Spiritual Significance in Islamic Architecture, Dr Mostafa al-Badawi and Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad
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- Опубліковано 6 вер 2024
- Bradford Literature Festival Digital Programme 2021
bradfordlitfest.co.uk
Islamic Architecture is amongst the most recognisable and admired in the world. It is known for its beauty, precision and timelessness, but few understand the meanings and metaphors that underpin it.
We are honoured to host Dr Mostafa al-Badawi, in conversation with Shaykh Abdal Hakim Murad, as he takes us on a journey with authoritative textual references through the deeper and long-forgotten meanings of many of the elements of Islamic architecture.
The discussion will include courtyards, gardens and fountains, generally believed to reflect images of paradise; domes, arches, ceilings, decorated so intricately with arabesque and geometric designs; as well as epigraphic inscriptions found not only in mosques but also everyday buildings in traditional Islamic architectural design.
Waleed Arafa, an Egyptian architect, will be giving a short presentation on his project, the Basuna Mosque in Egypt, that he has designed, built and incorporated many of the dimensions explored in the book.
A pure joy listening to not one but two spiritual masters...
Jazackum Allahu Khairan to both for sharing your insight on spiritual connection, architecture and Tawhid
this is pure gold! may Allah bless you for the upload!
Beautiful harmony..May Allah strengthen our Iman
JazakAllah Khairan Kaseera
Alhamdulillah
فتح مبين الحمد لله بارك الله فيكم نود زيارة هذه المعلمة
SubhanAllah, I love the explanation that architecture can have a strong impact on our feelings of a place. I Turku understand that, and long for that feeling, that one can feel closer to them prophetic than time.
Ustad should read and talk about beloved British architect Laurie Baker...
Very interesting and useful. Thanks for the Q&A. It will be a much sought out book by students of architecture and structural engineers. Now out of stock. The Cambridge Mosque is truly amazing. I wonder if glulam (glued laminated) timber was used. In the foyer of the mosque I couldn't help noticing a cross in the centre of some of the panels. Oneness God is so appealing. Two squares rotated - heaven and earth - makes sense. Also a sign of much debated hypostatic union of Christ? How much man may 'design' signs and wonders, God shows up nicely to ALL believers. Any hint of Mary/Maryam in the panels for Muslim ladies?
The book is in stock at ivpublishing.org
@@farkhandah.f Thanks a lot.
MashaAllah!
Fantastic
Very beautiful ❤️
Does anyone know how I can get into contact with Dr Badawi, email or website? I would
Like to engage with the Noble Doctor and Honourable Shaykh
What street was Abdul hakim talking about in cairo?
Moez Street
40:30 that is extremely incorrect brother, unless you are talking about the saud
The Egyptian and Middle Eastern elites must really be suffering from acute self-hate, according to the great Shaykh Hakim, for failing to appreciate the spiritual significance of their own traditional architecture. However, what Hakim does not explain to his audience are the many British, American and other Europeans who have actively promoted modernism in Muslim countries arguing for the complete modernisation of the Islamic world. This has been unrelenting since the beginning of the 20th century and every attempt was made to show the Muslims just how inferior their architecture was compared to the more 'advanced West'. Hakim should explain the issue in terms of Western ideas of 'superiority' falsely inculcated by the many western artists, writers, architects, court advisors to various Muslim governments. Fortunately not all is lost and traditional Islamic architecture is seeing a renewal throughout the Islamic world and in the West. Hakim exaggerates the Muslim rejection of their own architecture in order to ease his own biased mind. Pure projection on his part. Even if traditional Islamic architecture is renewed all over the Islamic world Hakim will be the first to reject it since it excludes his own non-descript understanding of European forms. If there is any Arab self-hate among Arab elites then it only exists as a remnant of the destabilizing and dysfunctional function of the colonial powers. Hakim admits his own failing with his wild claim : " there is no interest among the Egyptian elite" and even goes far as labelling it as " malign neglect". No mention of the European "malign neglect" which passed through the minds of modernised Europeans when judging traditional Islamic forms. Hakim is quite happy to enter into self-deception when he stereotypes all Arab elites as an ignorant bunch. He reserves, naturally, his venom for these elites since they are the very elites who were targeted by Western elites to shut up and modernize. Most telling, however, is his rejection of Islamic forms in Europe, labelling them falsely as "foreign imports". According to his logic the Paris Mosque would be an architectural 'misfit' in an otherwise godless France. Hakim himself is arguing against the very forms which he himself criticizes the "Arab elites" for rejecting. He concludes by suggesting that traditional Islamic architecture should not exist in an post-modern apocalyptic Europe. So Hakim's position is actually no different from the past colonial mind-set which regarded all traditional forms as inferior to modern western sensibilities. The only difference is that he is trying to convince his Muslim audience that his own contradictory way of understanding the spiritual function and relevance of Islamic architecture is actually quite coherent. Hakim 's self-deception is complete. Absolutely awful to watch in the 21st Century and tragically disengenuous as a scholar of Islam.
Good argument. I respect Shaykh Abdal Hakim and there's much to learn from him. As an Arab, I've sensed several times his underlying prejudice against contemporary Arabs. I'm well aware of the miserable state of the Arab world and there's much that I disapprove of.
@@graybow2255 Thank you for your excellent comment. I cannot yet decide whether Shaykh Hakim is a standard Orientalist with a 'Muslim' twist to dissuade legitimate criticism from being directed at him or or just merely intellectually lazy. Either way, Shaykh Abdal Hakim's highly racialized understanding of the Middle East is absolutely appalling for all of its child-like generalizations of Arabs. Shaykh Hakim could definitely pass as a Daily Mail columnist or a Brexit Party candidate but as a 'scholar' of Arabic or the Middle East his own temper tantrums against the Arabs places him outside of what is decent or respectable. I am not altogether surprised that the University of Cambridge feels comfortable enough with the knowledge that Hakim is so fundamentally out of touch with genuine Islamic intellectuality. Somehow retaining the services of a 'scholar' who is essentially Anti-Arab does seem only to advantage those with a vested interest in harming/damaging the perception of Arabs worldwide - which Hakim does so well. You can determine for yourself whether he is actually just a standard Orientalist with a covert phobia of Arabs or just simply an aspiring Daily Mail columnist.
@@DavidSmith-zl2ww Thank you David. This is most inspiring and I agree with your analysis of Hakim's underlying anti-Arabism.
@@DavidSmith-zl2ww One rarely comes across such well-written and well-reasoned arguments online. You make a good point and I must admit that I don't have the intellectual depth of your calibre. I've known him only this year. I haven't read or listened to him enough to judge him. But listening to him so far, broad themes are conspicuous to me: 1. Criticism of modernity. 2. Celebration of Muslim diversity. 3. Inward, pacifist, spiritual life 5. Admiration of Turkish and Persian culture at the expense of Arabs. If I may ask, are you English?
@@graybow2255 Yes English but with some Scottish.