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Architects As Insan Adabi

Hafiz Amirrol1
1
Department of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti
Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor, MALAYSIA

Introduction

The paper tries to discuss the optimism of material improvements, comforts


and luxuries within the Western civilization in the late 1800s as resulted from
the proclamation of Friedrich Nietzsche “God is dead” and that it was the
people who killed Him. What he was observing was that the values that give
life’s meaning disappeared with the ‘abandonment’ of God in everyday life.
Therefore, the paper tries to draw a parallel between that condition and what is
occurring in contemporary architectural scene particularly questioning to
whether God still have a place in the architectural production of modern
society, or is God relevant only in projects such as mosques, Islamic
educational institutions and such?

In tackling this issue, the paper will delineate this issue in the context of the
architect as an Insan Adabi. References on two relevant architectural contexts
in contemporary society will be the main case studies for this paper, and
outlines important works, ideas and thoughts that consequently detail the scope
of thoughts that permeates contemporary architecture under the headings of
Globality and Social Justice from the Development of Twentieth Century’s
Architecture, and Ijtihad for Islamic Architecture.

These two issues were selected in order for us to understand the overall
architectural progress during the twentieth and the twenty first century which
contributed to the development of civilization and its discontentment.

This paper hopes to generate a discourse and will openly debate the issues, as
we are experimenting with new design agendas in the improvisation of
architecture progress, particularly in the Department of Architecture in
Universiti Teknologi MARA, and generally in Malaysia in order to give birth
for future generations of architects as Insan Adabi. Works, ideas, thoughts and
writings of many important architects and thinkers will be the main references
for the amalgamation of discussion in paper.
1. Globality and Social Justice from the Development of Twentieth
Century’s Architecture

The twentieth century will be chiefly remembered by future


generations not as an era of political conflicts or technical inventions,
but as an age in which human society dared to think of the welfare of
the whole human race as a practical objective.

Arnold J. Toynbee, English historian (1889 – 1975)

In his Nobel Prize acceptance speech on December 11, 1957, former Prime
Minister of Canada, Lester B. Pearson quoted historian, Arnold Toynbee,
author of the book A Study of History. The main thesis of Toynbee’s work is
that the well being of a civilization depends on its ability to respond creatively
to challenges, human and the environment. He was optimistic about the
twentieth century. He believed that the cycle of rise and decline was not
inevitable and that a civilization could choose and act wisely in the face of
recurring hardships. However, civilization was proven to overcomes the
dangerous aggressivity of the individual, by weakening him, disarming him and
setting up an internal authority to watch over him, like a garrison in a
conquered town 1.

It is impossible to resist the impression that human beings commonly apply


false standards and thoughts, such as Nietzsche’s (1844 – 1900) proclamation
of “God is dead”2, seeking power, success and wealth for themselves and
admiring them in others, while underrating what is truly valuable in life. “One
of the most remarkable characteristics of human nature,” writes Hermann Lotze
(1817 – 1881), a German philosopher, “is, alongside so much selfishness in
specific instances, the freedom from envy which the present displays toward
the future”3. Not since the age of invention have so many new products,
processes, and services become available to the society. What we see over the
last hundred years is that design (which include architecture) is changing its
place in the order of things. Design is evolving from its position of relative
insignificance, to become a tool in shaping a society, which in the words of
Guy Debord (1931 - ), the Society of Spectacle.

The concept of the spectacle brings together a wide range of phenomena4.


Diversities and contrasts among such phenomena are the appearance of a social
organization. This social organization is part of a class struggle, which
according to Karl Marx (1818 – 1883), is a fight for social justice in the living
age of the modern society 5. Like modern society itself, is at once united and
divided, struggles between forces. These struggles have been established for
the purpose of running the similar socio-economic and political system. The
globalization phenomena, which is more likely is the capitalism invasion
towards the world had caused social justice being left at a dilapidated
condition. This phenomenon does greatly affects the built environment and
architecture, which automatically will affect the social system we live in. It is
our interest to share our view from the local perspective of the development of
twentieth century architecture towards the struggle for social justice.

By the twentieth century, Southeast Asia, with the exception of Thailand, had
already become states of western colonial powers. Political boundaries were set
arbitrarily without regard for historical, cultural and ethnic considerations.
During the colonial era, traditions and other Asian values were sometimes
modified or distorted by the deliberate intervention of the colonial masters in
order to satisfy their own utilitarianism, meaning or aesthetic expression6. It is
therefore common that most Southeast Asian countries are still in the process
of working out how to define their identity and modernity. Notwithstanding
decades of rapid economic development, the majority of the populations in the
Southeast Asian countries are still poor. At the same time, the controversy over
Asian values continues. The economic success of the past decades in the Asian
region and the increasing strife over trade protection, democracy and human
rights have turned the Asian values debate into a highly charged political and
social exercise. This debate leads to the development of individual initiative
and creativity, which give birth to the generation of new ideas. In the built
environment circle, physical expansion was an inevitable response to the urgent
demand of rapid urbanization and migration flocks. This process leads to
growing economic wealth. Economic development of the Asian region has
certainly brought substantial benefits, better opportunities and some
improvements in living standards. Free markets activities are becoming
necessary tools for generating wealth. However, the successful application of
the free-market instrument does not always ensure the appropriate delivery of
basic human needs and the equitable distribution of development benefits.
Here, social justice is still not successfully being empowered. Seeing this, most
Asian leaders start to build dreams of having a fair and justice society by
commencing ‘nation- building’ projects which are being seen as tools to echo
the nations’ identity and modernity symbolism.

Meanwhile in Europe, intellectual discourse on modern society and its


architecture continued with great vigor. This practice has continued from the
interwar years until the age of digital architecture and Frank Gehry is becoming
a household name. Socialist inspired utopianism informed the agenda of
modernist urbanism and placed it within the framework of paternalistic ethics
and controlled social justice. It was in this context that Modernism was
introduced into colonial Malaysia in the fifties7. Influences, ideas and
philosophies from the Modern Movement were brought back by the first
generation of Malaysian architects, which were largely educated abroad in the
1950s and 1960s. The country’s demands for new buildings have been their
testing ground to apply these ideas.

In the late sixties, Post-Modernist Architecture consciously introduced


historicism, localism and pluralism. These philosophies, which was largely
influenced by the writings of Robert Venturi8 and the critical views of
architecture and the city by Aldo Rossi9 start to challenge the dehumanizing
and soulless International Style. It was during this period that Malaysian
architects start to raise questions on national identity, which in our opinion,
were brought about by three sources of influences, which are:

1. the Existentialism of Sartre10 and Post Modernist thinkers, from


Derrida to Foucault,
2. the racial riot of May 1969, and
3. the establishment of the New Economic Policy

The nation undertook deliberate development of unprecedented speed and


magnitude to modernize the urban center. Slums, squatters and urban fringes
were demolished to provide land for new usages, particularly for housing and
office spaces. Massive public housing projects embodied the dimension of
social responsibility and ethics associated with the ideas of the Modern
Movement. Notwithstanding the social benefits and environmental
improvement for its occupants, public housing was veritably a part of a
pragmatic economic agenda. However, these public housing estates (flats and
terrace houses) were built in simplistic and rigid Modernist Style and lacking in
excitement, character and identity. Fixed in repetitive, boring layouts,
uninspiring architecture of the country reflects the contradiction of our rich
cultural roots and evolving identity. This shows our country’s struggle between
borrowed Modernity and Asian communitarianism.

The role of the architect to serve humanity as an Insan Adabi was degraded
when the politico-cultural ideology combined with lack of community
participation in planning and building decisions means that there are fewer
opportunities left for people to exteriorize their subjective opinions, cultural
characteristics and religious thoughts in the spaces they inhabit. These
progression and development of the country’s architecture somehow reflects
Nietzsche’s proclamation in which ‘abandonment’ of God and religion
references can be seen at large, and such problem can be seen as a global one,
resulting from and towards social injustice.

2. Ijtihad for Islamic Architecture

In the previous century, Islamic Architecture has become a mere


‘attachment’ to the various discourses on Architecture on Post
Modern Revivalism, Neo Vernacularism, Regionalism, Modernistic
Structuralism, Abstractionism, Geometricism and the use of
metaphors in Architecture. The sufistic-based iconographical
allusions in traditional Islamic Architecture raise questions of validity
from the perspective of Sunnah as adhered to by the majority of
Muslims11.

Associate Professor Dr Mohamad Tajuddin Rasdi


Architecture critic, writer and teacher (1966 - )

The above quote was taken from the written work of Tajuddin Rasdi, who
specializes in theory and history of architecture with emphasis on the ideas of
Islamic architecture from the perspectives of the Prophet Muhammad’s
(p.b.u.h) sunnah and the framework of early Western Modernist thoughts.
From his writings, it is our interest not to discuss Islamic architecture from its
symbolic transformations of built forms and geometries, but rather to come out
with an ijtihad (agreed collective interpretation) for Islamic architecture that
encompass the ontological qualities of practicing architecture as a Muslim and
khalifah in this world. To achieve this standard and qualities, the Muslim
architect must first and foremost understand the words of Allah, imbued in the
Holy Quran. These words must be practiced in accordance with the sunnah of
His Messengers in order for the architect serve as an Insan Adabi.

It can be said that from the issues and references stated from the previous
chapter, almost all issues are faced with a multitude of problems of social
injustice. In simpler term, these problems have arisen from the failure of the
human, specifically the architect, to understand the concept of syukur
(thankfulness), which leads to the reduction of the Islamic conception of
knowledge (‘ilm), from a sacred to a profane form of knowledge and
eventually lead up to the loss of adab12. This negative transformation can be
avoided if human beings understand and practice Islam as it is supposed to be
practiced, and by releasing Muslims from the shackles of Western
secularization13. In this paper, we will try to understand the first word in the
Holy Quran, which is Bismillahirrahmannirrahim (in the name of God, the
Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy). By understanding this very important
verse, it hoped that human generally, and architects specifically, can improve
themselves in order to progress as an Insan Adabi.

Most occurrences of the term ar-Rahman in the Quran are in the context of
Him being mighty and majestic as well as merciful14. By this, it can be taken
that He is the most knowledgeable (‘ilm). From His unprecedented knowledge,
He has awarded human beings (khalifah) with the best gift, which is the
Quran15. His might and majestic can be interpreted as Him being the ultimate
creator 16, thus creating human beings17 to be placed on earth 18, which is the
only source for livelihood (rezeki). This connection of Human - Earth - the
Quran is literally to be understood as the fitrah (natural disposition) of life and
is to be taken as agreement (aqad) between human to live on earth by using the
Quran as its main guidance (hudan)19. By agreeing to this aqad, it will mark the
aqidah of the human (i.e. the architect).

By having a strong hold to aqidah, it will be much easier for the architect to
practice in the right mannerism, which can reject the fallacy of progress
brought about by the universal spirit of modern development, which is an
integral component of Westernization and secularism20. In order to do this, it is
important for the architect to be able to differentiate between the haq (sacred)
and bathil (profane). By using the Quran as the main reference, it is a must for
him to be able to understand and use the Holy Book as a tool for illumination,
since Allah has awarded human with the Quran as a revelation (bayyinat) 21.
These revelations must be intelligently used by humans to look, listen and
think 22, thus being able to distinguish (furqan) between the above mentioned
haq and bathil23. Once the human (architect) is able to be truly decisive in
perceiving which is good and which is not, the spread of secularization and the
reduction of the religious traditions (ad-din) can be reduced and stopped, thus
reducing the negative impact of these two principles which was brought about
in the name of Modernity and Westernization. This marks the importance of
the architect to practice the principles of wisdom (hikmah), unity (tawhid) 24 and
to use their God’s given intelligence in the form of the process of thinking
(aql)25. Concluding all these processes, the architect will reflect back what was
earlier mentioned, which is to understand the concept of syukur in becoming an
Insan Adabi.
The diagram below (Figure 1) will clearly illustrate and define the whole
process of becoming an architect, which practice this new concept of ijtihad in
Islamic architecture.

Figure 1: Concept of Syukur in Becoming Insan Adabi

By understanding the whole process illustrated above, the architect may


venture into a higher realm of purifying oneself through the understanding of
the principles of one’s inner self level of interior 26 (batin) (Figure 2). Further
reading 27 on this subject is required to understand the spiritual and
psychological states in becoming a person who can understand his actual
relationship with the universe and his Creator and fulfill his trust, the function
of viceregency that we human has accepted as khalifah. It is important for the
architect to learn about it in order for him to bring back the long lost adab,
which have been the main contributing reason for the ‘abandonment’ of God
and religion in everyday life.

Figure 2: Inner Self-Level of Interior28


Conclusion

From the observation on today’s social injusticeness and how a Muslim


architect can practice the principles of syukur and inner self purification to
mend the problems, it can be concluded that the nature of Islam’s divine law
will group the symbol of faith, and governed by God, determines the
conception of law. In Islam, a person who has understand the above mentioned
concept of syukur will submit to this law, which is, at the same time a social
duty and a precept of faith. Juridical order and religion, law and morals, are the
two aspects from which Muslim derives its existence and directions; every
legal question is in itself a case of conscience, and jurisprudence points to
theology as its ultimate base. The Quranic revelation on law itself is an act of
mercy vouchsafed by God to mankind. Therefore, in today’s modern
contemporary society, the architect must always obliged to this binding
contract (aqad) to practiced what is imbued in the Quran in order to become an
Insan Adabi. For instance, as a professional which carries the responsibility of
social duties, the architect must always practice his professionalism, not only
by compelling to the Code of Conduct, but also to perform at his level best in
every process of practicing architecture. These include the duty of the
architecture student to seek for knowledge, the teacher to deliver his knowledge
and to teach students to perceive good architecture, and the designer/architect
to design his building with full responsibilities towards the society,
environment and God. By perceiving all of the above with the correct
understanding on the words of God, a more synectics spirit of the human soul
can always be achieved in giving birth for new generations of architects as
Insan Adabi.
References

1
Freud, Sigmund, Civilization and Its Discontent, Penguin Books, London,
2002.
2
Nietzsche, Friedrich, The Will to Power, (trans. Walter Kaufmann), Random
House, New York, 1968.
3
Lotze, Hermann, Microcosmus: An Essay Concerning Man and His Relation
to the World (4th edition), (trans. E. Hamilton and E. E. C. Jones), T&T Clark,
Edinburgh, 1899.
4
Debord, Guy, The Society of The Spectacle, (trans. Donald Nicholson-Smith),
Zone Books, New York, 1994.
5
Marx, Karl, Dispatches for the New York Tribune, (eds. James Ledbetter),
Penguin Books, London, 2007.
6
Lim, William, Alternatives in Transition – The Postmodern, Glocality and
Social Justice, Select Publishing, Singapore, 2001.
7
Abd. Rahman, Amran, Assoc. Prof., Architectural Transformation in
Malaysia with Reference to Development in Kuala Lumpur (Revue One),
Faculty of Architecture, Planning and Surveying, UiTM Shah Alam, Malaysia,
2001.
8
Venturi, Robert, Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture, New York,
1966.
9
Rossi, Aldo, Architecture of The City, MIT Press, Cambridge, 1966.
10
Sartre, Jean-Paul, Being and Nothingness, Washington Square Press, New
York, 1992.
11
Rasdi, Mohamad Tajuddin, Assoc. Prof., Hadith and Mosque – Hadith as a
Guide in Designing Mosque, Utusan Publications, Kuala Lumpur, 2004.
12
Wan Daud, Wan Mohd Nor, The Educational Philosophy and Practice of
Syed Muhammad Naquib Al-Attas, ISTAC, Kuala Lumpur, 1998.
13
Al-Attas, Syed Muhammad Naquib, Islam and Secularism, ABIM, Kuala
Lumpur, 1978.
14
Haleem, Abdul, Understanding The Quran, Oxford University Press, Oxford,
2004.
15
Surah al-Baqarah (2:185) and Surah Ar-Rahman (55:2)
16
Surah al-Alaq (96:1)
17
Surah ar-Rum (30:30)
18
Surah al-A’raf (7:10)
19
Surah al-Baqarah (2:185)
20
Zubir, Syed Sobri, Assoc. Prof., Ideals and Realities of Contemporary
Islamic Architecture (Revue One), Faculty of Architecture, Planning and
Surveying, UiTM Shah Alam, Malaysia, 2001.
21
Surah Yaasin (36:69)
22
Surah an-Nahl (16:78)
23
Surah at-Tariq (86:13)
24
Ardalan and Bakhtiar, Sense of Unity (other details unknown), see Zubir,
Syed Sobri, Assoc. Prof., Ideals and Realities of Contemporary Islamic
Architecture.
25
Surah an-Nahl (16:78)
26
al-Jilani, Abdul al-Qadir, The Secrets of Secrets – Revelation of Islamic
Sufism and Mysticism (interpreted by Shaykh Tosun Bayrak al-Jerrahi), S.
Abdul Majeed & Co., Kuala Lumpur, 1993.
27
Malfuzat, Muhtar Holland, Utterances of Shaikh Abdul al-Qadir al-Jilani, S.
Abdul Majeed & Co., Kuala Lumpur, 1994.
28
Ibid.

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