The Application of Calligraphy in Mosques: Case Studies in Egypt, Turkey and Malaysia
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THE APPLICATION OF CALLIGRAPHY IN MOSQUES: CASE STUDIES IN EGYPT, TURKEY AND MALAYSIA BY ABD RAHMAN BIN HJ HAMZAH A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor Of Philosophy Kulliyah Of Architecture & Environmental Design International Islamic University Malaysia FEBRUARY 2007 ABSTRACT In most of the mosques in the Islamic world, calligraphy is part and parcel of their interior design. The art of calligraphy that developed from Semitic alphabet reached the golden age during the Abbasid period. Besides calligraphy, the art of mosques’ decoration also combines the arabesque, geometry and vegetal patterns. Based on that there is no clear prohibition to decorate mosques, calligraphy and other ornamentation is allowed on condition that it is done with the intention of enhancing the respects and dignity of the mosque. Adopting the historical and descriptive research method, three mosques from Egypt and Turkey respectively and five mosques from Malaysia were chosen via purposive sampling. Cairo offers a fair overview of mosque styles since they have been influenced from many different ruling empires. In Turkey, a very important role in the calligraphy development was undoubtedly played by the encouragement and protection given by the Sultāns as verified by their magnificent mosques. In Malaysia, the interiors and exteriors of mosques also have wonderful examples of Islamic calligraphy, with local calligraphers sometimes working side by side with foreign calligraphers to ensure the best results. The Islamic Arts Museum (IAMM) Kuala Lumpur displays a special role in Islamic Arts and Architecture in Malaysia as there is a gallery dedicated to calligraphy and architecture. Jāwi script is considered to be an endangered script although there are still enthusiasts who exercise Jāwi for a limited purpose. The findings had answered all the research questions. The study that across a thousand years reveal that the Thulth script is evergreen and the most preferable style in mosques followed by Kūfī and Nasta‛līq. The most common theme of Qur’ānic inscriptions in mosques is the Shahādah, followed by themes that illustrate the relationship between man and the Creator, Muslim’s responsibilities and the role of mosque in their life. ii ﻣﻠﺨﺺ اﻟﺒﺤﺚ ﺍﻟﺨﻁ ﺍﻟﻌﺭﺒﻲ ﻴﻌﺘﺒﺭ ﻋﻨﺼ ﺭﺍ ﻤﻥ ﺃﻫﻡ ﻋﻨﺎﺼﺭ ﺍﻟﺘﺯﻴﻴﻥ ﺍﻟﺩﺍﺨﻠﻲ ﻷﻜﺜﺭ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺎﺠﺩ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻟﻤﻴﻥ ﺍﻟﻌﺭﺒﻲ ﻭﺍﻹﺴﻼﻤﻲ . ﻓﻬﺫﺍ ﺍﻟﺨﻁ ﻴﺘﺄﺼل ﻤﻥ ﺍﻷﺤﺭﻑ ﺍﻟﺴﺎﻤﻴﺔ ﻭﺒﻠﻎ ﻋﺼﺭﻩ ﺍﻟﺫﻫﺒﻲ ﻓﻰ ﺍﻟﻌﻬﺩ ﺍﻟﻌﺒﺎﺴﻰ. ﻭﻏﺎﻟﺒﺎ ﻤﺎ ﻴﻜﺘﺏ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺎﺠﺩ ﺒﺎﻟﺸﻜل ﺍﻟﻬﻨﺩﺴﻲ ﺃﻭ ﺍﻟﻨﺒﺎﺘﻲ ﺒﻨﺎﺀ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺃﻨﻪ ﻟﻴﺱ ﻫﻨﺎ ﻙ ﻨﻬﻲ ﺼﺭﻴﺢ ﻓﻲ ﺤﻜﻡ ﺘﺯﻴﻴﻥ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺎﺠﺩ ﺒﻤﺨﺘﻠﻑ ﺃﻨﻭﺍﻉ ﺍﻟﺨﻁ ﺍﻟﻌﺭﺒﻲ ﻟﺘﺭﻗﻴﺔ ﻤﻜﺎﻨﺘﻪ ﻭ ﻤﻨﺯﻟﺘﻪ ﺃﻤﺎﻡ ﺍﻟﺠﻤﻴﻊ. ﻓﻬﺫﺍ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺙ ﻴﻌﺘﻤﺩ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻤﻨﻬﺞ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺙ ﺍﻟﺘﺎﺭﻴﺨﻲ . ﻭﻷﺴﺒﺎﺏ ﻤﻌﻴﻨﺔ ﻭﻓﻕ ﺃﻫﺩﺍﻑ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺙ ، ﻟﻘﺩ ﻭﻗﻊ ﺍﺨﺘﻴﺎﺭ ﺍﻟﺒﺎﺤﺙ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺜﻼﺜﺔ ﻤﺴﺎﺠﺩ ﻓﻲ ﻤﺼﺭ ، ﻭﺜﻼﺜﺔ ﺃﺨﺭﻯ ﻓﻲ ﺘﺭﻜﻴﺎ ﺒﺎﻹﻀﺎﻓﺔ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺨﻤﺴﺔ ﻤﺴﺎ ﺠﺩ ﻓﻲ ﻤﺎﻟﻴﺯﻴﺎ . ﻓﻤﺼﺭ ﺒﺄﻨﻭﺍﻉ ﺨﻁﻭﻁﻬﺎ ﺍﻟﻤﺨﺘﻠﻔﺔ ﺘﻭﺤﻲ ﺒﻤﻌﻠﻭﻤﺎﺕ ﺩﻗﻴﻘﺔ ﺘﺘﻌﻠﻕ ﺒﻤﺩﻯ ﺃﺜﺭ ﺘﻌﺩﺩ ﺍﻟﺤﻜﻡ ﺍﻹﺴﻼﻤﻲ ﻋﺒﺭ ﻤﺨﺘﻠﻑ ﺍﻟﻌﺼﻭﺭ ، ﻜﻤﺎ ﻭﺃﻥ ﺘﺭﻜﻴﺎ ﻭﺒﺴﺒﺏ ﺇﻫﺘﻤﺎﻡ ﻭﺘﺸﺠﻴﻊ ﺍﻟﺴﻼﻁﻴﻥ ﻗﺩ ﺃﺤﺩﺙ ﺫﻟﻙ ﺘﻁﻭﺭﺍ ﻤﺸﻬﻭﺩﺍ ﻓﻰ ﺍﻟﺨﻁ ﺍﻟﻌﺭﺒﻰ ، ﺃﻤﺎ ﺍﻟﺨﻁﻭﻁ ﻓﻲ ﻤﺨﺘﻠﻑ ﻤﺴﺎﺠﺩ ﻤﺎﻟﻴﺯﻴﺎ ﻓﻬﻰ ﺘﺩل ﺒﻭﻀﻭﺡ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻤﺩﻯ ﺍﻟﺘﻌﺎﻭﻥ ﺒﻴﻥ ﺍﻟﺨﻁﺎﻁ ﺍﻟﻤﺤﻠﻴﻴﻥ ﻤﻊ ﺍﻷﺠﺎﻨﺏ . ﻴﻠﻌﺏ ﻤﺘﺤﻑ ﺍﻟﻔﻥ ﺍﻹﺴﻼﻤﻲ ﺒﻜﻭﺍﻻ ﻟﻤﺒﻭﺭ ﺩﻭﺭﺍ ﻫﺎﻤﺎ ﻓﻲ ﺇﺤﻴﺎﺀ ﺍﻟﺸﻌﻭﺭ ﺒﺎﻟ ﺤﺏ ﻭﺍﻟﺘﻭﻗﻴﺭ ﺘﺠﺎﻩ ﺍﻟﻔﻨﻭﻥ ﻭﺍﻟﻌﻤﺎﺭﺓ ﺍﻹﺴﻼﻤﻴﺔ ﻤﻥ ﻨﺎﺤﻴﺔ ﻭﻤﻥ ﻨﺎﺤﻴﺔ ﺃﺨﺭﻯ ﻓ ﺎﻟﻜﺘﺎﺒﺔ ﺍﻟﺠﺎﻭﻴ ﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺤﺎﻟﺔ ﻻ ﺘﺤﺴﺩ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﺎ ﻟﻘﻠﺔ ﺍﺴﺘﺨﺩﺍﻤﻬﺎ ﺃﻭ ﻀﻴﻕ ﻨﻁﺎﻕ ﺍﺴﺘﻌﻤﺎﻟﻬﺎ . ﻜﻤﺎ ﺃﻥ ﻫﺫﺍ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺙ ﻴﻘﺩﻡ ﻭ ﺒﺸﻜل ﺩﻗﻴﻕ ﺇﺠﺎﺒﺔ ﻋ ﻥ ﺍﻷﺴﺌﻠﺔ ﺍﻟﺨﻤﺴﺔ ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﺘﺸﻜل ﺍﻟﻤﺤﻭﺭ ﺍﻷﺴﺎﺴﻲ ﻟﻠﺒﺤﺙ . ﻓﺨﻁ ﺍﻟﺜﻠﺙ ﻫﻭ ﺃﻜﺜﺭ ﺍﻟﺨﻁﻭﻁ ﺍﻟﻌﺭﺒﻴﺔ ﺍﺴﺘﻌﻤﺎﻻ ﻓﻰ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺎﺠﺩ ، ﻭﻴﺘﺒﻌﻪ ﺍﻟﻜﻭﻓﻲ ﺜﻡ ﺍﻟﻨﺴﺘﻌﻠﻴﻕ . ﻫﺫﺍ ﻭﻤﻥ ﺍﻟﺠﺩﻴﺭ ﺒﺎﻟﺫﻜﺭ - ﻫﻨﺎ - ﺃﻥ ﺃﺸﻬﺭ ﺍﻟﻤﻭﻀﻭﻋﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺘﻰ ﺘﻜﺘﺏ ﻓﻰ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺎﺠﺩ : ﺍﻟﺸﻬﺎﺩﺘﺎﻥ ﻭﺍﻵﻴﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﻘﺭﺁﻨﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻤﺸﻴﺭﺓ ﺇﻟﻰ ﻋﻼﻗﺔ ﺍﻟﻌﺒﺩ ﺒﺨﺎﻟﻘﻪ ﻭﺩﻭﺭ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺎﺠﺩ ﻓﻰ ﺤﻴﺎﺓ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﻠﻡ. iii APPROVAL PAGE The thesis of Abd Rahman bin Hamzah has been approved by the following: _______________________________________ Shaukat Mahmood Supervisor _______________________________________ Amir H. Zekrgoo Internal Examiner _______________________________________ Othman bin Md. Yatim External Examiner _______________________________________ Ibrahim M. Zein Chairman iv DECLARATION I hereby declare that this thesis is the result of my own investigations, except where otherwise stated. I also declare that it has not been previously or concurrently submitted as a whole for any other degrees at IIUM or other institutions. Abd Rahman bin Hj Hamzah Signature: …………………………. Date:…………………. v INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA DECLARATION OF COPYRIGHT AND AFFIRMATION OF FAIR USE OF UNPUBLISHED RESEARCH Copyright © 2006 by Abd Rahman bin Hj Hamzah. All rights reserved THE APPLICATION OF CALLIGRAPHY IN MOSQUES: CASE STUDIES IN EGYPT, TURKEY AND MALAYSIA No part of this unpublished research may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior permission of the copyright holder except as provided below. 1. Any material contained in or derived from this unpublished research may only by others in their writing with due acknowledgement. 2. IIUM or its library will have the right to make and transmit copies (print or electronic) for institutional and academic purposes. 3. The IIUM Library will have the right to make, store in a retrieval system and supply copies of this unpublished research if requested by other universities and research libraries. Affirmed by Abd Rahman bin Hj Hamzah …………………………… …………………….. Signature Date vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Praise be to the Almighty Allah, The Most Beloved, The Cherisher and Sustainer of the world, The Most Gracious and The Most Merciful. This study would not succeed without the intellectual contributions, work and support of many individuals to whom I am most grateful and indebted. First and foremost, I would like to thank Prof. Dr. Shaukat Mahmood for his guidance, support, patience and useful advice throughout the course of my research work. He has been a very dedicated supervisor, meticulous in examining ideas and arguments and never tired of reading drafts after drafts. His endurance is very much appreciated. I would also like to thank the external advisor, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Bukhari Lubis, for his valuable advice and his willingness to share useful information and knowledge about my study. My appreciation goes to all the lecturers in the Kulliyah of Architecture and Environmental Design, especially Prof Dr Amir Zekrgoo, Datuk Dr Kamarul Baharin, Assoc. Prof Dr Spahic Omer, Assoc. Prof Dr Maisarah and others who had taught and shared with me useful knowledge and memorable learning experiences in the four year period I studied in the Kulliyah. I also like to acknowledge my heartiest gratitude to all the local and international calligraphers, their families, also the staff of the chosen mosques who had cooperated with me in the core process of this research. All pictures in this thesis are my own collection and taken under permission, except where otherwise stated. May Allah gather them among the pious and the forgiven ones for their good actions. I am very grateful to my parents, Hjh Fatimah Zainal and Hj Hamzah Sukar@ Sukah, my wife Hafizah Nordin, my daughters, my siblings and all my beloved friends for their continuous support. Thank you for those who had directly or indirectly involved in the completion of my research. May Allah bless all of them with bountiful love in this world and the Hereafter. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ………………………………………………………………………….… ii Abstract in Arabic……………………………………………………………….…. iii Approval Page …………………………………………………………………..…. iv Declaration …………………………………………………………………..……. v Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………....vii List of Tables ………………………………………………………………............ xii List of Figures ………………………………………………………………........... xiii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION …………………………………………. 1 1.0 Background of Study ………………………………………..……..… 1 1.1 Statement of Problem ……………………………………………….... 2 1.2 Aims of Study (Purpose) ………………………………………………4 1.3 Research Questions ……………………………………..………….… 4 1.4 Scope of Research ………………………………………....……….... 5 1.5 Limitation of the Study .………………………………………..….… 6 1.6 Objective of Study ………………………………………………..….. 7 1.7 Expected Findings …………………………………………………. 7 1.8 Significance of Study ……………………………………….….…….. 7 1.9 Implication of the Research …………………………….....………..... 10 1.10 Review of Literature ……………………………………......………... 11 1.11 Research Methodology …………………………………………….… 15 1.11.0 Introduction …………………………………………...….…. 15 1.11.1 Research Design…………………………………………..…. 15 1.11.2 Data Collection Procedure…………………………………... 19 1.11.2.1 Library Research…………………………………... 19 1.11.2.2 Study Trip…………………………………….. …….20 1.11.2.3 Interview…………………………………...….……. 21 1.11.3 Validity and Reliability of Research…………………. .….…. 21 1.11.4 Population and Sample……………………………………..... 22 1.11.5 Sampling Procedure…………………………………….…..... 23 1.11.6 Data Analysis Procedure…………………………….…...……25 CHAPTER TWO: ISLAMIC CALLIGRAPHY ……………………………… 27 2.0 Introduction ………………………………………………………….. 27 2.1 The Origin of Islamic Calligraphy …………………………………… 29 2.2 Arabic Calligraphy Development ………………………………….… 33 2.3 Arabic Letters And Writing Method ………………………………… 34 2.4 Early Architectural Inscription Styles ………………………...…..…. 36 2.5 The Period of Precision ….………………………………………….... 37 2.6 The Classification of Calligraphy ……………………………………. 39 2.7 The Scripts …………………………………………………………... 41 2.8 The Major Styles of Calligraphy …………………………….………. 41 2.8.1 Kūfī ………………………………………………………….. 42 viii 2.8.2 Naskh ……………………………………………………….... 47 2.8.3 Thulth ……………………………………………………….… 49 2.8.4 Dīwānī ……………………………………………………….... 51 2.8.5 Riqa` ………………………………………………………….. 52 2.8.6 Ta‛līq