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INTRODUCTION
2
to the knowledge of local architecture and planning in Islamic
cities.
The term
al-fina'
is an Arabic word, borrowed from the old
Islamic literature, while it has existed in different Islamic
cultures as other terms according to their different languages.
In Arabic, the word
fina'
means spaciousness and roominess. It
is used in Islamic cities to define two spaces, first the inner
courtyard, and second the yard in front of or around buildings.
Both had numerous applications in expressing threshold, staying,
transition, and reflection.
The interface area of
al-fina'
is considered an area
bordered by the passage and the buildings. But in design and use,
its influences extend from the inner space of buildings adjacent
with the street to the border of the passage
in
the street.
Therefore, the
al-fina'
territory has various functions, private,
public, or both.
The different applications are a consequence of the users'
decisions and engagement in organizing the
physical elements
of
al-fina',
and the peoples'
activities
and
behavior
in this
territory. The decisions were made by either users or Muslim
jurisprudents during old Islamic period
3
. The application of
these decisions in the various environmental issues resulted in
built environment judgements, which were not merely building
codes as referred to in the modern literature of Islamic cities
4
•
The irregular street layout influenced largely by the
frequent modification of
al-fina'.
Note that the irregular
character occurred from either the early stages of building a
spontaneous city or from the later period as a consequence of the
3
See part 2, the chapter:
Al-tina'
in the old Islamic literature
4
Hakim, Besim, 1986,
Arabic-Islamic Cities,
KPI, London.
Akbar, Jamil, 1992,
'Ima'rat al-Ard ti al-Isla'm,
Da'r al-Qiblah, Jiddah.