ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE EXHIBITION

The Islamic Arts Museum Malaysia together with the UK’s School of Traditional Art is organising an exhibition from Nov 28-Feb 2 titled ‘Divine Inspiration: Seven Principles of Islamic Architecture.’ This innovative exhibition provides a unique insight into Muslim beliefs and how these are incorporated into a vast range of buildings. Divine Inspiration focuses on seven key elements of Islamic faith: Tawhid (Unity), Ihtiram (Respect), Ikhlas (Sincerity), Iqtisad (Moderation/ Balance), Haya’ (Modesty), ‘Ilm (Pursuit of Knowledge) and Dhikr (Remembrance).  Muslim architects have created some of the greatest works of architecture. They mastered both the science involved in construction and that of the materials they used, integrating them into a whole, which reflected the unity of Islam. The exhibition demonstrates how Islamic architecture makes full use of nature’s resources. Traditional Islamic art concerned itself with both technical and aesthetic solutions to any given problem. An enduring example is the tracing of an arc, which guarantees both stability and elegance. Divine Inspiration explains the sense of spiritual communion that manifests in Islamic architecture. This is a quality that leaves viewers of all faiths in awe as much today as it did 1,400 years ago.