ISLAMIC GUIDING PRINCIPLE (SHARI’AH LAW) FOR ARCHITECTURAL

INTERPRETATION OF HOUSING

Zeenat Begam Bt Yusof

ABSTRACT

House is basic architectural structure which everybody possesses. People built houses based
on their culture, belief, climate, status and preference. Allah mentions the important of the
house as place for rest in Al Quran. According to prophet in order to achieve happiness ones
should have spacious house. These shows the design of the house need detail consideration in
many aspects. The objective of this research is to find guiding principle from Al Quran and
sunnah regarding the planning and design of a house. The guiding principles are found from
Al Quran, hadith Sahih and other related literature. The findings of this research are focusing
on the privacy, safety and interior decoration aspects of house. This research is very important
because it contributes towards achieving house design which is comfortable and bless by
Islam.

Keywords: House, Islamic Architecture, Al Quran, Sunnah

HOUSE AS BASIS OF SOCIETY

Presently demand for land is increasing because of vast development. Consequently, many
types of building are erected each year. The most basic type of building own by every person
is a house. House is a basic building typology that need detail consideration in terms of design
and planning in order to achieve a better living place.
Behold, it is provided for you (o Adam), that you shall not hunger or feel naked, and you shall
not thirst here or suffer from the heat of the sun (20:118/119)

The basic right of the son of man is for three things; house to live in, a piece of cloth to cover
his body, a loaf of bread and water. (Narrated Al tirmidhi)

”Having a dwelling falls within the necessary minimum that must be sought by everyone
since lack of it causes people to be displeased with God and even sometimes to deny
Him.”( Imam al-Ghazali)

Sakan is the Arabic denotation of the word ‘house’. The shari’ah scholar, Yusuf Al Qardawi
defines the house as, ‘the place in which an individual protects himself from the climatic
elements and in which he finds freedom from the restriction and pressure of society and it is a
place of rest for the body and relaxation for the mind’. This definition or function of the
houses is based on many Quranic verses such as;

And Allah has made for you from your homes a place of rest and made for you from the hides
of the animals tents which you find light on your day of travel and your day of encampment;
and from their wool, fur and hair is furnishing and enjoyment for a time.(Al Nahl 16:80)

Islam also regards the house as a place of expression and strengthening family relationship.
(And of his signs is this: He created for you mates from yourself that ye might find rest in
them, and He ordained between your lord and mercy .Lo, herein indeed are portents for folks
who reflect). (Al Rum30:21)

The prophet says that house is the best place on earth. The prophet considers owning a house
is a contribution of happiness. He says,

(Of happiness: a good wife, a spacious home, a good neighbors and a good mount)
(Hadith Ibn Habbah)

(God forgive my sins, make my house more spacious, and bless my sustenance)
(Hadith Ibn Al Sunair)

Concerning the architectural design, neither the Quran nor the Sunnah provided detailed codes
of house design and construction. This is in no way ignorance on the part of Islam about
dwelling design. On the contrary, it is recognition of fact that cultural customs changes from
time to time and from one place to another. Therefore, Islam permits all houses to relate with
own custom and design as long as they do not conflict with shari’ah which is Al Quran and
Sunnah.
Both the Quran and Sunnah have provided a systematic review of the sources, which
should produce asset of principles that guide the architectural design of housing. This review
is the reality of Islam, which comes as a way of life. It sets up the principles that rule how a
Muslim should live his life and determine his relationship with the social and physical
environments.
As Islam requires, the house is to be built in accordance to shariah and therefore the
designers or builders should treat these guiding principles as guidelines of their dwelling
design. In other words, the design of the Muslim house should be the product of the Islamic
beliefs and the value of the inhabitants. There is several guiding principle such as privacy,
cleanliness, safety, segregation, wastages, house interior decoration and several more. This
chapter will explain in detail about the guiding principles (shari’ah) in order to accomplish
the ideal Muslim housing.
PRIVACY
Islam recognizes the right of every individual to be freed from undue encroachement on the
privacy of his or her life.Therefore the significant of the houses is stated in many places in Al
Quran.

And if you do not find anyone therein, do not enter them until permission has been given you.
And if it is said to you, "Go back," then go back; it is purer for you. And Allah is Knowing of
what you do. (Al Nur24:28)

Similary, the prophet Sunnah stress the importance of the privacy of the home.The prophet
said,

Permission for entering the house should be sought three times, and if permission is granted
to you then go in, otherwise goes back ( Sahih Bukhari)

The prophet went to extent of instructing his followers that a man should not enter his own
house suddenly or supertitiously. He should not somehow indicate to those inside the house
that he is entering, so that he may not see his mother, sister or daughter in a condition in
which they would not like to be seen, nor one in which he himself would not like to see them.
O you who have believed, let those whom your right hands possess and those who have not
[yet] reached puberty among you ask permission of you [before entering] at three times:
before the dawn prayer and when you put aside your clothing [for rest] at noon and after the
night prayer. [These are] three times of privacy for you. There is no blame upon you nor upon
them beyond these [periods], for they continually circulate among you - some of you, among
others. Thus does Allah make clear to you the verses; and Allah is Knowing and Wise. (24:58)

Obtain formal permission of its occupant before you enter any house. You cannot enter even
the chamber of your mother without permission. It is possible she will not be properly dressed
to receive you if you get in without announcement (narrated by Imam Malik)

The Islamic principles of the house privacy is an affiliation of the principles that separate
owners private life and public intercourse, it is a part of the Islamic system of sex segregation.
Its prescribed significance rules for relationship, dressing, modes of behavior and contact
between male and female. The aspect of privacy should be considered in order to make good
social interaction between occupant and neighbours. Thus, the public and private area should
be clearly divided, and the activities within these spaces cannot be mixed.

Privacy can be best achieved through two categories:

1) Visual privacy
a) Entrance or door
b) Opening -window
c) Height and high projection
d) Sex segregation-rooms

2) Acoustical privacy
a) Acoustical construction
b) Acoustical spatial organisation

VISUAL PRIVACY
Visual privacy is important to protect the family in which to protect the female members from
the sight of the main strangers. In visual privacy, we have to consider through the opening of
the house such as window and doors, the height, the high projections and sex segregation.
  Entrance or doors

Muslim jurist agree that the visual intrusion of the house from outside should be prevented by
eliminating any house external elements that creates a visual corridor between houses. The
entrance or door should protect privacy of the owner.

O you who have believed, do not enter houses other than your own houses until you
ascertain welcome and greet their inhabitants. That is best for you; perhaps you will be
reminded. (24:27)

If ye find no one in the house ,enter not untill permission given to you; If ye are asked to go
back ,go back ;that makes for grater purity for yourselves,and God knows well all that ye do.
(24:28)

Besides that, it also cannot offense the neighbor privacy. Therefore, we are not encouraged to
design door that are opposite to each other and the door should be offset in order to prevent a
person standing at an entrance from looking directly into the house opposite or adjacent. The
placement of the entrance door also related to the width and the function of the street on to
which the door was opened. If the width of the street is not wide enough (7 cubits of width),
and there’s less traffic on it. Building door opposite two houses is not permitted.The privacy
of the people inside the house could be intruded upon when the door is open.

"I benefit from the place in front of my door in which you want to open yours. I open my door
no one intervening my privacy, and I bring my loads near my door without causing
inconvenience to anyone. Thus, I wouldn't let you open a door in front of mine or near to it
since you may use it as a reception and entertainment area or comparable matters." (Ibn. Al-
Qasim).

In the case of wider streets, the door can be placed opposite to each other if the street is wide
(more than 7 cubits) and its traffic is heavy. This is because the traffic itself can be the barrier
to the sight between the doors. It is advisory that the door should not be opened towards
wider streets unless it is offset from the opposite entrance by an adequate distance and the
vision angle of a person standing at the door is narrow enough to prevent visual intrusion of
the immediate area. For example living area, hall and family area behind the door of the
opposite house.

 Window

Windows are important elements in house design. Islam condemns spying of other people
houses through windows although windows are the source of light and air to the house. There
are few hadith and Al Quran shows the importance of privacy such as:

‘Say to the believers that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty that will make
for greater purity for them and God is well acquainted with all that they do’(24:30)

‘If a man pushes aside a curtain and looks inside without permission, he has then reached a
point which he is not allowed to reach.’ (Ahmad and al-Termedhi).

He who looks into a house without the occupants’ permission and they puncture his eye, will
have no right to demand a fine or ask for punishment, (Ahmad and al Nisai’ via Abu
Hurairah)

Some scholar opinions on windows come in two forms that are upper floor window and lower
floor window.
a) Upper floor windows

The main purpose of upper floor window is to received air and light. It should be design
properly in order to avoid overlooking to other house. If the window provides an opportunity
to overlook other house, it should be shut or blocked up. The upper floor windows are more
harmful because it can show clearly into other people houses from above if the other houses
are lower than the house. If in this case, the window has to be close.

According to Ibn Al-Rami,Umar wrote to Amr b. Al As to demolish a ghurfah (room) that

Umar thought was built for the purpose of overlooking neighboring houses. However, when
he was convinced that was not the intention of the owner. He order him to put bedstead at the
back of the window where a man could ascend on top of it; if the man could see into the
neighboring house ,then the window need to be sealed, but if one could not see, the owner are
to be allowed to keep it.

b) Lower floor window

The ground floor windows should be place above eye level on the street side. If the
window is still low and it does allow passer-by to see inside the house, then the windows is
not allowed or should be raised up. Besides that, the windows of the house which opposite to
each other are also not allowed if the person standing behind the window still can be seen by
the person in the house.
According to Hakim, the sill should be (7) shibbers (1.75m) above the ground and considered
high enough to prevent passerby from overlooking. This assumes that the ground level of the
interior is approximately the same as that of the exterior.
However, when the ground level of the interior is a bit lower, then the exterior window below
1.75 m is allowed if the sight lines from it are above head level of a standing person in the
interior. According to the calculation made by the Umar the ground window should be 2.5m
from above the ground level.

 Height and high projection

The building height and elevated element such as balconies and roof area could be a source of
visual intrusion to other house if it is not equip with the protection. Balcony and window can
be making available with, mashrabiat and rawahien (projected wooden screened elements) to
create airflow pattern to modify the hot humid climate inside the house. On the same time, it
can avoid visual intrusion.

Via Jabir said that the Prophet prohibited a person from sleeping on an unscreened roof or
terrace. (Al-Termedhi)

Actually, Shariah does not specify a particular height of houses. According to Khalid Al
Walid, he informed the Prophet that his house becoming in adequate to accommodate his
extended family, then the prophet answer build higher. According to Malik, buildings should
not build higher if it allows visual intrusion and block air movement of the neighbors. This
opinion is supported by a hadith below,

Once prophet stood at the top of a looked out from upon one castle amongst the castles or the
high buildings of medina and said, Do you see what I see?(No doubt) I see the spots where
afflictions will take place among your houses (and these afflictions will be) as numerous as
the spots where rain –drops fall . (Narrated Usama)

Do you know the right of neighbor ….. You must not build to exclude the breeze from him,
unless you have his permission….. (Ibn Adi an Al Kharati)

 Sex segregation-room

Privacy inside house can be maintained by giving special design treatment for public and
private area. In public domain, area to serve guest is necessary in Muslim houses. Somehow,
privacy of the owner and guest should be considered therefore; direct visual access between
the guest area and the family area are prohibited. Segregation achieved by having transitional
or double system of circulation between public and private area. This requirement response to
the Quranic verses and hadith of prophet that is;

‘Permission is needed as a protection against glance’

The most important space to protect from the sight of guest is kitchen and living room
because female spent most of their time in these areas. The sleeping space is considered as the
sacred place in the house so it has to be well protected. The sleeping space (bedroom) for sons
and daughters need to be separated at the age of seven (7).

ACOUSTICAL PRIVACY

The acoustical privacy is also an important aspect in the house. Precaution should be taken to
prevent sound transmissions from the house to the outside and from the private area to the
public domain.

On the day of resurrection, lead will be poured into the ears of anyone who eavesdrops on
others who dislike him (narrated by Al Bukhari)

The acoustical privacy can be specified in two form site and plan. The elements of the house
(wall, roof, and floors) should not allow penetration voice of the inhabitant particularly
females to streets and neighbors. The voice also cannot be penetrating through door and
window.
The voice should not be heard from family domain or spaces used by the female
family where unrelated male are received. A good house design concerning about privacy
should be divided into three internal zones: male, female and service, linked through a court.
This spatial organization allows acoustical protection between these zones, outside and
adjacent area. The material and thickness of the walls also play an important role that
provides a high standard of acoustical insulation to the house.

CLEANLINESS

For Muslim purification are important. Al Quran also emphasis about cleanliness in many
verses such as,

Allah loves those who purify themselves (Al Tawba 9:108)

[Remember] when He overwhelmed you with drowsiness [giving] security from Him and sent
down upon you from the sky, rain by which to purify you and remove from you the evil
[suggestions] of Satan and to make steadfast your hearts and plant firmly thereby your feet.
(Al Anfal 8:11)

….Indeed, Allah loves those who are constantly repentant and loves those who purify
themselves." (Al Baqarah 2:222)

The prophet placed a great emphasis on keeping the body, clothing, houses, and streets clean
and he laid special stress on cleaning the teeth, hands, and hair. This emphasis is on the
requirement of solat. Once a man approached the prophet with his hair and beard disheveled.
The prophet made some gesture and asking the man to comb his hair. He did so, and when he
returned the prophet said to him,

Is not this better than one should come with disheveled hair, looking like a devil?

Upon seeing another men with dirty clothes prophet remarked,

‘Cannot he find anything with which to wash his clothes’?

Keep yourselves clean, as Islam is clean (Ibn Habban)

Cleanliness encourages believing and believer place is in paradise (Al Tabrani)

God be praised is good and He loves goodness, clean and he loves cleanliness, generous and
He loves generosity and perfect and He loves perfection, so clean your fina….( Al Termedhi)

As we all aware most illness are contributed by untidy surrounding, food, and lifestyle.
Therefore, Islam has taught us the importance of practicing cleanliness in our daily life. For
example toilets are places where germs of many type breed and multiply, causing infection.
Consequently, Islam has given great consideration in using toilet in daily life. These can be
seen from the prophet Sunnah;

Wash your hands trice (up to wrist) before you put them into a vessel to rinse (water)
(narrated Al Tirmidhi)

When entering a toilet, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) always covered his head and wore shoes
(Narrated by Ibn Saad)

If you are entering a toilet, put forward your left foot first (Narrated Ibn Majah)

From this hadith, design of a toilet door should be pushed with right hand and need to open
inside. Then a person can unconsciously will enter toilet with left foot first.

It is better for you to sit or squat when performing istinja (narrated Al Tirmidhi)

During defecate or urinate avoid talking (except when absolutely necessary)(narrated

Mishkaati)

Do not face the qibla when you defecate or urinate ,but face east or west and if you want to
defecate ,then do not face the qibla or turn your back to it, but face east or west (Al Bukhari)

This hadith related to the position of toilet in the building .Toilets especially water closet
cannot face the Qibla.

AVOID WASTAGE /SIMPLICITY

The prophet Sunnah stresses that humility should be practice by Muslims and avoid
exaggeration, extravagance, and desire for fame or glory. The Qur’an also warned against
excess and exaggeration.
The principle of humility was reflected practically in the life style of the prophet whose bed
was a layer of palm fibres covered with a simple fabric. The prophet house was also very
basic and simple without any luxurious item and huge. Even though he was the leader of the
Arab world his house was small and simple like other normal people.

Jabir reported that the Prophet said; There should be a bed for a man, a bed for his wife and
the third one for the guest, but the fourth one is Satan
This hadith explain that wealth should spend on the necessary things not on extra things.
Humility is not only discussed for personal behavior but for spending on building also.
According to prophet;

Every spending is for the sake of Allah, except spending on building, there is no good or
reward on it.

According to Muslim jurist, this hadith explains spending on buildings is not rewarded if the
building is unnecessarily built or exceeds the needs of its owner. To Islam, a house is to
provide shelter from climate not to spend on building expensive houses with unnecessary
ornamentation and rooms.

SAFETY
 Building with backdoor

Allah apostle said to me, Were your people not close to the pre Islamic period of ignorance ,I
would have demolished the Qaba and would have rebuilt it on its original foundations laid by
Abraham (for Quraish had curtailed its building),and I would have built a back door too.
(Narrated Aisha)

This hadith explains that a back door for any building is necessary because it can be a second
exit of the buildings that is important during emergency.

 Type of land-soil
In the field of construction, Allah emphasised the need for choosing the right piece of land.
It is Allah who made for you the earth a place of settlement and the sky a ceiling and formed
you and perfected your forms and provided you with good things. That is Allah, your Lord;
then blessed is Allah, Lord of the worlds. (Al Ghafir 40: 64).

Architects need to comply with Allah’s injunctions to achieve the strength and stability of his
buildings.

Then is one who laid the foundation of his building on righteousness [with fear] from Allah
and [seeking] His approval better or one who laid the foundation of his building on the edge
of a bank about to collapse, so it collapsed with him into the fire of Hell? And Allah does not
guide the wrongdoing people. (Tawba 9: 109)

No building is built without a foundation except heaven, which Allah raised without pillars.
Allah says in the Al Ra’d

“Allah is who raised the heavens without any pillars that ye can see” (Ra’d:2).
The reason behind laying foundations is to provide security.

And they used to carve from the mountains, houses, feeling secure. [Al Hijr15: 82].
INTERIOR DECORATION
 Luxurious living items

Muslim may adorn his house with various kinds of flowers, decorated fabrics and other
permitted ornamental objects;

Who has forbidden the adornment of Allah which He has brought forth for His servants
(7:32)
However, Islam disapprove of excess and prophet dislike the Muslim filling his house with
items of luxury and extravagance, or items related to paganism and everything which against
the oneness of Allah.

 Gold and silvers utensils

Islam prohibited the use of gold and silver utensils and pure silks spread in the Muslim house.
The prophet warned that anyone who deviates from his path might incur severe punishment in
hereafter.

Whoever eats or drinks from gold or silver utensils is indeed filing his stomach with the hell
fire. (On the authority of umm Salmah, Muslim reported in his Sahih)

Moreover, what is prohibited for practical use is also forbidden to be given as gift or used as
ornament. These prohibitions concerning utensils, spreads and similar articles apply to men
and women alike, for the purpose of this legislation is to rid the house of excessively
luxurious items.

 Prohibits statues
Islam has prohibited the keeping of statues in the Muslim houses. Statues is meant complete,
solid figure that have not been disfigured or otherwise defaced. Their presence in a house is
considered sufficient to drive away the angles, which represent Allah mercy and pleasure.

As messengers of Allah said, assuredly the angles do not enter a house in which there are
statues or figures
According to Islamic scholar, a person who keeps statues in his house is similar unbelievers,
whose practice it is to keep and venerate idols in their homes. The angles are repelled by this;
they do not enter such a house and abandon it. It also forbidden to the Muslim to engage in
manufacturing statues, even if he makes for non-muslin .The prophet said,

Among the people, receiving the harshest punishments on the Day of Resurrection will be the
makers of figures.

On the day of resurrection, the maker of a figure will be asked to breathe the spirit into it, and
he will never be able to do so.

This hadith can be further explains Muslim architects cannot design place for worship for
other religion such as temples, churches and build statues for them.

 Pictures and photographs

Pictures and photographs of natural environments are permitted in the house. This pictures
and photographs are permitted because it praises Allah with His beautiful creation. Where else
picture, drawing and painting of nude or semi nudes of those part of female and male body
which excite lust or of pictures of men and women in sexy poses such as one sees in various
magazines, newspapers and billboard and movie cinema is haram to make such picture, to
publish them, to buy them, to take them into home or hang them on the wall. Ibn Abbas
narrated that, during the conquest of Makkah prophet did not enter the sacred house until all
the figures in it destroyed.

The messenger of Allah was attending a funeral and he said who among you is capable of
going to Medina and leaving no idol unbroken, no grave unlevelled and no picture
undefaced? A man said, O messenger of Allah, I am able to do it. He went, and after a time
returned and reported messenger of Allah, I left no idol unbroken, no grave unlevelled and no
picture undefaced .then the messenger of Allah declared, Anyone who returns to this sort of
practise will have rejected what was revealed to Muhammad.(narrated Ali ibn Abu Talib )
CONCLUSION

Shari’ah through its sources has set up certain principles to follow in the various
scales of the physical environment in order to support the social values of Islam. At the scale
of the natural environment, preservation while utilizing natural resources is the principle in
which shari’ah has defined the relationship between man and nature.

In regard to urban scale the shari’ah view is that planning and regulating the built
environment of Muslims should accord with the social; principles of Islam. Where else urban
zoning, and land use focus on the reflection of Islamic concept of ummah, which calls for
social integration and the protection of people’s rights and need.

On the house and building scale, Islam demands the maintenance of the privacy and
cleanliness. Therefore the sitting of and design of the Muslims houses and buildings should
respond to this obligation. In addition, the building should not be source of offence either to
neighbors or to the public (user). Shari’ah prohibits any type of activities in the buildings that
could harm the use and users of public spaces and neighboring buildings. This is in attempt to
protect the inhabitants, neighbors and public rights and their respective domains.

Islam has not established these principles to control oppressively the freedom of
people in the physical context. Instead, Islam aims to clarify and secure people rights and
duties and thus create an atmosphere of co-operation and peace.
REFERENCES

1. Al –Khail, The Quran And Sunnah As A Base For The Interpretation of Islamic
Architecture ,vol.1,Riyad ,1989
2. Hisham Mortada, Traditional Islamic Principles of Built Environment, London, 2003.
3. Yusuf Al Qardawi, The Lawful And Prohibited In Islam,Uk,1985
4. Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Man And Nature: Spiritual Crisis Modern man,Chicago,1997
5. Harfiyah Abdel Haleem, Islam and Environment, London, 1998.
6. Yusuf Al Qardawi, Diversion And Arts In Islam ,Mesir,1996
7. Aisha Abdurrahman Bewley, Al Muwatta of Imam Malik Ibn Anas: The Fist
Formulation of Islamic Law, 1997.
8. Mohammad Hashim kamali, The Dignity Of Man In The Islamic Perspective ,Uk,1999
9. Mokhtar Stork, A-Z Guide To The Quran,Singapore,1999
10. Abdul Wahid Hamid, Islam The Natural Way,London,1989
11. Syed Hashim Ali Akhter, The Essence Of Islam,Chicago,1998
12. Kulliyah of Architecture and Environmental Design, Journal of Islamic Built
Environment, vol.1, 2005.
13. Ahmed Farid Mustapha, Islamic Values In Contemporary Urbanism,Jeddah,1986