The importance of noble character - Imam Ghazali

2/24/2011 - Religious - Article Ref: EM1102-4507
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By: Staff
Emel*

Imam Ghazali may have lived over 900 years ago, but in the true spirit of Islam his work, analysis and thoughts are as relevant today as they were when the scholar waited for his ink to dry on the paper he wrote on in the 11th century.

We may like to think of ourselves as continually evolving over hundreds of years as the world around us also transforms, but essentially, we are the same as our ancestors. We have similar hands and feet, eyes and ears, a heart, lungs, a mind and a soul.

Ghazali's analysis of people and society is based on the Qur'an, the hadith and Islamic history. His ability to break down complex information and ideas about our very nature make his books a powerful tool, which are breathtaking to read. People of all faiths have over the centuries talked about Ghazali's brilliance, but the impact can only be fully felt when his books are opened and his thoughts are shared.

On the basic subject of a person's character, he writes: "Goodness of character was the attribute of the master of messengers, and is the fruit of the pious and self-discipline of the people of constant worship. Bad character is a mortal poison, which set a distance between man and the proximity of the Lord of the Worlds, and induced him to follow the path of Satan the accursed. Foul characteristics are the very sickness of hearts and the diseases of the soul, constituting an illness which deprives man of everlasting life. It is reported that the messenger of God (may God bless him and grant him peace) was once told that a certain woman fasted all day and prayed all night, but was possessed by bad character, so that she injured her neighbors with her words. 'There is no good in her,' he said, 'she is of Hell's people'. It is also reported that the last of God's prophets said 'You will not be able to suffice all people with your wealth; suffice them therefore with a cheerful face and a goodly character.'"

So what is good character? In his search for the answer, Ghazali turns to a host of ahadith, including, 'A man once asked the Prophet of God about character, and he recited His statement: Hold to forgiveness, and enjoin kindness, and turn aside from the ignorant ones. Then he said, 'It is that you should seek reconciliation with those who avoid you, give to those who withhold from you and forgive those who deal with you unjustly.'

"Therefore the fundamental good traits of character are four in number: wisdom, courage, temperance and justice. By 'wisdom', we mean a condition of the soul by which it distinguishes true from false. By 'justice', a condition of the soul by which it controls anger and desire. By 'courage', we refer to the irascible faculty of the intellect, while by 'temperance' we have in mind the disciplining of the intellect and the Law. It is from the equilibrium of these four principles that all good traits of character proceed. When the intellect is balanced, it brings forth discretion, excellence and an understanding of the subtle implications of actions and the hidden defects of the soul. When unbalanced, in excess, then cunning, swindling, deception and slyness result. An example is thus: 'Courage' gives rise to nobility, endurance, dignity and suppression of rage. When unbalanced, this same trait came give rise to recklessness, arrogance, conceit, pride and quickness of anger. 'Temperance' is a quality that gives rise to generosity, modesty, patience and tolerance, but in excess it leads to greed, cupidity, ostentation and immorality."

"All human traits constitute branches of Wisdom, Courage, Temperance and Justice and a perfectly just equilibrium in these four has been attained by no one but the emissary of God; other people are of divergent degrees of proximity and distance from them."

Even though Ghazali identifies the various aspects of character, he also considers the excuses people use for not adopting good character and changing traits about themselves. He tackles this issue head on.

"Know that the man who is dominated by sloth will consider unpleasant any spiritual struggle and discipline, or any purifying of the soul and refinement of the character. He will claim that the traits of a man's character cannot conceivably be altered, and that human nature is immutable. Firstly, he will say that character is the form of the inward in the same way that the created form of man is the form of the outward. No one is able to alter his external appearance: an ugly man cannot render himself handsome, and vice versa; and thus a person who is ugly on the inside, cannot change. Secondly, he will assert that goodness of character proceeds from suppressing one's desire and anger, and that he has tested this by means of a long inward struggle which demonstrated to him that these things are part of one's character and nature, so busying oneself with such struggling is profitless and a waste of time.

To such an objection we would say: Were the traits of character not susceptible to change, there would be no value in counsels, sermons and discipline, and the Prophet (may God bless him and grant him peace) would not have said, 'Improve your characters!' It is possible to improve the character even of an animal: a falcon can be transformed from savagery to tameness; a dog from mere greed for food to good behavior and self-restraint, and these constitute a change in character."

Ghazali practically informs us that certain human traits like anger and desire cannot be entirely suppressed or dominated, but we can make these characteristics obedient and submissive through means of self-discipline and struggle. He says we must Endeavour to control these traits as "we have been commanded to do, for it constitutes the means of our salvation and our coming to God."

However, Imam Ghazali believes we have been weakened when it comes to dealing with ourselves because we have been "plunged into the desires of the world and fallen into slumber." This was his view of Muslims over 900 years ago, since then we have seen the rise and fall of a Muslim empire; Muslim scientists and philosophers leading the world through their knowledge; and Islam spreading to every part of the world.

It is evident that Ghazali was able to identify the tiny roots of a widespread problem centuries before it would take root in the form we have today. The world may be a very different place to the one it was hundreds of years ago, but our personal challenges and distractions have remained enclosed within us, still waiting to be challenged - with the help of the books we are still fortunate to have.

Source: Emel Magazine

Asterix, Obelix and Ullrich. The cartoon doping affair

Respect style. Respect a sense of flair, humor, symbolism and history.

Because whatever ever else you can say about Dope Doc #1, Eufemiano Fuentes, he’s got his whimsical side. Sure, call him dirty, a slime-ball, liar and cheat. He’s all those things and more, probably a bad dresser and a cheap tipper. But never question his sense of humor.

Here’s a man who sets up secret code names for himself and faithful servant Merino Batres using the character names of the most famous cartoon in French history. Asterix, the smart one, and Obelix, the bumbling hulk. The Adventures of Asterix began in 1959 and to date has 34 books in the series. No French boy grows up without these two.

Yes, Operacion Puerto was just such an adventure, a wild and secret ride around the world of doping. What else would you call a man with 100 bags of blood in the fridge? A man coding the bags by naming them after the name of the rider’s pet. Stop and appreciate the style, the irreverence and playfulness. Yes, drugs are bad but the sly humor cannot be beat.

And while you’re at it, consider that Mr. Ullrich was swinging by Eufemiano’s placeto get ready for the biggest bike race in the world: The Tour de France. He was visiting a French cartoon character to prepare for the French race. How amusing symbolic is that?

Our hats are off to Mr. Fuentes. The man has some ethical issues he needs to resolve. But there’s no denying we need his style and humor.

Imam Ghazali & the Pursuit of Happiness

By Tam Hussain

Nine hundred years after the death of Abu Hamid Muhammad Al-Ghazali, we find ourselves in a conundrum. We live in a world fraught with bloodshed, economic strife, and social disintegration. We live in an abundance of material wealth side by side with abject poverty – often in the same country, the same city; we are technologically advanced but emotionally infantile – often within the same person; our desire for more scorches the Earth, and in the process we hasten our own termination. Our soul flutters uncomfortably as it searches for satisfaction – often in transient forms that only succeed in heaping greater misery. We confuse ugliness with beauty; have difficulty discerning between right and wrong; eschew justice in the pursuit of pragmatism. In such circumstance, can anyone provide an antidote to our modern world?
Understandably, it is difficult to see how a medieval scholar born in a small town in Tus, Eastern Iran in 1058 can come to our assistance. Ghazali’s world was very different from ours where Abbasid caliphs contended with Fatimid caliphs and real power lay with the sultans. True, the period witnessed the giant intellects of Ibn Sina, Ibn Rushd, Omar Khayyam, and many others. For sure, their discourse was different from ours: they argued about Aristotle and practiced medicine based on the four humours, whilst we argue about the philosophy of Richard Branson and clone sheep. Whilst one can easily see Ghazali’s contribution to medieval Islamic civilization, it is more difficult to do so with modernity. Ghazali’s father determined that his son should dedicate himself to the service of Islam, and though orphaned at an early age young Ghazali’s keen intellect ensured that he studied in the best institutions of Islamic jurisprudence. By 1077, he had studied under giants such as the theologian and jurist Al-Juwayni. By 1091, he was lecturing at the prestigious Nizamiyya in Baghdad to hundreds of students, and by the end of his career he had authored over seventy works. But why should Ghazali offer something to the modern world? Because in his writings, especially his autobiography The Deliverance from Error we get an insight into the nature of man.

Love and Lyrics - Samir and Aja

Husband and wife duo, Aja and Samir from Hip-Hop group The ReMINDers, talk about how their love and passion for music synched them together in perfect harmony.

Samir
Aja and I first met in 1998 when I moved to Colorado. I was born in Belgium originally but my father was in the military, so we travelled around a lot. Our families became good friends and thus our friendship blossomed.
Aja’s family is full of so many wonderful people, so my first impressions were definitely positive. Her brother was roommates with my friend and her father would shop at the store I worked at. Both are incredibly genuine, loving people so it came as no surprise that Aja was just the same. She has a wonderful sense of humour and that’s the first thing that attracted me towards her. We also shared similar interests; both of us were paving our own individual paths in the entertainment industry, and had a great interest in history. I also identified a deep-set spirituality in Aja; she had a lot of faith in God and that was another attribute of hers that I admired. I had already converted and had been practicing Islam for some years before I met Aja. Though she wasn’t following any particular religion, I recognised her spirituality as being a strong component in building and developing our relationship.
Sometime later, Aja moved away for college.Upon her return, we began to interact a lot more. We moved in the same social circles and had the same hobbies; music was and remains a tremendous part of both our lives. We were still relatively young when we decided to get married – I was 24 and Aja was 22. The process was, of course, a little different for us as both our families aren’t Muslim but they were very understanding.
The actual ceremony itself was really intimate and private. It wasn’t particularly large or lavish, but it was stress-free and the focus was on our union. A lot of the times, people have big, glamorous weddings but unfortunately, their marriages don’t last very long. I’ve seen that when the union between two people is the focus of the ceremony, then the marriage itself is blessed and healthy.
Marriage is a process of discovery; about yourself and your partner. Having to share your living space, your schedule, your day-to-day routine – it takes a while to adjust. Having said that, the patience and consideration you invest during that process definitely pays off once you’ve found your rhythm and are in sync with one another. Aja and I worked really hard individually too, so it felt good to see each other when we returned home!
Married life is definitely a lot better than what I had expected. We’re both from a background where we’ve seen a lot of divorce; I was raised by a single mother, so we were determined to build a marriage with a strong foundation. Having children is also a life-changing experience; watching our children grow is a wonderful thing and has definitely strengthened our relationship. I have so much respect for Aja; her strength never ceases to amaze me, especially after having three children.

Aja
The first thing I noticed about Samir was his genuine smile. He was studying Philosophy and Religion at the time and had a great air of certainty and decisiveness about him. I had always said to myself that if I ever found someone who looked genuine and was happy with what they were doing, that was the person I needed in my life.
As our families were good friends, I had the opportunity of really getting to know Samir well. I had moved away for college but when I returned to Colorado, I really began to think about marriage. I knew Samir was Muslim and that his faith meant a lot to him. Having observed him for years, I learnt a lot about Islam. I became Muslim because of the example he set; he always spoke so respectfully to everyone, listened intently and smiled constantly.
The wedding day was stress-free? As if! Samir had gone to work on a music project in Virginia and was flying in on the actual day of our wedding. He was supposed to arrive at 11.15am and the ceremony was arranged for 4.30pm. He arrived that day at 11.30pm! As we had kept the entire thing quite intimate, I only had to make a few calls to let everyone know that we needed to postpone until later in the day, so it wasn’t too hard to facilitate. But I went to the airport in my wedding outfit to pick him up!
Being married has given me a great insight on gender relations and the wisdom behind some of the roles assigned to us by God. There is great strength to be found in acknowledging that someone can be stronger than you. That realisation doesn’t take anything away from you but is actually a mark of strength in itself. Similarly, knowing where to apply your strength is equally important as well as learning when it’s applicable, which for me is my children and my family. I have learnt how to harness my strength and not waste and exert my energies on trivial matters. That’s not to say the process has been easy; I am naturally a proactive individual but I’ve had to learn to take a step back sometimes, which has made happier and so much more balanced as a person.
One thing that always gets neglected when talking about marriage, is sharing every inch of your personal space with someone. For me, having left something on the floor and then to have someone come long and say, ‘Are you going to pick that up?’ was a huge adjustment! And once your mind gets going, there’s no stopping it: does he think I’m showering too long? Does he think I use too much milk? It’s endless! But with time and patience, things slowly start to fit into place and you develop a new routine in tandem with your partner.
I love Samir’s sincerity; not only are his words sincere but his actions too. He’s also a great dad. He’s become somewhat of an example to our friends and family. When we had our first daughter, he’d take her to the barbershop with him. Everyone would laugh because it didn’t make much sense but he didn’t care. Then we had our second daughter, and he began taking them both! He’s very caring and always concerned about the kids’ feelings. These were qualities I recognised in him a long time ago but I guess they’ve magnified since our children were born.

GADDAFI - "There is NOTHING hid, which shall not be manifested - Mark 4:22"

Acts 8:9-13 | Isaiah 47:8-10 | Mark 4:22 | Daniel 2:10 | Exodus 7:10-12

It has been revealed by Al Jazeera news network today, that Gaddafi has been dealing with Witchcraft, sorceries and ritual magic. Just as Simon bewitched the people of samaria, so did Gaddafi to his people for these last 42 years.

The First book is about The Talmud

The second one is about "Kabbalah"

The third one is titled "The Clan of Satan"

The fourth one is titled "The 72 secrets of the Jewish Magic"

The fifth one is titled " Facts about Souls duplication and the 6th sense"

The sixth book is titled "Spirits and Ghosts."

Note: In biblical numerology, the #6 is the number of the BEAST, the number of a man, Revelations 13:17-19

Note: "Kabbalism is a system of Jewish mysticism and magic and is the foundational element in modern witchcraft. Virtually all of the great witches and sorcerers of this century were Kabbalists." -William J. Schnoebelen, The Dark Side of Freemasonry

But there was a certain man(Gaddafi), called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one(Gaddafi):

To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

And to him they had regard, because that of longtime(42 years of Gaddafi rule) he had bewitched them with sorceries.

But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

Like Isaiah the prophet said in - Isaiah 47:8-10, Gaddafi's day of reckoning has arrived. Like the prophet says that - "Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me....".

This is what Gaddafi has been saying for 42years, but now his days of sorceries and deception have been exposed, they are over (Mark 4:232). His judgement is ready and ripe....Just like the rod of Aaron swallowed up the rods turned serpents of the magicians of egypt so will the word of God (Jesus) swallow up all the sorceries of this world, there will be NO ESCAPE.

We all (sons of god and sons of satan) know this to be true as we watch the revolutions taking place in the middle east today.....That man of sin is being revealed and Jesus in the book of revelation, which words are -

"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel.. - Rev 1:1"

Just as the LORD smote the Egyptians because they had no "blood (blood of the lamb,who was Jesus)" on the two door posts of their house, so is the "destroyer", such is the case in Libya today. The blood of Jesus is our cover, it is time to repent, be baptized and be filled with the Holy Ghost and continue to live a sanctified Holy and overcoming life - Anything less will mean no guarantee of safety or life in these last and evil days. The LORD warns us in the book of Revelations saying -

"Woe to the inhabiters of the earth (LIBYA) and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time" - Revelation 12:11-12" .

How does one explain the amount of deaths taking place in Libya daily. Well, the prophet Isaiah tells us that for the sorceries and enchantments in the nation, death will come as judgement - quick and vicious. With the revelation of Gaddafi's dealings with the occult, this comes with no suprise to those who have an ear to hear what the Holy Ghost is saying to those who will hear -

"these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood: they shall come upon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy sorceries, and for the great abundance of thine enchantments" - Isaiah 47:8-10

The conclusion of the matter of Gaddafi is EXACTLY what the scriptures says would happen to folks like him. For the fear and suffering that he has inflicted into his people, the same is happening to him right now.

"And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee; and thou shalt fear day and night, and shalt have none assurance of thy life: In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were even! and at even thou shalt say, Would God it were morning! for the fear of thine heart wherewith thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see - Deutronomy 28:66-67".

More in-depth reading:

1. YouTube exposing of Gaddafi's Witchcraft, black Magic and Sorceries books:

- http://feb17.info/videos/witchcraft-and-sorcery-books-found-in-the-palace-gaddafi-in-bayda/

2. Pastor Peters DVD exposing sorceries and how they are tied up to political leaders/systems:

- http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9xmq8_dc-street-sorcery-pt-3_lifestyle

- http://www.dcstreetsorcery.com/

3. False religions exposed

- http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Religions/false_religions.htm

ZAHA HADID NAMED UNESCO ARTIST FOR PEACE

The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, gave the distinction to Zaha Hadid at a ceremony in Paris on 24 June in recognition of Hadid’s efforts to raise public awareness of intercultural dialogue, to promote excellence in design and creativity, and her dedication to the ideals and aims of the Organization.
“The arts have always bridged cultural, economic and social divides; teaching us that disparate worlds are not mutually exclusive, but rather layered upon each other and profoundly interlinked. I am honoured to join the Artists For Peace, furthering UNESCO’s important message and programmes” said Hadid.
This distinction by UNESCO follows Hadid’s recent inclusion in TIME magazine’s 2010 list of the ‘100 Most Influential People in the World’, This year’s Time 100 list is divided into four categories: Leaders; Thinkers; Artist and Heroes. Zaha Hadid placed top of the Thinkers category.

79-year-old is first African American woman to reach both Poles

A 79-year-old from New York has become the first African American woman on record to reach both the North Pole and the South Pole.

Retired nurse Barbara Hillary took up skiing in her 70s made it to the North Pole aged 75 and has just returned from a trip to the South Pole.

She said: “I am a lung and breast cancer survivor and when I decided to go to the North Pole I met a tremendous amount of negativity but there was a segment of people who did encourage me.”

She managed to raise over $22,000 for the trip to the North Pole in 2007. But was not satisfied with that achievement so decided to make a bid for the South Pole too. For that trip, she raised more than $40,000. "Every penny of that money I had to raise," she says.

Ms Hillary is no ordinary pensioner, she said: “I prefer to set my own course as much as I can on the map of life.”

After 18 months of planning and a series of frustrating delays at the end of last month Ms Hillary found herself on the bottom of the earth, at the South Pole.

Ms Hillary takes these journeys to inspire people to live life to the full

She said: “I see my quest to both the poles as a source of inspiration. I do hope it serves that purpose.”

Now back at home in Arverne, New York, Ms Hillary is inundated with people asking her what her next adventure will be. She is busy with public speaking engagements and says she hasn’t decided yet, but watch her website http://www.barbarahillary.com for announcements soon.

Read more: http://digitaljournal.com/article/303946#tab=comments&sc=0#ixzz1F5AfVZU9

Isiolo Resort City - Vision 2030

By Ali Abdi

The future is looking up for Eastern and North Eastern provinces with a Kenyan firm expressing interest in setting up the proposed Isiolo Resort City. The plan is in line with the Isiolo District Development Plan 2002-2008, and the government’s Vision 2030 on housing.
Planners of the latter identified Isiolo town, which is strategically located at the edge of the vast ‘Northern Frontier District’, as the key to driving growth in the region. Consequently, the firm, Santiza Enterprises, has formally applied for 10,000 hectares of land from Isiolo County Council for the project.
Speaking to Home & Away, the company’s Chief Executive officer, Voltaire Kegode, said the Isiolo branch of Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry had commissioned his firm for the project that will be located west of Isiolo town.
Amenities for the proposed nucleus town (resort city) will comprise ultra modern residential housing facilities, a golf course, a hospital, schools, shopping malls, a police post, and a fertilizer processing plant among others.

Sourcing for the capital
Santiza Enterprises specializes in financial procurement and management, both locally and internationally. In a meeting held on May 22 between Isiolo County Council and officials of Santiza Enterprises, it was decided that the latter will source a staggering $2 billion dollars (approximately Sh130 billion) from development partners for this project. This amount is only Sh10 billion less than this year’s development budget (Sh140billion) for the entire country!
According to Santiza’s CEO, the plan was in its final stages and the concept would soon be presented to Francis Muthaura, the current chairman of the Isiolo Resort City and also secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service.
‘‘Muthaura will facilitate the necessary representations to the various arms of Government whom we hope to work with to achieve our objective,’’ said Kegodo.

Attracting investment partners
In a letter dated August 4, 2005, Muthaura stated that the government was keen on developing the town into a city resort.
"Isiolo is currently the leading tourist destination in the northern circuit and it has great potential to contribute to national development because of its strategic location," Muthaura was quoted in a letter.
According to Santiza, in order to ensure its successful completion, the project shall involve local communities. ‘‘To attract investment partners, there is need to present Isiolo as an attractive investment opportunity as reflected by the community’s willingness to participate,’’ stated Santiza in a document.
Citing the case of Dubai and Sun City in South Africa, the firm reaffirmed its commitment to set up peace building and conflict management centers to check cases of insecurity in the area.

Vision 2030 for Isiolo
Under the Vision 2030 plan of action launched in earlier in June by President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, tourism is the country’s leading flagship project. The plan for the resort city aims to put Kenya at par with Asia’s Tiger countries like Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea.
Isiolo’s Resort City is one of three resort cities that the government has planned to construct by the year 2012. The other two resort cities will be based at the Coast.

http://isiolo-resortcity.blogspot.com/

Kenya Tea Development Authority office tower in Nairobi

Symbion wins KTDA project. Symbion Architects has won the design competition for the Kenya Tea Development Authority office tower in Nairobi's Koinange street. It beat several other competing firms including Tectura International, AAKI consultants amongst others. Florida 1 entertainment spot which currently occupies the site will be demolished to pave way for the new office tower.

ZAHA HADID AWARDED PRAEMIUM IMPERIALE FOR ARCHITECTURE BY THE JAPAN ART ASSOCIATION

Tokyo, Japan

22 October, 2009

At the awards ceremony in Tokyo presided over by the honorary patron of the Japan Art Association, Prince Hitachi, younger brother of the present Emperor of Japan, Zaha Hadid was awarded Praemium Imperiale for Architecture by the Japan Art Association
"It is indeed an honour to receive this recognition from the Japan Art Association" said Hadid. "Working in Japan has been critical to the development of my work around the world. I will always be grateful for this support early in my career. My Japanese clients shared a passion for architecture – allowing us to investigate many things and design very powerful projects, interesting in their complexity and essential in developing our repertoire of work. Through our architecture, we can enthuse people and make them excited about new ideas."
The other Praemium Imperiale Laureates for 2009 are: Painting – Hiroshi Sugimoto; Sculpture – Richard Long; Music – Alfred Brendel; Theatre/Film: Tom Stoppard.
Previous Laureates include David Hockney, James Stirling, Anthony Caro, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Richard Attenborough, John Gielgud, Peter Brook, Richard Rogers, Tony Cragg, Norman Foster, Bridget Riley and Richard Hamilton.
Praemium Imperiale

KING ABDULLAH II HOUSE OF CULTURE & ART BY ZAHA HADID ARCHITECTS

Amman, Jordan

22 February, 2010

At a ceremony in the Jordanian capital, His Excellency Omar Maani, the mayor of Amman, announced the new King Abdullah II House of Culture & Art by Zaha Hadid Architects – a performing arts and cultural centre that includes a 1600-seat concert theatre, 400-seat theatre, educational centre, rehearsal rooms, and galleries.
At the directives of His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein, the Greater Amman Municipality is creating a new venue for performing arts and culture in a prime location in the centre of Amman. Conceived as a place to rehearse, discuss, teach, study and perform, the King Abdullah II House of Culture & Art will be the premiere venue for theatre, music and dance performance and education in Jordan – a vital element in the cultural life of the city and country, bringing together all members of the community in the shared experience of art and music.
The architectural expression for the new performing arts centre has been inspired by the magnificent ancient city of Petra explains Zaha Hadid. "Petra is an astonishing example of the wonderful interplay between architecture and nature, as well as the intricate complexity and elegance of natural forms – the rose-colored mountain walls have been eroded, carved and polished to reveal the astonishing strata of sedimentation. We have applied these principles to articulate the public spaces within the centre, with eroded interior surfaces that extend into the public plaza in front of the building."
Zaha Hadid Architects was awarded the project in June 2008 after an international competition that included Snøhetta (Norway), Atelier Christian de Portzamparc (France), Delugan Meissl (Austria), Henning Larsens Tegnestue (Denmark) and Kerry Hill Architects (Singapore). Mayor Maani announced today that the Greater Amman Municipality have now signed the contract with Zaha Hadid Architects to build the King Abdullah II House of Culture & Art.
Construction works are scheduled to begin in early 2012.
King Abdullah II House of Culture & Art »