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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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English English |
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Universiti Sains Malaysia Press
2015
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| Online Access: | 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 |
| _version_ | 1848782567039303680 |
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| author | Omer, Spahic |
| author_facet | Omer, Spahic |
| author_sort | Omer, Spahic |
| building | IIUM Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| 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. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T16:07:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | iium-44179 |
| institution | International Islamic University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T16:07:30Z |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| publisher | Universiti Sains Malaysia Press |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| 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 |
| spellingShingle | BL Religion Omer, Spahic God as the only creator: some implications for conceptualising Islamic architecture |
| title | 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_short | God as the only creator: some implications for conceptualising Islamic architecture |
| title_sort | god as the only creator: some implications for conceptualising islamic architecture |
| topic | BL Religion |
| 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 |