29

Chapter 2 Plan and levels

In this chapter a tour of the Faisal Mosque from its entrance courtyard to the area around the sanctuary will be offered. Then the special features of the mosque will be enumerated and related to earlier prototype from Islamic lands. A tour of the interior of the sanctuary is given in the following chapter. From the ground plan we can imagine that the Faisal Mosque complex is all on one level but actually it is built on a mount with the sanctuary at the highest point (drawing figure 17). The double storied rectangular plan of the mosque complex has four main areas, the entrance courtyard, the ablution area, the main courtyard and the sanctuary. According to its architect, the mosque is the house of God, it should be open for worshippers at all times.1 So the architect did not include any huge monumental gates. The entrances to the Faisal Mosque complex are built in simple manner (drawing figure 18). The south entrance is the one commonly used by the public. It is approached across an area left for landscaping. From the north, worshippers can enter the mosque in two ways, through the administrative block and from stairs outside the administrative block. It can also be approached from the north courtyard by a flight of twenty-seven steps. The east entrance through the ablution area is used by the faculty and students of the university. The members of local and foreign political delegations usually entered from the western side. On the north-west is a ramp to facilitate the entry of handicapped people. These modest entrance ways are much different from the grand projecting entrances of the historical mosques. The Entrance Courtyard is on an axis with the mosque and courtyard and has two modest entrances (drawing figure 19).

30

Drawing figure 17. Map of the mosque. Source: Administration Office, Faisal Mosque.

31

Drawing figure 18. Plan showing entrances to the Faisal Mosque.

32

Drawing figure 19. Ground plan of the Faisal Mosque

33

Drawing figure 20. The plan of the first floor of the Faisal Mosque.

34

The lowest level of the mosque is the entrance courtyard on the south, up a flight of three stairs about one foot, six inches front ground level. The worshippers can enter from the two side corners of the entrance courtyard (plate 22). Shoe racks are placed at both east and west sides and are covered. The entrance courtyard area has two small rooms. The eastern room houses a model of the mosque (plate 23), and the western room is used as a gift shop (plate 25). The main feature of entrance courtyard is a large circular pool with a circular fountain (plate 26). The pool is not exactly in the center of the area (Drawing figure 21). The architect push it one side. Slightly more space is left on the north side. Its unusual spacing signals to visitors immediately that this is not an ordinary mosque.

Drawing figure 21. The off-center pool in the entrance court.

35 The round pool, built of locally made blue ceramic tiles, is forty four feet in diameter and one foot eight inches deep. Its rim is of white cement one foot eight inches wide. Within the pool there is a circular fountain, one foot high and twenty-four feet in diameter. This rod shower is eighteen feet from the rim of the pool (plate 27). Around the pool, square pebbles are imbedded in the pavement in several rays. One such row is designed with square shape black pebbles and the other has a flat surface and is made of grey granite imported from Italy (plate 28). Every line of pebbles is one foot eight inches wide at the edge of the circular fountain and three feet four inches at its end. Every black pebble is three inches square in shape and one inch thick from ground level. The pebbles are from Taxila, a town thirty-five kilometer to the west of Islamabad. The design gives an impression of the sun and its vertical tapered rows of stone pebbles represent its rays. Three white marble slabs stand in the circular pool on the south side, the middle one higher than other two. The names of the architect, the artist and the artisans who played an important role in the construction and decoration of the mosque are written on the slabs in gold and black (plate 29). Up six steps, each step six inches high, at the north of the entrance courtyard is a rectangular open court. Its floor is paved with grey granite. From the east and west sides of the open court grey granite stairs going up are divided into two tiers. On the west side, after twenty-four stairs, a broad passage leads to ladies toilets on the right side. The main courtyard is reached after climbing twenty-seven more steps. The total number of steps is fifty-one. But after taking twenty-four steps on the east side, one reaches the office of the Dawah and Shariah Academies. The offices of these institutes are under the east main courtyard; their functions will be described later. After another twenty-seven steps the principal courtyard is reached. Both staircases have the lower section broader then the upper one (plate 30). There is gents toilet next to the north staircase (beneath the offices of Dawah and Shariah Academies and ladies toilets).

36 One step up from the rectangular open court, leads to the covered area. It is supported by the square piers made of poured concrete with no capital and base. The center third of each side of the pier is recessed and giving the effect of three vertical sections. There are seven further divisions of the piers into horizontal units. The

colonnade is three aisles wide and five bays long. Its beautiful floor is made of polished black and white striated marble. A shoe rack is placed next to each square pier. The white coffered ceiling of poured concrete is in square designs (plate 31). On the east side of the colonnade there is a library, the west side has a book shop and the north side opens to the ablution area. The ablution area stands on a marble plinth four steps high. Each of the white marble steps is six and a half inches high. The most prominent feature of the ground plan of the mosque is the spacious ablution area built below the main courtyard. The university area faces the ablution area on the east side, and an administrative block with auditorium is on the north and west side. The administrative block has a grilled entrance (plate 32). Both the east and north entrances are usually closed; the worshippers use only the two staircases on the north-west and the south-west corners. The ablution area is square in plan and is surrounded by colonnades on all sides. The coffered ceiling is divided into triangles and is supported by square piers. The piers of this area have recessed center sections like the piers of the covered area. But further divisions of the piers of the ablution area into horizontal units are in six in sections and they have faceted edges. Each square concrete pier in this area has a stylized square capital composed of four triangular pieces (plate 33). The floor is paved with different shades of brown and white marble. Every brown marble tile measuring thirty-two by six and a half inches is set in groups of twenty resulting in several large squares. The squares are separated by white marble slabs, measuring thirty two by seventeen inches. The white ceiling of the colonnade is coffered in triangular designs echoed by the small triangular glazed tiles on the side walls (plate 34).

37 The central pool has two levels both made of in light blue tiles (plate 35). The lower level is an articulated square with chamfered corners, forming an octagon. Its long side is sixty feet three inches and each chamfered side is twenty-eight feet two inches in length. The water is three feet nine inches deep. The fountain is made of rods four inches in diameter. There are twenty-eight circular fountains each two feet three inches high in this lower pool (plate 36). A shallow square basin is set in the center of the fountain (plate 37), carried on an octagonal pedestal. It is seven feet and four inches above the bottom of the pool and its top is twenty-nine feet square. It has four straight rods for the cascade along the side and several rods are arranged vertically. From the chamfered corners of the double fountain area stairs lead to the main courtyard (plate 38). Each staircase has thirty six steps made of marble (drawing figure 22). The center fountain and basin do not function as an ablution area. The requirement for ablution is fulfilled by fixed taps on the side walls of the covered ablution area (the colonnade). There are 177 taps set on the walls, twenty-eight on the south, forty-five on west, fifty-two on north and fifty-two on east. A marble stool one foot three inches high is placed in front of each tap allowing the worshipers to avoid the impure water on the floor. The total height of the walls of the ablution area is fourteen feet. The walls are divided into two parts. The upper nine feet are decorated with glazed triangular ceramic tiles measuring three inches on a side. The tile decoration is a major attraction of the ablution area and western staircases. In the ablution area cerulean and cobalt blue are major colours on the walls but magenta, red, yellow and orange are also used. The lower part of the walls is covered with white marble design in vertical lines. The side walls of the two western staircases leading to the main courtyard from the ablution zone are covered with ceramic glazed tiles with dissimilar designs. The western staircases are divided into three banks (plate 39). The lower bank has eight steps; and the middle sixteen steps. The ceiling above them is sloping. A third

38 bank of stairs has thirty-one steps but is uncovered. After these steps, one arrives at the western ending the main courtyard. The stair passages are covered with square coffered

39

Drawing figure 22. Pool and fountain in the ablution area.

ceilings and have earth coloured marble floor. The walls are entirely covered with tiles and here the pseudo-knotted Kfic is readable as the word Allah. The tiles which are set on the side walls of the staircases are seven inches on a side. On these walls cerulean and cobalt blue ceramic tiles are used. In cerulean blue the name of Allah is repeated 112 times in pseudo-knotted Kfic calligraphy, a tenth century Persian calligraphy (plate 40). It will be discussed in the fifth chapter entitled Calligraphy. The pattern is slightly raised (about .8 inches) and stands out against the prominently cobalt blue tiles of the background. In comparison to the side walls of the ablution area, the cerulean and cobalt blue triangular ceramic tiles have small touches of yellow, orange, red and magenta to break the monotony of blue (plate 42). All these ceramic tiles on the walls have been imported from Turkey but the tiles used in the fountains and reflection pools of the mosque are locally made. On the east wall of the ablution area wooden lattice work is used for ventilation and replaces the ceramic tiles (plate 43). The design of the lattice work is similar with the design of stone lattice work at the Jami Mosque at Bijapur, in the Deccan, India, built in 1551 and decorated in 1636 (plate 44).2 The northern wall of the area has a grilled gate that opens to the administration block. After six steps, there is an approach to the auditorium, several offices and store area. It is an open and covered area with two staircases, of ten steps, on the north side leading to offices.

40 The first floor can be entered through eleven entrances, eight from the main courtyard of these entrances two are from the west and one is from the administrative block on the north (drawing figure 23). The main courtyard is approximately seventeen feet seven inches above the outer grassy ground of the southern side. It is a bold expression of vastness, modernity and abstractions. The first floor is dominated by two major portions. One is the main courtyard and open exterior court area surrounding the sanctuary and the other is the sanctuary itself. The main courtyard can accommodate 40,000 persons at a time.3 The area is 200,000 square feet paved with grey granite imported from Italy.4 In its centre a vast square chamfered open space gives light to the fountain below. Under the roof of the main courtyard on the east side is the Islamic Research Institute, the printing press, cafeteria, library, book shop, and the offices of the administration. In the main courtyard there are three other small openings besides the large openings for the ablution fountain and the basin. These are to provide access the Islamic Institute below. The main courtyard is surrounded by the porticos, one bay deep supported on square piers except on the center of the south side (plate 45). These piers are like those described above but each one has four light fixtures attached three feet from the ceiling. In every pier vertical units are created by recessed horizontal lines in the concrete. Every square pier has a stylized capital made up of four triangular shapes. At the joining point of these capitals, an abstract impression of a series of triangular arch is created, which is visible from a distance (drawing figure 24). The portico is built according to trabeat system. The white ceiling is made of concrete shell structure. The floor is paved with grey granite. Its ceiling is built according to the principles of shell construction.5 The structural design of the ceiling is made in several square units. These squares are divided into four triangular shapes. As note when seen from the courtyard they make a geometric pattern of diagonal-lines resting on elegant square piers. The center of the eastern portico has a small covered area used as a respondent platform, raised two steps up from the porticos floor level (plate 51). It is built for the

41

Drawing figure 23. Entrances to the first floor of the mosque.

42

Drawing figure 24. Porticos in the main courtyard with triangular arches.

imms assistant, to repeat the words and action of the imm in view of the outside congregation. An abstract triangular mihrb indicates the direction of the Kabah (drawing figure 25). The ceiling of the platform for naib i-imm is built in the form of lattice work. The lattice work is based on the arrangement of diagonal lines forming several triangles constructed of steel structure and concrete and is perforated (plate 53). The design harmonizes with the symmetrical diagonal line treatment of the porticos capitals. Its white colour gives an impression of vastness to the heavy structure. Four pairs of rectangular piers are set at the four corners of the respondent platform bear the weight of the ceiling. Across the main courtyard from the respondent platform there is another small structural area for the muadhdhin called the muqbil platform (plate 55). It is used by the assistant of imm to lead prayers in the main courtyard area (drawing figure 26). This raised platform is in front of the entrance veranda, and is made of white Thassos marble. It is rectangular in plan and is designed into three parts in which central part is bigger than the other two. Its central part is three steps above from the floor of the entrance

43

Drawing figure 25. Triangular arch on the platform for the naib i-imm.

Drawing figure 26. A view of the muqbil platform from the east.

Drawing figure 27. A view of the muqbil platform from the west.

44 veranda, and other two (small) parts are two steps up from the floor (drawing figure 27). On east, north and south sides low walls are separate the muqbil platform from the main courtyard. The east wall has perforated design of crescents (plate 56). The entrance veranda of the sanctuary is three feet above the main courtyard, with a flight of six steps (plate 57). The level of the entrance veranda, the upper level of the sanctuary, and the court surrounding the sanctuary are all the same. The floor of the entrance veranda is dressed with grey granite, and ochre and white marble. Its cantilever ceiling is supported by a series of rectangular piers, with light fittings. The ceiling is designed with triangular forms similar to those on the side porticos but supported by rectangular piers rather than square piers. The ceiling is built according to the bases of shell construction, and is twenty eight feet high from the floor. The entrance veranda stands as an independent facade of the sanctuary. Round electric bulbs are attached with the ceiling in the form of rows (plate 58). These rows are six in number and every row has twelve bulbs. The floor of the entrance veranda on the north and the south sides is made of squares and rectangles of coloured marble. Every yellow marble tile is eleven inches square and nine tiles are arranged to form a large square. The large units are separated by a band of white marble tiles measuring thirty-two by eighteen inches. The main courtyard is in grey granite slab measuring two feet eight inches square. Along the south, north and west walls of the sanctuary there are open court areas smaller then the main courtyard. The south court is fully paved with yellow ocher colour marble slabs. The level of the south floor is seventeen feet seven inches above the ground. The floor of the north and west side court area is in grey granite. Fountains have been constructed next to the north and west sides of the sanctuary. On the west, half of the reflection pool is constructed inside the sanctuary the other half outside. It is built in blue tiles. Fresh cool air enters the sanctuary through the water of the pool. Both north and west pools have a series of round rod fountains (plate

45 59). The water of the pools give beautiful reflections of the surroundings and external images of the sanctuary and the minarets. At day time the scene reflects the white of the sanctuary and the minarets, the blue of sky and the green of the landscape. At night artificial lights with dark background reflect in the pools (plate 60). Benches of white marble are arranged independently in a semi circle around the north reflection pool. The fountains add beauty to the reflection of the external features in the water. The harmonious composition of the line and colour creates a beautiful design. Mass and value are balanced in the overall construction. Decorative brass bowls for plants are placed near the south-east and north-east entrance doors of the sanctuary (plate 61). The bowls are filled with earth and soil for fresh plants. Its top is ornamented with a hadith in floriated Kfic calligraphy reading Heaven is below the feet of mothers. It is placed on a seven inches broad metallic semi-circular sheet. The hadith is selected for this place because these doors are the only entrances to the womens gallery. The importance of the calligraphy of this inscription will be discussed in Chapter Five. The calligraphy and planter are suspended in a circular frame attached to the floor and ceiling. The bowl is seven feet in diameter and hung three feet two inches from the ground. The circular surrounding rod is eight feet in diameter and has a copper gold colour. The planter is surrounded by a low octagonal white marble partition ten inches high. The structure and various decorations used at the Faisal Mosque come from different sources within the decorative vocabulary of Roman and Islamic art. For example the plan of the Faisal Mosque is itself a hybrid of two mosques types. An open plan is the primary Islamic plan for mosques. The mosque of Ibn Tuln, Cairo begun in 876 A.D. and completed in 879 A.D. and the Great Mosque of Cordoba first built in 784786 A.D, are admirable examples of such kind of plan.6 They are large rectangular structures based on two distinct parts, a prayer hall and open court area. In open plan mosque the prayer hall is usually in the form of hypostyle hall or uses piers supports. The

46 bays and aisles allow growth in any direction.7 A rhythmical relationship is established between the courtyard and the covered area. The court area can be elaborated by introducing colonnades along its sides and can be either longitudinal or lateral in orientation. Large archway openings are inserted at the mid-point of the courtyard in the mosques constructed in Iran, Afghanistan and Central Asia creating axial or cross-axial structure.8 The cross axial type has four iwans, one in the centre of each side. The seventeenth century royal mosque at Isfahan is a good example of a four iwan plan.9 A second type of mosques has a more unifies forms. It is designed in two sections, a composed facade and monumental porch for entrance in to the prayer hall and the prayer hall itself which composed of more than one unit. The units are defined by walls or four piers and are usually covered by a dome. As compared to an open-plan mosque sanctuary, this plan gives the impression of interior vastness. In an open plan mosque the prayer hall can be expanded from all sides by extending the numbers of bays and aisles, but in a close-plan the unity of space does not allow for extensions. The porch section of the closed-plan serves as an atrium, with colonnades on all four sides. Ottoman mosques such as the Sulaymaniah Mosque and Shahzadi Mosque in Istanbul are examples of closed-plan. Besides open and close plan, some mosques are constructed without a courtyard. The Main Road Blue Area Mosque in Islamabad and Krishan Nagar Mosque in Lahore are examples of this kind of architecture. Architects have abbreviated the designs of these mosques due to the lack of space. They are based on covered area only and have two or more stories. Kalan Masjid (Tughlaq period 1320-1414) was built on a double storied plan.10 The Mosque of Chini ka burj another two storied mosque, was also constructed in the Tughlaq period.11 The plan of the Faisal Mosque does not resemble the plan of any other monumental mosque plan. It has both open and closed plan architectural construction. The critic Hasan-Uddin Khan is wrong to say that it is a concrete structure of an open-

47 plan.12 An open plan mosque does not have a separate faade for the entrance to the prayer hall as the Faisal Mosque does. It has aisles and bays in the prayer hall. The Faisal Mosque has faade, portico, frieze and entablature but in an abstract form and its hall is constructed without aisles and bays. These are not the qualities of an open-plan mosque. So the Faisal Mosque has both characters in its construction (open and closed plan): open in the court area and close in the individual and independent sanctuary with faade. Ottoman mosques have small side chambers, extension of the sanctuary. Comparatively, the Faisal Mosques sanctuary is free from any such divisions. In addition all sides of the Faisal Mosque also have open court areas, and the sanctuary is constructed within those areas. Large Ottoman mosques have several levels. Jose Pereira writes that the Ottoman two-level mosques are of two kinds. The simple structures, with only two levels; and the complex structures, with levels further divided into tiers and layers.13 The aesthetic quality of the Mughal gardens too is reflected through multilayered terraces, for example, at Shalimar Garden, in Lahore.14 Likewise in the Faisal Mosque levels have been laid out at different heights. The layers are created to enhance the beauty of the mosque. The two-storey structure of the Faisal Mosque has been inspired from Ottoman and early Tughlaq mosque architecture. Traditional mosques have different designs on their floors, paved with different kind of solid materials or covered by carpets. In the Faisal Mosque, the floor of the entrance courtyard is paved with pebbles as was first used in mosques during the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him). At first the Prophets Mosque at Madina had a floor made of mud. Later, companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him), brought pebbles and paved the floor with pebbles. For the floor of the colonnaded area (before the ablution zone of the Faisal Mosque), black and white marble is selected. Black marble was used for the first time in the Islamic architecture of India in the decorations of Alai Darwaza in Delhi built in

48 1191-1526.15 The coffered ceiling of the colonnaded area is designed with square shapes recesses that rest on square piers. The coffered ceiling has no Islamic prototype but recalls the ceiling of the dome of the Pantheon in Rome, built in 118-125 A.D. (plate 63).16 The design and way of construction of its coffered ceiling is not similar with the ceiling of the Faisal Mosque. The coffered ceiling of the audience hall of Aula Palatina Basilica, in Germany built in early fourth century, has similarity with the square coffered design of the ceiling of the Faisal Mosque. But the ceiling of the audience hall was in wood instead of concrete structure (plate 64).17 Ablution means cleaning with clean water or the washing of ones body or specific parts of it, as in a religious rite. It is an essential part of the prayer. The worshipper has to be in a ritually purifying state before beginning prayers. A central fountain for ablution seems to make its first appearance in the Abbasid period.18 Yemeni mosques had large pools for ablution.19 Historically the requirement of ablution was fulfilled by fountains or marble jars with basin and taps. Fountains either in the centre of the courtyard of the mosque or at the side, were often sheltered by a dome. In the mosque of Ibn Tuln Cairo begun in 876 and completed in 879, a fountain has been set in the centre of the courtyard.20 Mughal mosques usually have the fountain pool in the centre of the courtyard too. As in case of the Mughal mosques, the Faisal Mosque has its fountain in the center of the courtyard. It is constructed on the ground floor rather than in front of the sanctuary or in the main courtyard of the first floor. The area of the fountain is not covered rather it is open to the sky. The fountain of the Faisal Mosque serves as a decorative attraction and maintains the tradition of the early Muslim architectural trends but is no longer used for ablution. Architectural decoration of glazed tiles was first used by the ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians, for both plain and relief surfaces. In both civilizations, glaze was used not only in pottery but also in the architectural decoration and was usually blue. R. Nath

49 writes that in the Egyptian civilization glazes were well known before 4777 B.C. The interior of the step pyramid at Sakkarah near Cairo, dating from 4155 B.C. has mural mosaics. A building at Tell-i-Amaraha, dated 1550 to 1400 B.C. has beautiful murals composed of brilliant coloured glazed tiles.21 The coloured glazing was printed over the surface for durability. Brilliant examples of glazed tiling have been discovered from Assyria, Babylonia and Persia. Glazed bricks and tiles both were a part of the architectural decoration of the region. The Assyrians introduced polychrome glazed brickwork, which was later on popularized by the Neo-Babylonians.22 The tower of Babel at Babylon was constructed by Nebuchadnezzar-II (605-562 B.C) and decorated with enameled bricks.23 The Ishtar gate of Babylon constructed by Nebuchadnezzar-II was first decorated with polychrome glazed brick relief, with a dark blue background for the profile figures; yellow, white and turquoise coloured animals and dragons were found. These glazes were opaque and hard.24 The palace of Sargon-II (722-702 B.C.) at Khorsabad was characterized with the decoration of coloured glazed bricks.25 In Persian architecture, glazed brick panel was used during the period of Shalaneser III (859-824 B.C), which is a fine example of Assyrian art.26 In Greek and Roman civilization, mosaic work in tesserae (an individual tile usually in the shape of a cube) and pebbles were famous. Opus tessllatum a style was popular during late Roman period in Italy.27 In this method tesserae of marble or stone were cut into three fourth of an inch in various colours and combined in geometrical designs.
28

In Opus figlium style encaustic tiles or terracotta pieces were arranged in

geometrical mosaic rather than marble.29 The Faisal Mosques tile mosaic work has some similarity with this style because of the use of tiles and geometrical designs. The way the material has been used in the Faisal Mosque is different from the way it was used earlier. In the Faisal Mosque, for the sake of modernity triangular shape tiles of ablution area are three inches on a side, and tiles of the staircases are seven inches

50 on the other side. The size of the tiles of the ablution area is too much bigger then the size of tesserae of Opus tessllatum. But the tiles in the western staircases are larger then the Opus tessllatum style. The geometric designs with mosaic work are influenced by earlier Roman ones but in a stylized form. This technique was developed in the Islamic world and varieties of design and format are found. Dome of the Rock at Jerusalem, was the first Islamic building that was embellished with glass tiles, used as mosaics with geometrical designs. The proper use of glazed tiles began in the later Abbasid period. In the thirteenth century hexagonal and star shaped luster tiles and small pieces of tiles were used in Iran to sheet the surface of architectural monuments. Turkey and Iran produced brilliant examples of grandiose mosques with glazed tile decorations. Such as the Mosque of Gauhar Shad, Mashad, built during the Timurid period in 1419, the Blue Mosque, Tabriz, built in 1465, Masjid-i-Shah, Isfahan built by Shah Abbas in 1612- 1637 and the Friday Mosque, Thatta in the province of Sind, built in 1644- 1647.30 The tile work of these countries was renowned for its beauty and symmetry, throughout the world.31 Tile work found in the South Asian architectural monuments was influenced by early Iranian style. The tomb of Shah Yusuf Gardizi, built in 1150 at Multan, is the first building of the region where enameled tiles in indigo and turquoise blue on white base were used.32 The tiles of Islamic world are classified by different techniques, for example, simple technique, luster tile, over glaze, under glaze and Cuerda Seca. But in the Faisal Mosque the latest Turkish industrial method of tile making has been adopted. Traditionally the glazed tile decoration adorned the lower part of the walls (dados). In the Faisal Mosque the upper part of the walls are covered with decorative tiles instead of the lower, yet other innovative features of the Islamabad mosque. In the ablution area and on the west staircases of the Faisal Mosque, geometry is applied to a degree of complexity and sophistication. These patterns exemplify the Islamic concern for symmetry and continuous generation of pattern. Here we see a very

51 judicious and harmonious combination of diagonal, horizontal and vertical lines. The name Allah is producing a rhythmic series here placed in a cerulean blue against cobalt blue background of the walls. In the Faisal Mosque the tile decoration of the ablution areas and the west staircases has beauty through harmony of colours, lines and complexity of design. But the question can be raised as to what is the historical importance of these colours? Why have these colours been selected for the area? And what is the philosophy behind it? Colours are powerful tools to express feelings and also convey philosophic and symbolic implications. Each colour has its own symbolic significance and logic which can add dimensions to evoke moods and make overall view of the place more powerful and aesthetically strong. This is true in the case of the ablution area of the Faisal Mosque. Cobalt and cerulean blue with few touches of red, yellow, orange and magenta have great prominence in ablution area decoration. As an architectural expression cobalt blue has historical importance. It was an essential part of the architectural decoration of Babylonians famous Ishtar Gate of 575 B.C. here it is used as a blue background of glazed bricks with green, yellow, white and black glazed bricks for religious subject matter. Later on it increasingly became a part of brilliant colour schemes for the surface decoration of ancient architectural monuments. In Muslim art the use of cobalt blue was introduced in the twelfth century. Muslim tiles are sheathed in the seven colours of the spectrum in which the blue colour has a fundamental role. In Muslim art cobalt blue was frequently used for the decoration of mihrbs and domes. The dome of the Madian Mosque in Kashan, built in 1226 is sheeted with blue tiles and is one of the earliest examples in coloured mosque decoration.33 The potters of Kashan developed a technique called minai or haft-rang that was commonly used in the late twelfth century. During the second half of the thirteenth century the technique of lajvardina was used in Persia, in which a few colours and

52 angular shapes of gold leaf were applied against a cobalt blue or turquoise ground.34 Coloured hues produced elegant and sumptuous effects. Most of the religious monuments of the Islamic world especially in Central Asia, Iran, Turkey and Pakistan have polychromatic tiles in marvelous colour scheme. But blue and turquoise are dominating among other colours. Helen Varley writes that, Vast expanses of sky and ocean accommodate the spirit carving release through a sense of infinity; their loftiness and depth have endowed their colour with a noble character.35 The blue colour of the sky has a variety of tones at different times during the day and night. In the Faisal Mosque cobalt blue is an abstract representation of the sky. The logic behind its use is that it creates a spacious and unlimited sky. The cerulean blue tiles of the pseudo-knotted Kfic are the source of grace and gives an effect of vastness to the ablution area and the staircases. Streaks of yellow, red, magenta and orange in the blue are clearly set between the hexagons squares in an abstract linear design, symbolizing the different time periods of the five prayers in a day offered by Muslims. Ablution is a major obligatory act prior to performing prayer. Its ritual importance is reflected in the design of the tile decoration of the ablution area walls. Cerulean and cobalt blue create an unlimited space of sky during most of the time at the day and night, and represent the timings of the dawn and night prayers (salat-al Fajar and salat-al sh). Yellow represents the bright sunlight and relates to the warm temperature at the time of the afternoon prayer (salat-al Dhohar). Magenta, the colour of dignity and spirituality, is a fusion of red and blue. It relates to the cool evenings as the sky with blue and streaked red (salat-al Asr). During the evening, sunset shows an arrangement of orange and light magenta with a pinkish tint, this corresponds to that of the light at the time of the evening prayer (salat-al Maghrb). As Varley suggests, red is the colour of the nobility of the royal livery and has various connotations of blood.36 Manning writes that red is reflective of the strongest and basest emotions, such as lust,

53 power, life, vitality and energy.37 Red is also associated with energy and shows the desire and love to perform the ritual prayer and the warm feelings and the spiritual link with the Almighty. All these colours present the semiotic language of the five times of prayers. The yellow ocher and brownish shades of the marble flooring of the ablution area of the mosque create a contrast with the white of its ceiling and lower part of walls. Brown is the colour of earth and relates to nature. The earth colour shows somber, natural, authentic, woodiness and utility symbolism.38 In this area brown colour does not harmonize with entire colour scheme and is applied as a contrast and creates natural earthiness. Every brown square has twenty rectangular marble tiles of different intensities of brown. These square shapes are outlined with one foot wide marble slabs to emphasis their colours. The use of consciously composed designs and the selection of colours are the basic characteristics that create aesthetic value for the Faisal Mosque. In the ablution area polychrome colours are only applied on the upper part of the walls. The colours of the ablution area are divided into three groups. First, the entire colour harmony of the floor is in earth colours; second, light soft pastel colours with white are found on lower part of the side walls and third, the rich hues of ultramarine and cerulean blues with orange, red, yellow and magenta on the upper wall. One might wish that the architect has linked each area by intermingle more colours. Lattice work is used for ventilation from the eastern wall of the ablution area. A row of small wooden windows, designed with perforated lattice work and a circular opening, is constructed in the upper area of the eastern wall. Below is a ventilated grilled entrance for the university staff and students. Lattice work refers to an open framework made of stone, metal, wood or similar material and its design should be overlapped or overlaid continuously. It forms a regular or periodic pattern in two or three dimensions.39 In the Great mosque of Damascus, the arched openings, which form the upper tier next to the courtyard, were filled with stucco

54 lattices, and were regarded as windows.40 Lattice work in stone and wood were also done by Muslims. This art was created for windows, ventilations and upper parts of doors. In South Asia lattice work was used for the Alai Darwaza built by Al ul-Din Khilj in 1311 as an extension of the Quwat ul-Islam Mosque.41 Screens with perforated lattice work are set in the windows on both sides of the entrance. In Pakistan the tomb monuments of Uchch have wooden screens of lattice work in a variety of geometrical designs.42 During the Sultanate and Mughal periods, the technique was used for similar architectural purposes and it continues today at the Faisal Mosque. A madrsah attached to a mosque is an old association in Muslim architecture. Initially the mosque was used for both prayer and education. Gradually separate areas constructed for Islamic education, were attached to mosque. An International Islamic University and Dawah and Shariah Academies with hostels, classrooms, printing press and university offices were part in the original plan of the Faisal Mosque. However, because of the increase in the number of students, there arose need for additional rooms, and in 2003 the University was shifted to H-10 Sector, Islamabad. But the management of the University and some classes of the Islamic Research Institute of Dawah are still housed at the Faisal comprise. The Islamic Research Institute is concerned with the study of Islam and promoting research in all branches of Muslim thought and learning. The Institute prepares and publishes books, translations and commentaries on Islamic legal text used in the field of law. The Dawah Academy is engaged in planning educational training and research programs for the benefit of Muslim communities within and outside Pakistan. They also organized training of community leaders, professionals and workers. The National Training Program of the Shariah Academy is based on Shariah lessons linked with the Islamic studies for junior lawyers and police training courses. For its international training programs, the council of the academy has decided to extend its

55 training facilities to judges and law offices from other countries engaged in the process of administration of justice. The larger courtyard of the Faisal Mosque conveys the usual tectonic character of the South Asian mosque. But the concept of court area surrounding the south, north and west of the sanctuary is new for this region. Usually mosques of the Mughal period were constructed on raised platforms. The Mosque of Wazir Khan in Lahore, built in 1634, Jahan Ara Mosque in Agra built in 1648, and Badshahi Mosque in Lahore built in 1673 are examples of mosques built on the raised platforms. Comparatively, the Faisal Mosque is built on a natural mount with some parts on a raised platform. The vastness and porticos around the courtyard of the Faisal Mosque was inspired by the courtyard of the Mosque of the Prophet (peace be upon him) at Madina. Later on the courtyard was adopted by the Ottomans, the Safavids and especially the Mughals.43 Historically a mosque plan had one sanctuary and one courtyard. But at the Faisal Mosque, an open area is designed all around the sanctuary and more space has been given at the eastern side for the main courtyard (drawing figure 20). An ablution tank was usually set in the courtyard in front of sanctuary. At the Faisal Mosque the concept is the same but ablution tanks and spigots are built on ground floor and are not visible. In the summer, the floors of the ground and first floor are covered with long rectangular pieces of green carpet. The boundary walls of the courtyard on the east, north and south sides are open space rather than the historical massive walls. In the Faisal Mosque, the center of the main courtyard is chamfered and is lower by two steps, and the side porticos are up by two steps, from the level of the sanctuary. Badshahi Mosque Lahore, built in 1673, has a vast courtyard with a large fountain in its center. Its courtyard is constructed on three levels, and serves as a prototype for the Faisal Mosque, but with differences. The courtyard of the Badshahi Mosque is two steps

56 up from the west side only (plate 65), but in the Faisal Mosque two steps are designed all around the main courtyard. At the Faisal Mosque a bold triangular arch representing a mihrb marks the respondent platform. Such triangular arches are found on the facade of the Garrison Mosque, Cantt, Lahore built in 1983. Its exterior has blind triangular arches on the side walls of the sanctuary and open triangular arches on the faade (plate 67). The functions of these triangular arches are not similar with the triangular arch of the Faisal Mosque, only the basic appearance resembles the Faisal Mosque. In the Faisal Mosque, eight piers in paired form bear the weight of the perforated ceiling of the respondent platform. The method of constructing piers or columns in pairs was used in the Mughal period (especially in Shahjahani style). But in the Faisal Mosque, the piers do not truly follow the Mughal style. The piers are influenced by Mughal style of construction but are stylized with the new concept dominant. The Faisal Mosques plan is not an exact copy of any traditional design. Effective and pleasing features and elements from many sources were adopted according to the requirement of weather and location. Ottomans and Mughal mosques also were constructed with several floor levels. But the architectural character of the levels of the Faisal Mosque is not similar to any one. Its treatment is well organized, systematic and modern. An abstract realism has been observed in the representation of arches, arcades, and east faade of the sanctuary.

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Notes
1 2

Interview with Ahmad Rafiq, civil engineer of the Faisal Mosque, July 14, 2004. Ahmad Nabi Khan, Islamic Architecture in South Asia (New York: Oxford University Press, 2003), 168.

3 4 5 6

Information by director administration of Faisal Mosque Ishrat Warsi. Information by director administration of Faisal Mosque Ishrat Warsi. The shell construction is the modern construction introduced in 19th century. http://archnet.org/library/dictionary/entry.jsp?entry_id=DIA0150 (accessed Feb 5, 2008); http://www.islamicity.com/Culture/MOSQUES/Europe/TMp105b.htm (accessed Feb 5, 2008); J.G. Davies, Temples Churches and Mosque (England: Basil Blackwell Oxford, 1982), 121.

7 8 9

Davies, Temples Churches and Mosque, 121. Ibid., 123. Ibid. 123. Khan, Islamic Architecture in South Asia, 80. Ibid., 83. Martin Frishman and Hasan-Uddin Khan, eds., The Mosque (London: Thames and Hudson, 1994), 262. Jose Pereira, Islamic Sacred Architecture a Stylish History (New Delhi: Janakpuri District Centre, 1994), 302.

10 11 12 13

14

Ahmad Nabi Khan, Development of Mosque Architecture in Pakistan (Islamabad: Lok Virsa Publishing House, 1970), 150.

15 16

Khan, Islamic Architecture in South Asia, 33. Richatd G.Tansey and Fred S. Kleiner, Gardners Art Through the Ages, 10th ed. (New York: Harcourt Brace College Publisher, 1996), 234.

17 18 19 20

Tansey and Kleiner, Gardners Art Through the Ages, 254. Andrew Petersen, Dictionary of Islamic Architecture (London: Routledge, 1996), 197. Frishman and Khan, The Mosque, 99 K. A. C. Creswell, A Short Account of Early Muslim Architecture (Baltimore: Penguin Books, 1958), 314.

21

R. Nath, Color and Decoration in Mughal Architecture in India and Pakistan (Jaipur: The Historical Research Documentation Program Jaipur, 1989), 9.

22

Banister Fletcher, The History of Architecture, 17th ed. (London: The Athlone Press University of London, 1963), 70.

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23

R. Nath, Color and Decoration in Mughal Architecture in India and Pakistan, 10. Tansey and Kleiner, Gardners Art Through the Ages, 58. Fletcher, History of Architecture, 17th ed. 73. Fletcher, History of Architecture, 19th ed. (London: Butterworths, 1987), 74. Encyclopedia of World Art (New York: Toronto: London: McGraw, Hill, 1968), 330. R. Nath, Color and Decoration in Mughal Architecture in India and Pakistan, 50. Ibid., 82. Frishman and Khan, The Mosque, 129,142, 168. George Michell, ed., Architecture of the Islamic World (London: Thames and Hudson, 1984), 139.

24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

32

Sajjad Haider, Tile Making in Pakistan (Islamabad: National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage Islamabad, 1987), 51.

33 34 35 36

Alexandre Papadoupoulo, Islam and Muslim Art (London: Thames and Hudson, 1976), 264. Venetia Porter, Islamic Tiles (London: British Museum Publication, 1995), 17 Helen Varley, ed., Color (London: Marshall Editions, 1980), 212. Ibid., 186. http://color-of-truth.com (accessed Sep 27, 2006). http://www.logotree.com/html/color_logo_graphic_design.htm (accessed July 27, 2006). http://www.thefreedictionary.com/lattice (accessed May 13, 2007). Creswell, A Short Account of Early Muslim Architecture, 5I. http://www.delhigate.com@delhi/sites1d.htm (accessed May 13, 2007). Ahmad Nabi Khan, Islamic Architecture of Pakistan (Islamabad: National Hijra Council, 1990), 39-43. Michell, Architecture of Islamic World, 21.

37

38 39 40 41 42 43