Mosque Architecture (No. 11): A Response to Climate Change - PRELIMINARY POSTULATION OF A FINER GREEN RATING TOOL FOR MOSQUES - GREEN MOSQUE CONFORMITY INDEX (GMCI)
1- Introduction
Further to my suggestion in the earlier book of the mosque series, of establishing a finer green rating tool for mosques, I hereby make a draft outline of how it would possibly be improvised.
Firstly, I would like to suggest that its nomenclature will be and referred to as the Green Mosque Conformity Index or GMCI.
How it could be approached? The standard green rating index in each nation, as a whole, is already considered as monitoring the fulfilment of the requirement of the deen. But there is something else missing on the spiritual or moral values, its non-compliance would lead to wasteful, overconsumption and extravagant, which contradicts the green movement.
The methodology is to use it as a finer supplementary tool to the 'standard green rating tools' available in each country, and to add these additional requirements on pertinent spiritual values in the design, utilisation of resources and circumventing profligate:
- It is already an era of a new normal in combating the climate change. Have to change the way of perceptions to suit the coming challenges. To transform covetousness into humility. To convert greed into humility. For the pass mistakes we have committed, we evoke Allah for forgiveness. I too have my regrets.
- No overall wasting or excessive cost for development. Any act of spendthrift or overspending should be accounted for. Any act of spending more than what is normally required can be considered as against the deen and the green pursuit. It is a religious abomination which is also congruent to the universal moral issue.
- The goal is to opt for the best value for money for the most appropriate, fully functional and a just plain mosque building. A mosque building which is for the purification of souls, not to express covetousness of the worldly affairs, not to distract minds in remembrance of their Lord, and that will remind of the Day that will be hard.
- Not contrasting to the Sunnah in the indulgence of excessive decorations and embellishments.
- "Those who, when they spend, are not extravagant and not niggardly, but hold a just (medium, balance) between those (extremes)." (Al-Furqan, 25:67)
- They who are neither extravagant nor niggardly; when they spend they do not play the prodigal nor do they act parsimoniously, but they use a mean.
- "And let not your hand be tied (like a miser) to your neck, nor stretch it forth to its utmost reach (like a spendthrift), so that you become blameworthy and in severe poverty." (Al-Isra, 17:29)
- Something based on more than universal moral issue, it's more on religious issue which is related to the submission to their Lord's will, and this could lead to appropriateness in the design.
- To avoid people who are made fair-seeming who even desire pomp, expressing splendid display, vying with one another in building mosques. But instead to have a building which reflects some humbleness and not conceit. And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, then they are the successful ones.
- No waste in resources. Not to waste in energy, and produce own renewable energy. Do not waste of water, although a mosque is by the side of a running stream, and that is what the deen teaches us.
- How Muslims express their religious life in building a mosque and using it as a community development centre, should differ with non-Muslims building their places of worship like churches.
- An example, a person on a job needs to qualify two things, both smartness and moral integrity. But for a building it also requires not only smart green building but also the spiritual compliance to the green deen integrity.
- It functions as a mosque building Islamicity index, which measures a mosque physical building’s adherence in the light of the Islamic fundamentals especially to avoid squandering.
2- The 'standard green rating tools' available in each country
In this discourse we are referring to LEEDS as used by Khalifa Al-Tajer Mosque in Dubai, GBI for rating of Raja Haji Fisabilillah Mosque in Cyberjaya in Malaysia and BREEAM that would be referred to the Cambridge Central Mosque in the UK.
1) Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED-United States) [*]
[*] A comparison of the world's various green rating systems - FMLink
https://www.fmlink.com/articles/a-comparison-of-the-worlds-various-green-rating-systems/
Link LEED: http://www.usgbc.org
Green Building Council (GBC)
New Construction & Existing Building
16-24 months after occupancy & best used on large building over 50,000 sqft
New Construction:
a) Sustainable sites: 1 prerequisite + 14 credits, b) Water efficiency: 5 credits, c) Energy & atmosphere: 3 prerequisite + 6 credits, d) Materials & resources: 1 prerequisite + 14 credits, e) Indoor environment quality: 2 prerequisite + 15 credits, f) Innovation & design process: 5 credits
*Certified: 26-32 points; Silver: 33-38 points; Gold: 39-51 points; Platinum: 52-69
Existing Building:
a) Sustainable sites: 2 prerequisite + 14 credits, b) Water efficiency: 2 prerequisite + 5 credits, c) Energy & atmosphere: 3 prerequisite + 14 credits.
2) GBI Malaysia [*]
[*] GBI Assessment criteria for
non-residential new construction
https://www.greenbuildingindex.org/Files/Resources/GBI%20Tools/GBI%20NRNC%20Non-Residential%20Tool%20V1.0.pdf
The Green Building Index is developed specifically for Malaysian tropical meteorological conditions, environmental and development context, cultural and social needs.
The GBI initiative aims to help the building industry move towards sustainability. The GBI environmental assessment System is set up to:
- Define green buildings by establishing a common language and standard of measurement;
- Promote integrated, whole-building design;
- Recognise and reward environmental leadership;
- Transform the built environment to reduce it’s environmental impact; and
- Ensure new buildings remain relevant in the future and existing buildings are
refurbished and upgraded properly to remain relevant.
POINTS GBI Rating
- 86 to 100 points - Platinum
- 76 to 85 points - Gold
- 66 to 75 points - Silver
- 50 to 65 points - Certified
Assessment criteria
OVERALL POINTS SCORE
- Energy Efficiency - 35
- Indoor Environmental Quality - 21
- Sustainable Site Planning & management - 16.
- Materials & Resources - 11
- Water Efficiency - 10
- Innovation - 7
_____
Total Score - 100
3) Building Research Environment Assessment Method Consultancy (BREEAM) (United Kingdom) [*]
[*] A comparison of the world's various green rating systems - FMLink
https://www.fmlink.com/articles/a-comparison-of-the-worlds-various-green-rating-systems/
Link BREEAM: www.breeam.org
Applicable to different situation: industrial; multi-residential; office and retail etc.
Two pre-assessment estimators: Design Stage & Management and Operation
Points system
Design Stage checklist calculates (i) Core section and (ii) Design & Procurement section and Design Stage assessment can be applied 12-month occupancy
Management and Operation checklist calculates (i) Core Building Performance and (ii) Management and Operation
Design Stage checklist
a) Management: 4 criteria, b) Health: 13 criteria, c) Energy: 4 criteria, d) Transport: 4 criteria, e) Water: 4 criteria, f) Materials: 7 criteria, g) Land use: 6 criteria, h) Pollution: 8 criteria
* Pass (Points 25); Good (Points 40); Very Good (Points 55); Excellent (Points 70)
Management and Operation checklist
a) Management: 4 criteria, b) Health, wellbeing: 15 criteria, c) Energy: 8 criteria, d) Transport: 5 criteria, e) Water: 6 criteria, f) Materials: 3 criteria, g) Pollution: 7 criteria
* Pass (Points 20); Good (Points 35); Very Good (Points 50); Excellent (Points 65)
3- A List of Some of the World’s Green Rating Systems [*]
[*] A comparison of the world's various green rating systems - FMLink
https://www.fmlink.com/articles/a-comparison-of-the-worlds-various-green-rating-systems/
1) Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED-United States)
2) Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design — Canada (LEEDS-Canada)
3) Green Star (Australia)
5) Building Environment Assessment Method- Hong Kong (HK-BEAM)
6) Comprehensive Assessment System for Building Environment Efficiency (CASBEE) (Japan)
7) The Green Globe Rating System (United States)
8) Ecology, Energy Saving, Waste Reduction and Health (EEWH) (Taiwan)
9) BCA Green Mark (Singapore)
10) Energy Star (United States Environment Protection Agency)
11) Philippine Green Building Council
12) European Environment Agency
13) Green Building Council (Korea)
14) India Green Building Council
15) Australia Greenhouse Building Rating (AGBR)
Another two, which are added to the list:
16) Al Sa’fat – Dubai Green Building System
17) Malaysia Green Building Index (GBI)
4- Rating of Conformity to Outwards Spiritual Values
It is about conformity or adherence to the religious values, cost justification and appropriateness. It is recommended to be thrifty or least expenditure or just medium spending and to avoid excessiveness and also to avoid from being niggardly or parsimonious.
The conformity rating will be carried out both by its own requirements and also with reference to the scoring of the standard green rating tool available in each country. Hence, for a mosque rating, there will be two ratings, one is based on the standard rating tool and the second is based on the finer rating of the apparent spiritual values. The rating will be done by two groups respectively. The rating of a mosque should be done first by using the standard tool carried out by the approved specialists, prior to the rating using the finer Green Mosque Conformity Index (GMCI).
The scoring of ratings will be like the approach by the other standard green rating tools. The rating here can be in 5 categories, each with full mark of 10, and the full total points is 50. The preliminary proposed categories are as the following:
1. Decorations and expenditure: 10 points
a. Minimum - 6 to 10 points
b. Medium - 3 to 5points
c. High. - 1 to 2 points
d. Excessive - 0 point
2. Suitability, cost and type of structure used
a. Economical structural cost- 6 to 10 points
b. Medium cost - 3 to 5 points
c. High cost - 1 to 2 points
d. Exorbitant cost - 0 point
3. Choice of building materials, appliances/fixtures (for ablution, lighting, indoor environmental control, etc.) cost, suitability and appropriateness:
a. Resonable and suitable - 6 to 10 points
b. Moderate use - 3 to 5 points
c. High side and unsuitable - 1 to 2points
d. Expensive and not appropriate - 0 point
4.Design: functional and reasonable overall cost
a. Reasonable - 6 to 10 points
b. Medium and fair - 3 to 5 points
c. Low reasonability - 1 to 2 points
d. Unreasonable - 0 point
5.Mantainance and operating cost
a. Very low - 6 to 10 points
b. Moderate - 3 to 5 points
c. High - 1 to 2 points
d. Exorbitant - 0 points
5- The Five Levels Rating of Conformity to the Deen
The scoring is proposed to be based on the following types of rating:
a. Very High Conformity: 40+ points
b. High Conformity: 30-39 points
c. Medium Conformity: 20-29 points
d. Low Conformity: 10-19 points
e. Very Low Conformity: 1-9 points
The scoring is compared to the overall total of 50 points.
“Without a doubt, Islam prohibits extravagant mosque beautification and decoration, more so when the same is done for advancing certain people's personal interests or for any other reason that may cause even the slightest harm to the well- being of Muslims and their community.” [*]
[*] RATIONALISING THE PERMISSIBILITY OF MOSQUE DECORATION
https://media.neliti.com/media/publications/72353-EN-rationalizing-the-permissibility-of-mosq.pdf
6- Ahadith on Mosque Decorations
a. Clarification of Ahadith about the decoration of mosques. (Fatwa No: 300670) [*]
[*] Ahaadeeth about the decoration of mosques - Islamweb - Fatwas
https://www.islamweb.net/en/fatwa/300670/ahaadeeth-about-the-decoration-of-mosques
b. Adorning mosques and extravagance in building minarets and domes
“You should avoid extravagance in the furnishings, doors and so on, for Allaah does not love those who are extravagant. Al-Bukhaari entitled a chapter in his Saheeh: “Chapter on the building of mosques; Abu Sa’eed said: The roof of the mosque – i.e., the mosque of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) – was made of palm branches. ‘Umar ordered that the mosque be rebuilt and he said: Protect the people from the rain, but beware of using red or yellow (for adornment) and distracting the people. Anas said: They build mosques about boast about that, but they do not use them for worship except rarely. Ibn ‘Abbaas said: You are going to adorn (mosques) as the Jews and Christians adorn (their places of worship). ” End quote. [*]
[*] Adorning mosques and extravagance in building minarets and domes - Islam Question & Answer
https://islamqa.info/en/answers/97497/adorning-mosques-and-extravagance-in-building-minarets-and-domes
c. Should mosques be decorated or not?
1. It is the symptom of slackness not to have an aim to educate camaat (community), but to pay attention for decorating the mosques.
2. It is makruh to decorate, gild and hang different pictures of the parts that is visible by the performers of prayer.
3. It is better to clean and keep beautiful other than decorating.
4. The money taken in order to build a mosque cannot be spent on decoration. The decorations which have no harm only can be paid by those who pay from their own pocket. Or when the money taken, one who takes the money must inform the donor about the money will be spent on decoration.
5. It is better to spend the gathered money on telling the children about truths instead of decoration.” [*]
[*] Should mosques be decorated or not? | Questions on Islam
https://questionsonislam.com/question/should-mosques-be-decorated-or-not
d. Is Decorating the Holy Mosque Allowed?
“1- Mosques are houses for worshiping Allah. In principle, they should be simple and plain.
2- Too much decoration in mosques is not only a waste of money, which is utterly forbidden, but also deprives the mosque of the sense of serenity that usually accompanies simplicity.
3- However, there is nothing wrong with providing the worshippers with moderate kinds of comfort and ease.“ [*]
[*] Is Decorating the Holy Mosque Allowed? | About Islam
https://aboutislam.net/counseling/ask-the-scholar/common-mistakes/is-decorating-the-holy-mosque-allowed/
e. Is it haram to decorate a mosque?
Mosque decoration is not prohibited (haram). The most that has been said about mosque decoration is that it is an abhorrent act (makruh). 2. Decoration must not interfere with people's concentration in prayers and in other worship activities. [*]
[*] RATIONALISING THE PERMISSIBILITY OF MOSQUE DECORATION
https://media.neliti.com/media/publications/72353-EN-rationalizing-the-permissibility-of-mosq.pdf
If it’s only makruh, then what is the problem? The problem comes when it’s done in extravagant and wasting, then it becomes Haram.
f. Extravagance is called ‘Israf’ and wasting is called ‘Tabdhir
“Extravagance is called ‘Israf’ and wasting is called ‘Tabdhir’ in Islam. … Both ‘Israf’ and ‘Tabdhir’ are Haram (prohibited) in Islam. ‘Israf’ or wasteful use of what is permissible is a major problem worldwide.” [*]
[*] Why Islam forbids extravagance, waste, by scholar — Features — The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News
https://guardian.ng/features/why-islam-forbids-extravagance-waste-by-scholar/
g. Why Islam forbids extravagance and waste
When extravagance and waste means going past the proper boundaries, and it’s the opposite of moderation. Islam is strictly against wastage of anything, and even more so when wastage takes place due to extravagance. How can it be justified that there are people who are not able to get their daily meals. Every year, some two million children die from starvation, malnutrition and related causes. [*]
[*] Why Islam forbids extravagance, waste, by scholar — Features — The Guardian Nigeria News – Nigeria and World News
https://guardian.ng/features/why-islam-forbids-extravagance-waste-by-scholar/
They should realise the conditions of the destitute who are afflicted with misery. Therefore, be in the spirit of exhorting one another to pity and compassion.
7- The following is a list of further thoughts for contemplation:
- The state of Climate Emergency has been proclaimed. It’s already a new era with climate agenda in mind. Navigating the demands of climate change.
- The rating is only what is apparent, and only Allah knows what is hidden.
- The proposed approach here is not exhaustive, any better approach would be welcome. It is only a preliminary suggestion, which later needs to be scrutinised and agreed by a religious committee.
- If this proposal is well received, a committee including some members from the religious will be formed to develop the rating process.
- Maybe there are people who might say that there are other bigger issues than this that would need more urgent attention. Yes, let other people who are specialised in those issues to solve them. But this green building issue need to be solved by the professionals in it, including Architects and Engineers. When it comes to environmental green issues, everyone has a role to play too.
- Deter making the mosque as the cause for wasting by extravagance, especially when the Sunnah specifically mentioned against it. This is based on a mosque which is supposed to be built on taqwa or piety. There are also such mosques as ‘built on vying’ and also built as a ‘dihrar’ mosque. Probably, these two types of mosque are fit to be rationalised the permissibility of decorations.
- One who is beguiled by all the pomp and pride of the vain and ostentatious display of a fully embellished mosque, then he is too attracted or indulged with the enjoyment of deception.
- Let it be reiterated that if this is all about makruh, then what's the big deal? The problem arises when it is made into extravagance and emaciation, so it can lead to Haram. Especially, when it is made fair-seeming by the outcast. In verse Al-Isra ‘ 17:27, “Verily, the spendthrift and extravagant ones are brothers of Satan and Satan is ungrateful to his Nourisher-Sustainer.” Indeed, the wasteful given to useless or excessive expenditure are the twins of the satanic, and Satan has been rebellious, disobedient and ungrateful to Allah, his Creator.
- Likewise, do not make wudhu or ablution blameworthy or as the cause for water wastage. That’s why the Prophet (pbuh) teaches us not to waste water when doing ablution, even we do it at a running stream.
- On the same note, the CO2 Emissions per Capita of the Muslims, their mosques should not make as a contribution for the rise of their carbon footprint per capita.
- It is normally started with being extravagant, which leads to flamboyant, ostentatious, showy, vying, etc. This will be exposed to committing ‘Riya’. The term 'Riya' in Islam describes the concept of ostentation and showing off a possession or quality with the aim of pleasing people. Our religion teaches us to avoid Riya, as our only aim should be to please our Lord, not his creation – only then will we be rewarded. In fact, there are 5 related sins - Riya, Ujub, Sum'ah, Takabbur and Hasad. Why then that these sins to be done in relation to a mosque. Do they not reflect?
- May Allah forgive our pass transgressions and purify us. The hope is, our Lord is well pleased with us, and we well pleased with Him. That will be a supreme success.
Wallahua’lam
N M Azmi
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