When Pi, the protagonist of the Oscar-winning movie Lifetime of Pi (2012), first felt drawn to Islam, it wasn’t by a lecture or a ebook on the religion, however as an alternative, it was by observing how Muslims prayed inside a mosque.
Between the adhan and the salat, there’s a temporary second of liminal calm throughout the mosque. Worshippers are randomly scattered throughout an open house, some gathered in clusters with relations, others sitting in solitude, every absorbed within the recitation of Quranic verses.
The mosque is designed to breathe; with its open structure and spacious design, it invitations a way of airiness, mirroring the unhurried stillness of the worshippers. Then, on the name to prayer, a collective shift happens, ushering in a second of shared spirit, the place dysfunction offers technique to order, and randomness yields to construction. Worshippers rise collectively—shoulder to shoulder, toes to toes — every particular person contributing to a better complete.
The indescribable great thing about Islamic prayer has not solely captivated Pi however has additionally impressed thinkers, architects, artists, writers, and vacationers world wide. Simply as yoga is acknowledged for its capability to advertise environmental sustainability, Islamic prayer—and the non secular areas like mosques—have change into central to an rising subject often called non secular ecology.
As a part of a rising motion in direction of non secular ecology, Sarah El Battouty, a number one Egyptian inexperienced architect and founding father of EconsultArch, has spearheaded a brand new venture: the first Web Zero mosque, demonstrating how spiritual areas might be designed to attenuate environmental affect. The venture, set to be positioned in Egypt, reimagines development for rural communities in scorching climates.
Constructing the Sacred from Inside
Sacred locations of worship have lengthy been considered as separate from the fabric world; as soon as one enters the sacred house, one transitions from the unspiritual realm into an area of spirituality. In these sacred areas, we discover ourselves linked to a better order, and a better energy.
But, at its core, spirituality isn’t about isolation; it’s about alignment with life and all dwelling issues, and recognizing the sacredness inherent in all dwelling beings. For a lot of historic historical past, methods of being had been intrinsically linked to nature, and the Earth was considered sacred, worshipped by many religion traditions as a creation of the divine.
Simply as they worshipped God in awe, in addition they marveled on the universe’s creation, holding it in excessive regard and viewing it as sacred. Religious ecology, in essence, is about rising above the persistent dualism that positions people aside from nature.
Within the context of Islam, many students and activists have emphasised the connection between the religion and environmentalism, notably Fazlun Khalid, usually regarded as “essentially the most energetic Islamic environmentalist in the present day.”
In accordance with Khalid, the essence of Islam doesn’t create a divide between humanity and nature; slightly, it focuses on understanding humanity’s function throughout the bigger cosmos. He argues that throughout the interval of industrialization, faith was usually lowered to mere rituals, however Islam encompasses way more than that—it’s about how people stay in concord with their atmosphere.
Khalid’s argument is clearly mirrored within the design of mosques. As Sarah El Battouty notes, mosque structure isn’t solely involved with spiritual rituals; it additionally integrates the encircling public areas, together with the road and atmosphere.
“Essentially the most intriguing and distinctive side of mosques is their potential to facilitate prayer past their bodily partitions,” El Battouty explains to Egyptian Streets. “Not like different spiritual buildings, mosques permit worshippers to wish exterior on the pavement and road, reworking public areas into expansive areas for worship, as seen with tons of gathering to wish exterior packed mosques on Fridays.”
Historically, the structure of the mosque is designed to encourage a reference to nature slightly than confining worshippers inside an enclosed sacred house. The Kaaba, for instance, is ready in an unlimited open space the place pilgrims can search for on the sky and watch doves and birds soar above, the place one can expertise the divine by the great thing about nature as a lot as by the structure itself.
“As an observer of this phenomena, I discover the mosque’s design extremely fascinating as a result of I can argue that structure itself takes a backseat, and the prayer observe isn’t sure to a man-made house,” El Battouty provides.
Mosques are additionally way more than locations of worship; they’ve advanced into group centres the place people can expertise a way of belonging in myriad methods. Many mosques have change into massive facilities with faculties, dorms, tombs, and libraries.
On this sense, the best way mosques are designed encourages guests to have interaction in not simply prayer, but in addition to be taught and develop as people. The emphasis on studying and rising signifies that structure ought to promote essential values, similar to selecting nature-conscious spiritual structure and selling a way of stewardship in direction of the atmosphere.
Restore, Reinvent, and Reimagine
When one thinks of sustainable structure, the primary picture that always comes up is a company one, tied to financial development and power effectivity, ceaselessly that includes inexperienced applied sciences or renewable power.
But this slim view of sustainability overlooks the true variety of sustainable structure. It goes past mere financial development and materials progress, it’s about encompassing the complete ecosystem as a dwelling entity.
As a substitute of solely specializing in effectivity and development, sustainable structure promotes a acutely aware lifestyle that values each the non secular and the ecological.
Non secular voices and views are usually overshadowed by scientific discourse. Nevertheless, El Battouty’s Web Zero mosque venture highlights the need of incorporating numerous viewpoints into the dialog as sustainable architects and advocates. Via her design, she brings to life what’s saved in spiritual texts, traditions, and customs, reworking them into accessible environmental areas just like the mosque.
The objective is to not overhaul mosque structure totally, however to revive conventional ideas whereas reimagining and reinventing spiritual areas. This entails exploring how sacred areas can contribute to world sustainability discourse, whereas additionally fostering a deeper human reference to the pure world by every day ritual practices.
Basically, the Web Zero mosque harmonizes with its pure environment, mixing seamlessly with the palm bushes. Constructed from sustainable supplies like rammed earth, palm, and recycled flooring, the mosque embodies a sacred house that unites spirituality and nature, demonstrating how the interconnectedness of all life might be skilled inside a single house.
To deliver the mosque again to its conventional type, the Web Zero mosque adheres to the age-old conventional Islamic observe of utilizing symbols to characterize the pure world as an alternative of human figures — a practice rooted within the Islamic prohibition in opposition to depicting human figures.
“Fahmy Moemen, my inspirational mentor, was the architect of the Holy Mosque of the Prophet in Medina (PBUH). He believed in representing natural world and drawing heavenly symbols from the Quran,” El Battouty explains.
“I embrace this ethos by utilizing these symbols, showcasing the great thing about the creatures and creations on this planet to foster a connection between the worshipping group and God by the appreciation of magnificence,” she provides.
Sure mosque options have additionally been retained resulting from their important function in prayer. “The minaret, dome, mihrab, and minbar, which function the focal factors for group gatherings, prayer orientation, and sermons, are the core components of mosque design which have been preserved,” El Battouty notes.
Every every day prayer, and every recitation, additionally serves as a reminder to take part in life as a species interconnected with the better ecosystem. Amidst the noise of the world, the ritual of prayer grounds us inside a circle that aligns with the middle of a a lot bigger one.
Rooted within the idea of a grounding circle, the Web Zero mosque’s spiral design embodies the idea of the spirit ascending, culminating within the phrase ‘Allah’. The inside’s round, open-plan construction signifies the equality of all people earlier than the Creator. The ever-changing entry of sunshine additionally symbolizes the passage of time and the lifespans of all dwelling beings.
“Up to date design can develop the idea of prayer into a life-style house the place people can discover reflection, inside peace, and a way of tranquility,” El Battouty says.
The sustainability of the Web Zero mosque, nonetheless, extends past its development; it is usually in regards to the legacy it seeks to instill within the hearts of each worshipper.
Its sustainability lies not solely within the seen and tangible components of the constructing but in addition in the best way it brings individuals along with intention, inspiring them to look past themselves and contribute to a better complete.