Page 1076 - Proceedings Collega2023

THE ISLAMIC GARDEN'S PHYSICAL

CHARACTERISTICS AND IMPORTANCE IN

MALAYSIA

1
Haza Hanurhaza MD JANI*
Nor Zalina HARUN 2
Mazlina MANSOR 3
1 Assistant Professor, International Islamic University Malaysia
2 Associate Professor, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia
3 Associate Professor, International Islamic University Malaysia
1 hanurhaza@iium.edu.my
2 nzalina@ukm.edu.my

ABSTRACT
The Islamic garden, with its deep historical roots dating back to the 7th-century Persian Garden,
is facing a gradual decline in relevance as modern garden designs take precedence. This decline threatens
the preservation of this traditional garden concept. The primary goal of this study is to identify the physical
characteristics of Islamic gardens, pursued through two objectives: determine the chronology of the
Islamic garden design and categorizing the physical characteristics of the garden according to the level of
its importance. To achieve these aims, three research methods are employed: document analysis, site
studies, and semi-structured interviews, with data analysis conducted using Atlasti and Microsoft Excel
software. The results are focused on two key areas: (1) the evolution of the Islamic garden concept in
response to the history of Muslim civilization, and (2) the list of the physical characteristics of the Islamic
garden. These findings provide an in-depth understanding of the fundamental elements of Islamic gardens,
which can be incorporated into garden designs in Malaysia. Additionally, the study incorporates insights
from the National Landscape Department (NLD) to shed light on the direction of garden development in
Malaysia, specifically concerning the Islamic garden concept. This input is essential in assessing the current
level of adoption and adaptation of the Islamic garden concept, particularly within Malaysia.

Keywords: Islamic garden; physical characteristics; garden development; garden; Malaysia

International Conference on Local Wisdom of the Malay Archipelago (COLLEGA 2023) Page 1063