The Minaret: Between the Constancy of the Element and the Change of Use

Salima Amrane; Boudjemaa Khalfallah

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijaaa.20230903.14

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The Minaret: Between the Constancy of the Element and the Change of Use

Salima Amrane, Boudjemaa Khalfallah

Published in International Journal of Architecture, Arts and Applications (Volume 9, Issue 3)

Received: 10 August 2023 Accepted: 29 August 2023 Published: 13 September 2023

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Abstract

It is widely accepted that the presence of the minaret as an element of the mosque is associated with two initial purposes: vocal and visual. The vocal hosts the call to prayer, and the visual symbolizes the presence of Islam. However, the increasing existence of this tower and the diversification of its forms and sizes are due to its various and different functions and uses. This study goes beyond the two initial purposes of the minaret by considering this mosque tower as a functional entity designed and built around the purpose of function variety, which is determined by practical considerations. Studies related to the uses of the minaret other than the call to prayer and symbolic expression hardly exist and if they do, they deal with the most documented ones and do them separately. This study uses historical and descriptive studies relevant to the minaret to present the many functions of this tower during the three periods of the history of the Islamic world: early, medieval, and late. Derived from various literary interpretations, seventeen uses or functions of the minaret are identified, synthesized, evaluated, and presented. The aim is to emphasize: the status of the minaret as a significant functional entity of the mosque, the functional diversity of the minaret, the constancy of the minaret form as a tower, and the minaret as a necessary symbol of Islam and a tower for the call to prayer. This study considers the multiple uses of the minaret in the form of a constant represented in the symbolic value and the call to prayer, and in the form of a variable that includes many of the functions identified and evaluated during this research.

Published in	International Journal of Architecture, Arts and Applications (Volume 9, Issue 3)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijaaa.20230903.14
Page(s)	93-104
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Minaret, Functional Entity, Change of Use, Constancy of Form, History of the Islamic World

References

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Salima Amrane, Boudjemaa Khalfallah. (2023). The Minaret: Between the Constancy of the Element and the Change of Use. International Journal of Architecture, Arts and Applications, 9(3), 93-104. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijaaa.20230903.14

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Salima Amrane; Boudjemaa Khalfallah. The Minaret: Between the Constancy of the Element and the Change of Use. Int. J. Archit. Arts Appl. 2023, 9(3), 93-104. doi: 10.11648/j.ijaaa.20230903.14

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AMA Style

Salima Amrane, Boudjemaa Khalfallah. The Minaret: Between the Constancy of the Element and the Change of Use. Int J Archit Arts Appl. 2023;9(3):93-104. doi: 10.11648/j.ijaaa.20230903.14

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@article{10.11648/j.ijaaa.20230903.14,
  author = {Salima Amrane and Boudjemaa Khalfallah},
  title = {The Minaret: Between the Constancy of the Element and the Change of Use},
  journal = {International Journal of Architecture, Arts and Applications},
  volume = {9},
  number = {3},
  pages = {93-104},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijaaa.20230903.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijaaa.20230903.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijaaa.20230903.14},
  abstract = {It is widely accepted that the presence of the minaret as an element of the mosque is associated with two initial purposes: vocal and visual. The vocal hosts the call to prayer, and the visual symbolizes the presence of Islam. However, the increasing existence of this tower and the diversification of its forms and sizes are due to its various and different functions and uses. This study goes beyond the two initial purposes of the minaret by considering this mosque tower as a functional entity designed and built around the purpose of function variety, which is determined by practical considerations. Studies related to the uses of the minaret other than the call to prayer and symbolic expression hardly exist and if they do, they deal with the most documented ones and do them separately. This study uses historical and descriptive studies relevant to the minaret to present the many functions of this tower during the three periods of the history of the Islamic world: early, medieval, and late. Derived from various literary interpretations, seventeen uses or functions of the minaret are identified, synthesized, evaluated, and presented. The aim is to emphasize: the status of the minaret as a significant functional entity of the mosque, the functional diversity of the minaret, the constancy of the minaret form as a tower, and the minaret as a necessary symbol of Islam and a tower for the call to prayer. This study considers the multiple uses of the minaret in the form of a constant represented in the symbolic value and the call to prayer, and in the form of a variable that includes many of the functions identified and evaluated during this research.},
 year = {2023}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - The Minaret: Between the Constancy of the Element and the Change of Use
AU  - Salima Amrane
AU  - Boudjemaa Khalfallah
Y1  - 2023/09/13
PY  - 2023
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijaaa.20230903.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijaaa.20230903.14
T2  - International Journal of Architecture, Arts and Applications
JF  - International Journal of Architecture, Arts and Applications
JO  - International Journal of Architecture, Arts and Applications
SP  - 93
EP  - 104
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2472-1131
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijaaa.20230903.14
AB  - It is widely accepted that the presence of the minaret as an element of the mosque is associated with two initial purposes: vocal and visual. The vocal hosts the call to prayer, and the visual symbolizes the presence of Islam. However, the increasing existence of this tower and the diversification of its forms and sizes are due to its various and different functions and uses. This study goes beyond the two initial purposes of the minaret by considering this mosque tower as a functional entity designed and built around the purpose of function variety, which is determined by practical considerations. Studies related to the uses of the minaret other than the call to prayer and symbolic expression hardly exist and if they do, they deal with the most documented ones and do them separately. This study uses historical and descriptive studies relevant to the minaret to present the many functions of this tower during the three periods of the history of the Islamic world: early, medieval, and late. Derived from various literary interpretations, seventeen uses or functions of the minaret are identified, synthesized, evaluated, and presented. The aim is to emphasize: the status of the minaret as a significant functional entity of the mosque, the functional diversity of the minaret, the constancy of the minaret form as a tower, and the minaret as a necessary symbol of Islam and a tower for the call to prayer. This study considers the multiple uses of the minaret in the form of a constant represented in the symbolic value and the call to prayer, and in the form of a variable that includes many of the functions identified and evaluated during this research.
VL  - 9
IS  - 3
ER  -

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Author Information

Salima Amrane

Department of Architecture, Institute of Architecture and Urbanism, University of Batna 1, Batna, Algeria
Boudjemaa Khalfallah

Department of Urban Engineering, Institute of Management of Urban Techniques, University of M'sila, M'sila, Algeria

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APA Style

Salima Amrane, Boudjemaa Khalfallah. (2023). The Minaret: Between the Constancy of the Element and the Change of Use. International Journal of Architecture, Arts and Applications, 9(3), 93-104. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijaaa.20230903.14

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ACS Style

Salima Amrane; Boudjemaa Khalfallah. The Minaret: Between the Constancy of the Element and the Change of Use. Int. J. Archit. Arts Appl. 2023, 9(3), 93-104. doi: 10.11648/j.ijaaa.20230903.14

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AMA Style

Salima Amrane, Boudjemaa Khalfallah. The Minaret: Between the Constancy of the Element and the Change of Use. Int J Archit Arts Appl. 2023;9(3):93-104. doi: 10.11648/j.ijaaa.20230903.14

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijaaa.20230903.14,
  author = {Salima Amrane and Boudjemaa Khalfallah},
  title = {The Minaret: Between the Constancy of the Element and the Change of Use},
  journal = {International Journal of Architecture, Arts and Applications},
  volume = {9},
  number = {3},
  pages = {93-104},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijaaa.20230903.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijaaa.20230903.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijaaa.20230903.14},
  abstract = {It is widely accepted that the presence of the minaret as an element of the mosque is associated with two initial purposes: vocal and visual. The vocal hosts the call to prayer, and the visual symbolizes the presence of Islam. However, the increasing existence of this tower and the diversification of its forms and sizes are due to its various and different functions and uses. This study goes beyond the two initial purposes of the minaret by considering this mosque tower as a functional entity designed and built around the purpose of function variety, which is determined by practical considerations. Studies related to the uses of the minaret other than the call to prayer and symbolic expression hardly exist and if they do, they deal with the most documented ones and do them separately. This study uses historical and descriptive studies relevant to the minaret to present the many functions of this tower during the three periods of the history of the Islamic world: early, medieval, and late. Derived from various literary interpretations, seventeen uses or functions of the minaret are identified, synthesized, evaluated, and presented. The aim is to emphasize: the status of the minaret as a significant functional entity of the mosque, the functional diversity of the minaret, the constancy of the minaret form as a tower, and the minaret as a necessary symbol of Islam and a tower for the call to prayer. This study considers the multiple uses of the minaret in the form of a constant represented in the symbolic value and the call to prayer, and in the form of a variable that includes many of the functions identified and evaluated during this research.},
 year = {2023}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - The Minaret: Between the Constancy of the Element and the Change of Use
AU  - Salima Amrane
AU  - Boudjemaa Khalfallah
Y1  - 2023/09/13
PY  - 2023
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijaaa.20230903.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijaaa.20230903.14
T2  - International Journal of Architecture, Arts and Applications
JF  - International Journal of Architecture, Arts and Applications
JO  - International Journal of Architecture, Arts and Applications
SP  - 93
EP  - 104
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2472-1131
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijaaa.20230903.14
AB  - It is widely accepted that the presence of the minaret as an element of the mosque is associated with two initial purposes: vocal and visual. The vocal hosts the call to prayer, and the visual symbolizes the presence of Islam. However, the increasing existence of this tower and the diversification of its forms and sizes are due to its various and different functions and uses. This study goes beyond the two initial purposes of the minaret by considering this mosque tower as a functional entity designed and built around the purpose of function variety, which is determined by practical considerations. Studies related to the uses of the minaret other than the call to prayer and symbolic expression hardly exist and if they do, they deal with the most documented ones and do them separately. This study uses historical and descriptive studies relevant to the minaret to present the many functions of this tower during the three periods of the history of the Islamic world: early, medieval, and late. Derived from various literary interpretations, seventeen uses or functions of the minaret are identified, synthesized, evaluated, and presented. The aim is to emphasize: the status of the minaret as a significant functional entity of the mosque, the functional diversity of the minaret, the constancy of the minaret form as a tower, and the minaret as a necessary symbol of Islam and a tower for the call to prayer. This study considers the multiple uses of the minaret in the form of a constant represented in the symbolic value and the call to prayer, and in the form of a variable that includes many of the functions identified and evaluated during this research.
VL  - 9
IS  - 3
ER  -

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