Central Java Grand Mosque, Semarang

Central Java Grand Mosque is located in Jalan Gajah, Semarang City. The mosque is an extraordinary building and a large area. Even from a distance the building will appear upright supported by the high tower.This mosque is more than a year ago opened and has been used for Eid prayers 1024 H ago, however so far the building process continues. On the front page is currently being installed giant columns to the umbrella of the mosque. The tower is also still in the process of completion. Central Java Grand Mosque tower is 99 meters tall or equal to the 19-story building. The plan on the 2nd floor of the tower will be used as a library for the Islamic literature, while in another floor will be used as a museum of Islamic culture. The atmosphere is fresh and cool in the different when in the heat under the afternoon. At the top of the tower will also have binoculars binoculars sophisticated look. Kota Semarang can be seen from there, until the ship docked at the port would also be clearly seen.

As-Syafa'ah Mosque of Singapore

As-Syafa'ah Mosque of Singapore is quick not look like the mosque in general. Starting from its shape which does not rise as a dome which contained the mosques in the Middle East. The shape is very modern buildings around the mosque.

However, although the shape of a mosque that the mosque remains as is, which is a place of worship of Muslims. There were "haram" or the main worship space is the size is very small, because the Muslims in Singapore are among the minority. The existence of the main worship space is very small also represents modernity in Islam. This is directly related to the Islamic teachings flexible to culture, age and tradition in society. Including to meet the needs of modern society but also need a place of worship for relaxation, dining, seminars and others.

When you are going to the mosque and asked where the As-Syafa'ah Mosque is, the people there will say that the mosque did not look like a mosque. Yet, as signifying that the building is the mosque at Mosque As-Syafa'ah minaret there. View minaret is also a modern form and there is also writing Allah who is in there As-Syafa'ah Mosque.

The Nature of Islamic Architecture

Islamic architecture, basically no damage. Islam is always a blessing to others, or in the term is "Rahmatan lil 'alamin". why say like that? some visual reference on Islamic architecture always gives us treats that are the substance was completely reflect Islamic values in them. For example, when we imagine the Islamic architecture, the image is always fixed on architecture in the Middle East in general boast a proud and impressed and wasteful. Islam is not always taught about thrift, humility, tolerance, and the other well. We certainly agree that so far we have seen regarding Islamic architecture is not something good. Instead the concept of Islam arstektur I found lots of buildings that house the designer is not from Islamic religious circles. As an example of Falling Water, Frank Lloyd Wright's work which of course he's not a religion Islam. But he understands that what is good architecture and architecture which in fact destructive. Therefore, in my little heart arises a great question, actually in the Islamic architectural principles that warned it was human or divine? This question may be very trivial, but when implemented into the architectural design will be very different physical form and the value of both. If god who feel the need, then the realization is to the magnificent Islamic architecture that seems to need a symbol of the god power. Without the symbol of it all, God has power over the natural universe is a god that does not need to demonstrate its existence with the symbols.

But if people need to be warned, then in its design is best to inculcate human values in the human. love of nature and blend with the surroundings.

INTRODUCTION to ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE

Muhammad (c. 570 -632) born and brought up in Makka (Mecca), an ancient city in Arabia, heard God's message for the first time around 610 AD. That is the birth of the faith of Islam. Since then, Muhammad as a prophet gradually got frequent revelations from God and told them to his followers, so that those messages were compiled posthumously into the holy book for Islam, the "Qur'an" (Koran).
God is one and all men are equal before God. Under that doctrine Islam rapidly propagated to Syria, Persia, Egypt, so as to establish a great politico-religious empire expanding all the way to Spain in the west and as far as the Central Asia in the east.
As for India, Islamization began relatively late, at the end of the 12th century when invading troops from the west overthrew the Hindu dynasty of Delhi. Since Indian Islamic culture, which was to develop from the 13th century, was brought through Persia (Iran), Islamic architecture in India came to wear Persian character.

As the followers (Muslim for masculine, Muslima for feminine) worship the God five times a day, they built 'Masjid' (Mosque in English) as a place of worship all over the world. What is unique is every mosque is built in the direction of Makka. The wall facing Makka is called Qibla wall, center of which provides a 'Mihrab' (a niche to indicate this wall as the direction of Makka) and a 'Minbar' (pulpit) on its right side.
Generally outside of the prayer room is a Minaret (tower for calling the congregation to worship) and in the center of the courtyard is a fountain or an ablution tank for washing the followers' hands and feet before worship.

After the subjugation Muslims succeeded architectural traditions of each region and bred different styles of Islamic architecture from region to region. We can discern four representatives among those styles:

1. Arabian type that has a hypostyle hall covered by a flat roof
2. Persian type that has four Iwans facing each other around a courtyard
3. Turkish type that has a big spherical dome enclosing an astylar interior space
4. Indian type that has an outstanding worship hall in Makka side like an independing building

At all events, it can be defined as 'Membranous Architecture' or 'Enclosing Architecture' surrounding a courtyard or a worship space, in comparison with Hindu temples as 'Sculptural Architecture.

As for the sects, there is the Sunni sect as a majority group and the Shiite sect as a minority group mainly in Persia, but architecturally there is very little difference.

Taken From : Takeo Kamiya