Author: Abu Raef
The Role of Muslims in the Formation and Development of Science (Part 60)
The Expansion of Gardens in Islamic Civilization
In Baghdad
When Abu Ja’far al-Mansur built the city of Baghdad between the years 145 and 149 AH and transferred the Abbasid caliphate there, he named his palace “al-Khuld” (Eternity). Al-Khatib al-Baghdadi writes: “The reason it was named Khuld is because it was built to resemble the eternal Paradise, and all kinds of beautiful scenes and rare, exquisite desires were gathered therein.”
During the Abbasid era, Baghdad was the largest city on earth, the capital of civilization, culture, and global architecture. Cities like Cordoba, Cairo, and Constantinople followed it in stature.
Yaqut al-Hamawi said about Baghdad: “Baghdad is the Paradise of the earth, the City of Peace, the Dome of Islam, the meeting point of the Tigris and Euphrates, the jewel of all lands, the eye of Iraq, the House of the Caliphate, and the center of beauty and joy. In it live the elites of every art and the unique figures of the time.” Abu Ishaq al-Zajjaj used to say: “Baghdad is the capital of the world, and everything else is desert.” [1]
Qazwini writes about the garden of the palace of al-Muqtadir: “One of its wonders was the Dar al-Shajarah (House of the Tree), built during the time of al-Muqtadir Billah — a house with beautiful gardens. In the middle of a large pool facing its doors stood a tree made of gold and silver with eighteen branches. On each branch were jeweled fruits and birds made of gold and silver that chirped and sang when the wind blew. On either side of the pool were statues of fifteen horsemen dressed in silk and armed with swords, as if they were charging toward one another.” [2]
In India
Gardens in India reached their zenith in the construction of the Taj Mahal, built by Shah Jahan for his wife. The large garden of the mausoleum was designed in the Charbagh (four-garden) style, featuring primary and secondary axes. The tomb lies at the center of the garden, and on each of its four sides is a reflecting pool facing the structure. The garden is divided into four parts, filled with lawns and trees.
This same design style was repeated in Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi, where the structure is also centered within a garden divided by pools and streams into symmetrical plots and paths. [3]
In the Maghreb (Northwest Africa)
During the reign of the Almohads, the city of Marrakesh — as the capital — became the greenest and most garden-filled city in the Maghreb. It was full of gardens, grapevines, fruits, and all kinds of produce. Among its famous gardens were al-Masrah and al-Salihiyya, both built by Abdul-Mu’min bin Ali, along with pools and reservoirs, among which was a large pool built by Ya’qub al-Mansur that measured 380 cubits in length. Along one side of the pool were 400 orange trees, and between every two orange trees was a lemon or basil tree.
The gardens of Marrakesh were not the only ones in the Maghreb. There were also gardens in Meknes, Fes, Maqruma, Taza, Sale, and Ceuta (Sabtah). [4]
Al-‘Umari, in his description of the gardens of Ceuta, writes: “On the opposite shore (of Andalusia) there are places for recreation and pleasure that captivate hearts and dazzle the eyes. In Bluns (Beliones), there is a promenade outside Ceuta by the sea that has been beautifully constructed. The waters flow melodiously over the rocks, and the trees are interwoven in beautiful harmony…” [5]
In the end, this delightful journey through the gardens of Islamic civilization brings us nothing but greater certainty in the grandeur of that civilization — a civilization that, even today, has left behind signs of both human and environmental advancement. It stands as a clear testament to the complete harmony between Islam and human nature — a nature that finds peace and serenity in greenery, the harmony of trees, and the beauty of fruits.
Continues…
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[1]. Ibid.
[2]. Ibid, p. 628.
[3]. Islamic Architecture and the Environment, pp. 227-228.
[4]. Al-Manouni, Muhammad, The Civilization of the Almohads, p. 162, Dar Toubkal for Publishing, Morocco, First Edition.
[5]. What Did Muslims Contribute to the World?, p. 631.
