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

Thank you for listening!