1st Track : Evolution of Mosque Architecture through the Ages
Role/Contribution
Sole author
Research paper Title
THE ASCENSION (MI‘RĀJ), THE PROPHETS, AND THE CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY IN MELAKAN MOSQUES
Personal Biography
Dr. Hazwan Ariff Hakimi is a distinguished architecture scholar with a robust academic background and professional experience. He holds a PhD in Architecture from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, where he earned high honours for his thesis, a Master’s in Architectural History with distinction from The Bartlett at University College London, and both a Diploma and Bachelor’s in Architecture from the University of Nottingham. Currently serving as a Skim Latihan Akademik Bumiputera (SLAB) Fellow at Universiti Malaya, Hazwan’s research explores architectural histories and historiographies, focusing on the Islāmisation of architecture in the Malay-Indonesian Archipelago. His interdisciplinary approach integrates traditional and modern architecture, literature, and philosophy, employing both traditional and postcolonial theories. He has presented his work at prominent conferences like the International Conference on Regional Architecture and Built Environment (seniBINA) 2022 and the 9th International Conference on Social Sciences and Humanities (PASAK9) 2024, highlighting his active engagement in academic discourse and his commitment to advancing the field of architectural studies. Hazwan’s scholarly contributions are listed below:
Refereed Journal Articles
2023
Hazwan Ariff Hakimi, Nik Lukman Nik Ibrahim, & Nor Zalina Harun. (2023). Examining the symbolism of the Ascension (Mi‘rāj): Relationships between traditional Malay prose narratives (ḥikāyāt) and traditional Malay mosques in Melaka. Jurnal Kejuruteraan, 6(1), 259–69. https://doi.org/10.17576/jkukm-2023-si6(1)-22. (Indexed in Web of Science (ESCI) and MyCite)
Hazwan Ariff Hakimi, Nik Lukman Nik Ibrahim, & Nor Zalina Harun. (2023). Theories of the architectural symbolism of the traditional mosque: A preliminary classification. Jurnal Kejuruteraan, 6(1), 29–41. https://doi.org/10.17576/jkukm-2023-si6(1)-03. (Indexed in Web of Science (ESCI) and MyCite)
Book Chapters
2018
Hazwan Ariff Hakimi. (2018). A format for social life. In Ang Chee & Alia Aida Masiri (Eds.), Logbook: KLAF2018 (pp. 126–29). Kuala Lumpur Architecture Festival (KLAF) for Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (PAM).
2017
Hazwan Ariff Hakimi. (2017). Re(-)presentations. In Ang Chee, Liyana Hasnan, & Alia Aida Masiri (Eds.), Logbook: KLAF2017 (pp. 70–72). Kuala Lumpur Architecture Festival (KLAF) for Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia (PAM).
Conference Proceedings
2022
Hazwan Ariff Hakimi, Nik Lukman Nik Ibrahim, & Nor Zalina Harun. (2022). Examining the symbolism of the Ascension (Mi‘raj): Relationships between traditional Malay prose narratives (hikayat) and traditional Malay mosques in Melaka. In Sarah Mohd Hilmee & Suhana Johar (Eds.), Book of Abstracts of the International Conference on Regional Architecture and Built Environment (seniBINA) 2022 (p. 4). Department of Architecture and Built Environment, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.
Other Publications
2021
Hazwan Ariff Hakimi. (2021, Mei). Memandang bayang-bayang Shakespeare di Stratford. Tunas Cipta, 18–21.
2020
Hazwan Ariff Hakimi. (2020, Jun). Menelusuri perjalanan pengislaman Semenanjung Tanah Melayu. Dewan Budaya, 54–57.
Hazwan Ariff Hakimi. (2020, Januari). Menjungkirbalikkan mentaliti kolonial dalam sejarah seni bina Masjid Negara. Dewan Budaya, 28–31.
2016
Hazwan Ariff Hakimi. (2016). Orienting architecture: Masjid Negara, Kuala Lumpur revisited. Architecture Malaysia, 28(6), 74–77.
2014
Hazwan Ariff Hakimi. (2014). The passionate pilgrim of Titchfield. Architecture Malaysia, 26(2), 80–81.
Paper Abstract
The symbolic language of mosque architecture has long fascinated Traditionalist scholars, with some interpreting the spatial experience of the Islāmic ritual prayer (ṣalāh) as a microcosm of Prophet Muḥammad’s Ascension (Mi‘rāj). However, existing analyses of the Mi‘rāj symbolism in mosque design, including those in Melaka, often lack methodological rigour and theoretical depth. Given these circumstances, this paper examines the symbolism of the Mi‘rāj in mosque architecture, particularly focusing on a motif in the traditional Malay mosques in Melaka through a traditional Malay prose narrative (ḥikāyat) which manifests the symbolism of the same. It employs a hermeneutic reading of the MSS 2968, the “Small Message to Describe the Night Journey and the Ascension” (Risālat Laṭīfat fī Bayān al-Isrā’ wa-al-Mi‘rāj) (1767) authored by ‘Abd al-Ṣamad al-Falimbānī, alongside case studies of significant and contemporaneous Malay mosques in Melaka, particularly the Chinese calligraphy motif in the hip ridge of Masjid Tengkera (1728) and the marginal ridges of Masjid Kampung Kling (1748). Through a synthesis of textual, document, and comparative analyses, it was found that there is a correlation between the text and the buildings. The characters “fú” (福), “shòu” (壽), and “shuāngxĭ” (囍) inscribed on the mosques are deciphered as symbolic representations of the excellent fortune attained by and from Prophet Mūsā, Prophet Muḥammad’s longevity, and the latter’s double happiness during the Mi‘rāj, respectively. In conclusion, this paper argues that these Melakan mosques, far from being mere physical structures, function as intricate architectural embodiments of the Mi‘rāj narrative. By illuminating the interconnectedness of Malay-Islāmic architecture and literature, this paper contributes to Traditionalist thought and provides a robust conceptual framework for future investigations into the rich tapestry of meaning woven into Islāmic sacred spaces.
Keywords: Symbolism, Ascension, prophets, calligraphy, mosque architecture
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