God as the only creator: some implications for conceptualising Islamic architecture

This paper discusses the notion of God as the only Creator, exploring its main implications for conceptualising the identity and purpose of Islamic architecture. The paper concludes that the concept of God as the Creator represents the core of the Islamic doctrine of tawhid (God's Oneness and U...

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Main Author: Omer, Spahic
Format: Article
Language:English
English
Published: Universiti Sains Malaysia Press 2015
Subjects:
Online Access:http://irep.iium.edu.my/44179/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/44179/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/44179/2/USM_Kemanusiaan_2015_God_as_Creator.pdf
http://irep.iium.edu.my/44179/5/44179_God%20as%20the%20only%20creator_SCOPUS.pdf
id iium-44179
recordtype eprints
spelling iium-441792017-11-24T00:41:54Z http://irep.iium.edu.my/44179/ God as the only creator: some implications for conceptualising Islamic architecture Omer, Spahic BL Religion This paper discusses the notion of God as the only Creator, exploring its main implications for conceptualising the identity and purpose of Islamic architecture. The paper concludes that the concept of God as the Creator represents the core of the Islamic doctrine of tawhid (God's Oneness and Uniqueness) which, in turn, presents Islamic architecture with its identity impressing it by its own mould. Buildings in Islam are conceived and erected only to serve God and the noble purpose of creation instituted by the Creator. Ascribing the terms "creation" and "creators" to human beings should always be conditional and metaphorical, not authentic or unqualified. Just as the Creator cannot become creation, similarly a creation cannot become a creator. Only against this backdrop, the role and objective of man on earth, and all his civilisational undertakings, including architecture, are to be viewed and assessed. The implications of this central Islamic tenet for Islamic architecture are studied under the sub-topics of the identity of Islamic architecture and the role of Islamic decorative arts. Universiti Sains Malaysia Press 2015 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/44179/2/USM_Kemanusiaan_2015_God_as_Creator.pdf application/pdf en http://irep.iium.edu.my/44179/5/44179_God%20as%20the%20only%20creator_SCOPUS.pdf Omer, Spahic (2015) God as the only creator: some implications for conceptualising Islamic architecture. KEMANUSIAAN The Asian Journal of Humanities, 22 (1). pp. 101-126. ISSN 2180-4257 (O), 1394-9330(P) http://web.usm.my/kajh/vol22_1_2015/KAJH%2022(1)%20Art%205%20(101-126).pdf
repository_type Digital Repository
institution_category Local University
institution International Islamic University Malaysia
building IIUM Repository
collection Online Access
language English
English
topic BL Religion
spellingShingle BL Religion
Omer, Spahic
God as the only creator: some implications for conceptualising Islamic architecture
description This paper discusses the notion of God as the only Creator, exploring its main implications for conceptualising the identity and purpose of Islamic architecture. The paper concludes that the concept of God as the Creator represents the core of the Islamic doctrine of tawhid (God's Oneness and Uniqueness) which, in turn, presents Islamic architecture with its identity impressing it by its own mould. Buildings in Islam are conceived and erected only to serve God and the noble purpose of creation instituted by the Creator. Ascribing the terms "creation" and "creators" to human beings should always be conditional and metaphorical, not authentic or unqualified. Just as the Creator cannot become creation, similarly a creation cannot become a creator. Only against this backdrop, the role and objective of man on earth, and all his civilisational undertakings, including architecture, are to be viewed and assessed. The implications of this central Islamic tenet for Islamic architecture are studied under the sub-topics of the identity of Islamic architecture and the role of Islamic decorative arts.
format Article
author Omer, Spahic
author_facet Omer, Spahic
author_sort Omer, Spahic
title God as the only creator: some implications for conceptualising Islamic architecture
title_short God as the only creator: some implications for conceptualising Islamic architecture
title_full God as the only creator: some implications for conceptualising Islamic architecture
title_fullStr God as the only creator: some implications for conceptualising Islamic architecture
title_full_unstemmed God as the only creator: some implications for conceptualising Islamic architecture
title_sort god as the only creator: some implications for conceptualising islamic architecture
publisher Universiti Sains Malaysia Press
publishDate 2015
url http://irep.iium.edu.my/44179/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/44179/
http://irep.iium.edu.my/44179/2/USM_Kemanusiaan_2015_God_as_Creator.pdf
http://irep.iium.edu.my/44179/5/44179_God%20as%20the%20only%20creator_SCOPUS.pdf
first_indexed 2023-09-18T21:02:50Z
last_indexed 2023-09-18T21:02:50Z
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