WATER IN ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE: STUDY OF THE WATER DISPENSARY (SABIL)

El Shakhs, Ahmed; Ezzat, Dalia

doi:10.12816/0047906

WATER IN ISLAMIC ARCHITECTURE: STUDY OF THE WATER DISPENSARY (SABIL)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Ahmed El Shakhs ¹
Dalia Ezzat ²

¹ Assistant Professor, Architecture and Design Department, College of Engineering, Abu Dhabi University, UAE

² Assistant Professor, Interior Design and Furniture Department, Faculty of Applied Arts, Helwan University, Egypt.

10.12816/0047906

Abstract

Water is essential to life and survival, it is not only a functional addition to Islamic architecture but also an integral part of the Islamic religion and beliefs, The Holy Quran states that "Every living thing is made of water", and the importance of this thought is visible in Islam since its used for Ablution five times daily; however, its mentioned in the Sunnah that water conservation is embedded in Islam even if you are living on a shore. The role played by water in Islamic architecture is both symbolic (representing spiritual purity) and practical (weather adjustment). Sabil is one of the emerged Islamic architectures that was used as a water dispenser, where water has been harnessed to serve and provide passers-by, it flourished under the rule of the Mamluks in Egypt where they constructed a standalone Sabil Kuttab, usually inflicted a Kuttab (Quranic School for boys) on top. This paper investigates the aesthetic, functional, and symbolic values of water in Islamic architecture, and highlights the value of Sabil as an important element in the Islamic city fall under the charity facilities, through analytical description of its architectural as well as the functional, aesthetic, and symbolic aspects which serve the concept of heritage revival by being a source of inspiration.The research problem can be framed in a set of questions; What is the importance of water as an essential element of life in Islamic architecture? What is the impact of muslim beliefs on design ? Did the formation of Islamic architecture only consider the functionality of the building and the aesthetic sides, or were hidden religeous beliefs conveyed?.

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