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The Dilemma of Continuity and Change of Old Muslim City
Hisham MortadaProfessorDept of ArchitectureCollege of Environmental DesignKing Abdul Aziz UniversityJeddah, Saudi Arabia
Shari’ah: Legal System of Islam
Code of guidance revealed by Allah in his book (Quran) and the tradition of the Prophet (sunnah)
It establishes for the orderly behaviour of all aspects of Muslim life, both individually and collectively.
In its objectives answers to the needs of human progress and provision of order of human life.
Sources of Shari’ah
The Quran The basic source of Islamic teachings and
jurisprudence as it is the Word of God
The Sunnah The tradition of the Prophet Mohammed It comprises his deeds, words, and indirect
commands
Shari’ah and its Social Framework
A social framework with a complete set of principles
Aleppo Bukhara Cordoba
Damascus Cairo Tunis
Old Muslim City: A Result of the Social Framework of Principles
Old Muslim City: A Result of the Social Framework of Principles
Damascus, Syria Istanbul, Turkey Bukhara, Uzbekistan
Cairo, Egypt Fez, Morocco Isfahan, Iran
Principles of Islamic Social Framework
Society Scale
Neighbourhood Scale
Family Scale
Society Scale
Strong Social Interaction• limit isolation• encourages social life (wider scale)• stimulate interaction,
collaboration, showing kindness, benefiting others and avoiding harming others
Society Scale: Strong Social Interaction
Urban compactness of early Muslim cities indicates the strong relationship between inhabitants. This has been manifested in various cities throughout the Muslim world regardless of local environmental or cultural variables
Fez Isfahan Riyadh
Medina urban fabric during the Ottoman era in the beginning of the 19th century AD. The absence of large open spaces prevented any
social disintegration .
Organic urban fabric of Medieval Cairo during the Fattimi era (1800 AD) shaped by collective actions and
values of residents .
Society Scale: Strong Social Interaction
Jeddah
Society Scale: Strong Social Interaction
Fez Isfahan
Society Scale: Strong Social Interaction
Damascus Cairo Meknas
The tiny squares surrounded by and provided access to dwellings in the old city of Jeddah have had social values by enhancing interaction between residents .
Society Scale: Strong Social Interaction
Society Scale: Strong Social Interaction
Samarqand Yazd Meknas
The walled city of Lahore (1946 AD), where Muslim, Hindus and Sikh communities lived for long time as one integrated society. This socio-ethnic solidarity was also exhibited in cities such as Fez, Tunis, Medina, Isfahan and Damascus, where Muslims, Christians, Jews and other religious groups lived as a socially integrated community
Society Scale: Strong Social Interaction
Muslim Quarter, Old Damascus Jewish Quarter, Old Damascus
Christian Quarter, Old Damascus
Society Scale: Strong Social Interaction
Neighbourhood Scale
A neighbour: a relation, a stranger, and a casual/temporary neighbour.
All are deserving sympathy, affection, kindness and fair treatment.
Neighbourly relation should extend to those further away.
Neighbourhood Scale
An aerial view of the old city of Tunis, where dwellings are similar in shape and size, indicating an absence of social or economic advertisement in
dwelling physical aspects .
The physical aspects of a narrow alley in a neighborhood in the old city of Tunis, provide an atmosphere of social
cohesion .
Neighbourhood Scale
MeknasCairoFez
Neighbourhood Scale
Attached roofs of Isfahan houses, a reflection of trust and solidarity among neighbors
Neighbourhood Scale
Bukhara Isfahan
Neighbourhood Scale
Simple mud house of a small family in Al-Dariah, Saudi Arabia, where Majlis or visitors' room was provided in order to
strengthen ties with neighbors .
Neighbourhood Scale
Old Riyadh, where mud courtyard houses are similar in height (one story), none of which blocks the air from reaching the other .
Family Scale
The relationship between family members is not temporary, but permanent and enduring.
Family members are expected to make serious and sustained efforts to live together and plan their role in society.
The relationship between all family members is a spiritual relationship that sustains and generates love, kindness, mercy, compassion, mutual confidence, self-sacrifice, and solace.
Bait al-Suheimi, a typical traditional Mamlúki house (1250-1517 AD) in Fustat, Cairo, where spaces are close to each other and multi-functional, enhancing interaction between family members
Family Scale
Fez Riyadh
Family Scale: Extended Family
Courtyard houses inhabited by extended families
Residential towers inhabited by extended families, Jeddah
Family Scale: Extended Family
An alley bridged by a room linking two dwellings inhabited by an extended family symbolizing the strong ties between family members .
Family Scale: Extended Family
Qatif Damascus Isfahan
Family Scale: Extended Family
Meknas Fez
Change of Time and Factors of Change
Economy: Land in historic areas has become expensive or valuable for investment
Change of Time and Factors of Change
Regulations: Imported urban and building regulations that are not based on Shari’ah sources or socio-cultural aspects of old Muslim city.
Change of Time and Factors of Change
Cultural Interaction/Change in lifestyle: Easy and fast cultural exchange through travel, media, etc.
Change of Time and Factors of Change
Technology: Introduction of automobile.
Results of Change Disappearance of Old Muslim
City
Dubai
Results of Change
Mecca
Results of Change Disappearance of Old Muslim
City
Mecca
Results of Change Disappearance of Old Muslim
City
Results of Change Negligence and Physical
Deterioration
Fatimi Cairo
Results of Change Negligence and Physical
Deterioration
Fatimi Cairo
Results of Change Negligence and Physical
Deterioration
Yanbu
Results of Change Negligence and Physical
Deterioration
Jeddah
Results of Change Negligence and Physical
Deterioration
Jeddah
Results of Change Abundance
Al-Wajh
Results of Change Abundance
Yanbu
Continuity: The Forces Government/NGOs/Int. Organizations
(UNESCO)
Shibam Fez
Continuity: The Forces Government/NGOs/Int. Organizations
(UNESCO)
Cairo
Continuity: The Forces Government/NGOs/Int. Organizations
(UNESCO)
Cairo
Continuity: The Forces Government/NGOs/Int. Organizations
(UNESCO)
Ibn Tulun Street, Cairo
Continuity: The Forces Government/NGOs/Int. Organizations
(UNESCO)
Ibn Tulun Street, Cairo
Continuity: The Forces Economy (Tourism)
Cairo Damascus
Continuity: The Forces Owners: Economic Benefit and
Pride
Aleppo Rijal alMa’a
The tradition of Islam has set up certain principles to order and facilitate the life of Muslims. These principles have remarkably been expressed in the built environment of early Muslims .
The physical features of Old Muslim city facilitated the maintenance of the principles the tradition of Islam has set up.
As the winds of change, represented by technological advancement, cultural exchange, and importing foreign urban regulations, the old Muslim city has started to suffer from disappearance, neglencance
and/or replacement .
Summary and Conclusion
Despite the changes that have been affecting old Muslim city, the continuity of its social and urban characters has occasionally been maintained but due to
economic reasons .Education, user participation, urban
renewal, and public awareness are keys to maintain whatever left of the old Muslim city.
Summary and Conclusion
Old Cairo
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