ISLAMIC HOUSING DESIGN 1
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Islam offers solution in every aspect of life,
as housing also would not left behind.
However, the directions of application are
not mentioned directly but there must be a
deepened study and interpretation by the
Islamic scholars. To mention about Islam, as
to make it simple, everything that provides
convenience accordingly to the situation and
condition is considered Islamic.
In Islam, house is a place to rest, relax body
and mind, enjoy legitimate worldly delights,
worship, teach, learn and propagate the
message of Islam. As Allah S.W.T said in
Quran:
“And Allah has made your habitations
homes of rest and quite for you…”
(An-Nahl:80)
This assignment therefore will discuss on the
characteristics that should be taken into
account when considering housing design
according to Islamic values and perspective.
Those will be based on two assigned
readings which written by Ahmed Farid
Moustapha on ‘Islamic Values In
Contemporary Urbanism’ and Majdah
Zawawi on ‘Crime Prevention Through Safe
City Planning: An Islamic Perpective’.
2.0 THE OVERVIEW
Chapter 5: Islamic Values In Contemporary
Urbanism. (by: Ahmed Farid Moustapha)
The author mentioned that rapid
development in industrial activities has
changed the nature of society which
becomes more complex. Therefore, he
presented some aspect of Islamic urbanism
during pre-industrial age hoping those will
be implemented in contemporary urban
design. It was been highlighted that Islamic
shari’a, climatic constraints, local building
materials, the social and economic situation
and available technology are the influence
factors. Furthermore, he added with the
aspect of contemporary urbanism and later
provides some proposals for the current
design of urban area by incorporating
Islamic value and principles.
Chapter 7: Crime Prevention Through Safe
City Planning: An Islamic Perspective (by:
Majdah Zawawi)
This chapter prevailed type of crimes and
how the urban form related to the crime
occurrence. The value of a city being
questioned and the transition zone that take
place within the city during the dark has
been crystallized. The author also
emphasized on crime prevention through
value related concept and briefly touched on
crime prevention through environmental
design. She believes that the value of a
person and community give status good or
bad of a city. Thus, the value must be started
at early stage; at home. The safe city
concept also been incorporated with the
Islamic perspective and later further
explains on function of mosque in building
society.
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3.0 CHARACTERISTICS IN HOUSING DESIGN

ACCORDING TO ISLAMIC VALUES AND
PERPSECTIVE

Shari’a as the etiquette conduct in Islamic

teaching aims creating the healthy and
virtuous individual, family, society and
eventually the ideal world through
preservation. There is no doubt those
principles rooted from home, where the
structure of house is built which means the For instance of privacy, visual privacy is
way the house is designed and functioned preventing the visual intrusion from outside,
somehow create sense of such environment by eliminating any house external elements.
ultimately produce a certain level of quality The entrance door should not be opened
person. opposite to or near each other unless if the
door is separated by a wide street and have
The following are some characteristics or heavy traffic. The house windows
principles that need to be considered when overlooking other people’s houses are not
designing a housing that eventually results allowed and the ground floor windows must
in housing compound and create a be placed above eye level on the street.
neighborhood:
Privacy would be the reason of having
i. Privacy introvert design in Islamic housing instead of
extrovert design which widely practiced
This aspect is strongly emphasized in Islamic nowadays. For instance, the element of
housing as privacy is a basic requirement for courtyards and interior gardens are not only
the preservation of the family, not only design as the element of the house for the
covering aurah of the dwellers but also gives sake of Islamic architecture, but it is beyond
comfort to them. Somehow rather, privacy the physical term. Those components
may create the sense of safety within the promote privacy of the residents as they can
dwelling unit. As stated by Ahmed Farid do their activities outside of the roofed
Moustapha (2008), privacy enabled both building but within the vicinity of their
males and females to enjoy living in the housing lot.
dwelling and allowed them to perform their
activities in its spaces without the invasion
of neighbors. The design of the house also
should be able to protect the female in
terms of spatial arrangement for not
invading their privacy. Proper number of
bedrooms must be provided accordingly to
the number of children in the family,
meaning which the bedroom for boys and
girls must be separated.

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COMPARATIVE HOUSING DESIGN (AUP 4452)

This is clearly different with contemporary
placement of yard whereby current design
would prefer front yard or backyard instead
of courtyard. So, how would the privacy of
the dwellers can be preserved especially
those houses located along the main road
that definitely generate more traffic of
human and transport? This is however may
reduce the level of comfort of the resident
and make the house does not meet the basic
requirement of housing. Consequently, the
sacredness of family life might hardly to
preserve.
Hence, family privacy in all regards is
encouraged and there is the general desire
not to encourage external openings that
allow others to see into the dwellings, which
is reflected in building elevations (Ahmed
Farid Moustapha, 2008).
ii. Safe
The housing design must be safe to be
occupied in the aspect of physical and
emotional form. The design must be strong
and not vulnerable, that is also should be
able to protect dwellers from any threats or
even fear of crime. Safety of the dwellers is
of primary concern that must ensure their
beliefs, lives, honor and property are well
guarded (Majdah Zawawi, 2008). The house
must not bring harm to the neighbors and
environment as well. To some extent, both
authors believe that cul-de-sac in
neighborhood might be able to help in
promoting safe neighborhood.
ISLAMIC HOUSING DESIGN 3
iii. Building Heights
The height of the building should not affect
the neighbors negatively. This is quite an
issue in most country especially in the area
with medium and high density where several
stories of building would prevent air and
sunlight from reaching the neighbors. This
issue may arise when a high rise flats of
apartments build adjacent to the low rise or
landed housing area, when a neighbor
renovate his or her house apparently block
the sunlight into the immediate neighbor’s
lawn or may be garden.
The principle of ‘no harm no harming’
always is the base in designing houses and
housing area that is to protect the right of
the neighbor as thought in Islam. Apart from
that, extending dwellings higher than
surrounding dwellings is not allowed which
would facilitate visual intrusions into other
dwellings.
iv. Building Form
Since Islam encourage the introvert
composition, less attention given to the
exterior compared to interior. But still, both
are applying the concept of humility while
designing interior as well as exterior. The
exterior building form must not excessive
that lead to riya’ upon other neighbors. The
form of the house also must be functional
for not wasting any kind of form, space or
design. Plus, the design must encourage the
dwellers in remembrance of Allah. The
design and form of house should be
different among each other to allow variety
in form, color and size of unit and spaces.
The structural design and construction
details also may permit horizontal or vertical
expansion.
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COMPARATIVE HOUSING DESIGN (AUP 4452)
 ISLAMIC HOUSING DESIGN 4

v. Social Interaction vi. Climatic Constraints

As mention by Majdah Zawawi (2008), Islam Climatic condition must be adhered in

has promoted the concept of brotherhood. Islamic way as it to avoid wastage from build
Under this concept all Muslims are brothers. a house that incompatible to local climate,
This promotes a caring society. Therefore, which therefore would results
design of the house should enable and uncomfortable among the dwellers. In other
increase ‘face to face relationships’, social words, the design should be in proper way
contacts and solidarity. Social interaction coherence to the local climate as house is
can be seen in two aspects; within the house the place where people get their rest and
and within the neighborhood. This value is perform their ibadah.
badly needed in both level especially in
urban area as everybody busy with their vii. Local Building Materials
own works and matters until forgot to tie-up
the relationship among family members and The usage of local material in building a
society. house would provide adaptable house to the
local condition especially climate. In natural,
At family level, the design of the house may those materials available in its particular
provide an area for family gathering like area can be considered robust in facing the
spacious living room and congregational local climate. Thus, it would not waste the
prayer as this may promote the culture in resources as the materials are long lasting
the family. The practice of congregational and economical to use.
prayer vividly recognized as a method to
reunite the members of family or society.
Therefore, for broader aspect, a house must
be built with the presence of mosque within
its vicinity. In Islam, mosque plays a vital role
in most aspect of Muslim life. By the
existence of the mosque perhaps it may
assists in creating bonding among the
neighbors and emerge the sense of
belonging among the residents.

A house also functions to prepare individual

with noble value as human. In order to
achieve that, the importance of Islamic
education is undeniable which therefore
urge the design of the house that should
promote home education. If the home
education is successful to inculcate Islamic
value within the family members, it will lead
to better society living environment, indeed
a safer neighborhood.

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viii. Health 5.0 REFERENCES

It is known among Muslim that cleanliness is Al-Quran. An-Nahl : 80

part of iman. Thus, the provision of house
must incorporate with the element of Azila Ahmad Sarkawi., & Alias Abdullah.
cleanliness for example bathroom, toilet, (Eds.). (2008). Urban Planning; An
individual sewerage and drainage. The clean Islamic Perspective. Shah Alam:
house would help to maintain the health Arah Publications.
level of the dwellers which then might not
obstruct their ability to perform obligatory
ibadat in their house.

ix. Optimize Space

Islam does not allow any form of wastage.

Therefore, any space that left empty
without proper function is not allowed in
Islamic housing design. Each particle of
resources must be used accordingly.

4.0 CONCLUSION

Islamic housing design does not have direct

or clear translation or definition. However, it
does incorporate Islamic principles in the
process of designing as well as the result of
the design. The design of housing can be
said Islamic as long as it adheres on Islamic
requirements and basic preservation, and of
course provision of convenient, comfort,
safe and protection are vital to the dwellers
of the house. In a nutshell, a house must not
astray men from remembering Allah and
practices their lifestyle as Muslim. It should
help the necessity in building a better and
proper family which later building the
neighborhood and ultimately produce better
society. As the society preserve the Islamic
value which started from home that
function as a base venue of Islamic
education therefore ensure a better city or
town to live in.

NUR UYUN BT. AMAN (0530108)

COMPARATIVE HOUSING DESIGN (AUP 4452)