اصول راهبردی مکان‌یابی مساجد جامع در شهر اسلامی

Introduction:

The Great Mosque, as the principal religious, social, and cultural place in Islamic cities, performs functions that extend far beyond its physical structure. Historically, it has served as a hub for communal identity formation, social cohesion, and urban spatial organization. In addition to its religious significance, the Great Mosque has traditionally influenced planning, public gatherings, and civic life. Despite this importance, improper locating of many Great Mosques in urban areas has challenged their capacity to fulfill these multiple roles effectively, leading to fragmented urban identity and reduced accessibility. This study emphasizes the need to systematically revisit and establish strategic principles for Great Mosque locating, rooted in Islamic jurisprudence and aligned with contemporary urbanism standards. The research questions are: “What are the strategic principles for locating Great Mosques according to Islamic jurisprudence?” and “How can these principles facilitate the appropriate its placement in cities?”



The Purpose of the Research:

The primary purpose of this study is to identify, classify, and prioritize strategic principles for locating Great Mosques that are consistent with Islamic legal rulings while being operationally feasible within modern urban frameworks. The research seeks to provide an integrative perspective that balances religious directives, spatial requirements, and social functions to support informed urban planning decisions. By establishing a comprehensive framework, the study aims to enhance both the functional efficiency and symbolic prominence of Great Mosques within contemporary cities.



Methodology:

This applied research adopts a qualitative and analytical approach, combining inductive reasoning and structured evaluation. The main strategy involves extracting principles from primary sources using logical inference, ensuring that findings are firmly grounded in Islamic jurisprudence. Data collection involved an extensive review of the Qur’an, Hadith, and specialized literature on urbanism. These materials were examined systematically to identify locating principles related to structural, functional, and symbolic dimensions. Information was coded and categorized into three main groups: structural-physical, functional-operational, and content-symbolic. Correspondences among these categories were analyzed to establish alignment between jurisprudential guidance and urban planning principles. Prioritization of principles was conducted based on strategic significance, relevance to contemporary city dynamics, and the capacity to facilitate the Great Mosque’s multifaceted roles. Supplementary cross-references were used to ensure consistency and to capture nuances in religious and spatial requirements.



Findings and Discussion:

The study reveals that principles governing the locating of Great Mosques are multi-dimensional, encompassing not only structural considerations but also social, cultural, political, and spiritual functions. Within the structural-physical dimension, “mosque centrality” and the “geometric center of the city” are of primary importance, followed by “public accessibility,” “urban activity hub integration,” and the “city identity function.” In the functional-operational dimension, emphasis is placed on the mosque’s capacity to support religious ceremonies, community gatherings, educational activities, economic functions, and social cohesion. Its multifunctional nature allows it to act as a platform for civic participation and collective decision-making. Principles such as “integration into urban life” and “community centrality” were highlighted as essential for maintaining both accessibility and social relevance. In the content-symbolic dimension, the mosque’s role in shaping urban identity and fostering spiritual experience was prioritized. Further critical principles include promoting social unity, providing qualitative enhancement to urban life, and reinforcing symbolic representation within the cityscape. The combination of these dimensions ensures that Great Mosques function as cultural, religious, and civic landmarks simultaneously.



Conclusion:

By integrating strategic jurisprudential principles with architectural and urban planning standards, this research presents a comprehensive framework for optimal Great Mosque locating. The framework is firmly rooted in Islamic teachings while addressing contemporary urban requirements. The study provides a detailed classification of locating principles to guide the selection of locations that maximize accessibility, social impact, and symbolic significance. Contemporary urbanism should adopt an integrated approach that combines jurisprudential strategies with architectural insights rather than relying solely on technical or structural considerations. Employing modern tools such as Geographic Information Systems, artificial intelligence, and multi-criteria decision-making models based on these principles can further optimize site selection. This approach enhances quality of life, and revitalizes the historical role of Great Mosques as symbols of Islamic identity and centers of social cohesion. Future studies applying these principles can evaluate the effectiveness of mosque locating and analyze existing mosque locations within strategic urban planning frameworks, ensuring their functional, social, and symbolic relevance in contemporary cities.