation in buildings.
Windcatchers
The basic design consists of a tower that rises from a building below, with openings at the top.
Windcatchers
It one of the largest cities in Iran, is known as the “City of Windcatchers.”
Yazd
It has a very hot and dry climate, perfect for this type of cooling device (wind catcher).
Yazd
other term for windcatcher
wind scoop
entered the Islamic world during the Umayyad Dynasty.
Hypostyle Halls
The shape of these halls is typically rectangular or square, and the columns are arranged according to a grid pattern.
Hypostyle Halls
The columns provide the impression of a boundless expanse, increasing the spiritual metaphor and visual aesthetics which narrates the description of the groundwork behind the existing science, technologies, and civilizations.
Hypostyle Halls
In congregational mosques, the prayer halls follow the?
hypostyle form
located in the city of Istanbul proves to be a good instance of a hypostyle mosque
Hagia Sophia mosque
These gardens provide respite during summer to the people.
Paradise Gardens
The gardens display water features like large marble fountains and ponds adorned with lotuses and lilies.
Paradise Gardens
Paradise gardens often have a ____________
layout.
quadrilateral
it also can be linked to serenity and a literary sense.
Islamic gardens
located in proximity to the Taj Mahal is a good example of an Islamic garden.
Charbagh
It serves as a symbol of purity and life, as well as a practical tool for cleansing the body and cooling the air.
water
plays an important role in Islamic architecture, which emphasizes rich, detailed designs
water
