Image from Hossam all line at Flickr.com
Technological integration into worship is always a fascinating topic. I am not just referring to the phenomenon of worshippers commenting on communion via Twitter or Facebook, but the more supposedly mundane aspects such as audio-visual design of the space, and engineering for efficient systems of moving people. Jennifer Hattam at TreeHugger reported recently on the deployment of stuff green in mosques around the world. The article, title ‘Enlightened Mosques Switch to Energy-Saving Lights’ (enlightened – get it? Get it? Yeah, it took me a few goes too) highlighted some examples of environmental engineering that looked to make mosques greener.
Finding ways to make one’s mosque energy efficient makes sense on a number of levels; cheaper electricity bills for one, less strain on environmental resources for another, and let us not forget the politic street cred’ that comes from participating in a growing global socio-cultural hegemony that is infused with moralistic monologues and eschatological imminence (and immanence?). The dual meaning in the TreeHugger title seemed a bit too obvious to me.
What I really liked were some of the cool ideas that were being used: underfloor heating, dual-layered walls for cooling and rain-water harvesting, use of natural light. All good stuff, but it makes me wonder how halal such things are, and how that designation is gained in the light of technological innovation. Maybe that could be a future venture for TreeHugger? In any case, the jumps to other stories from the article make for interesting reading.
Jennifer Hattam, ‘Enlightened Mosques Switch to Energy-Saving Lights’, TreeHugger (05/09/09)
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Speaking of all things “eco-friendly” meets “age old religious tradition”, I read an interesting article on getting kosher designation for organic food.
As for how “halal” this is, I think it’s probably all down to matters of the sect. Wahhabis in Saudi Arabia railed against the introduction of radio, only to campaign in favour of it when King Fahd showed them it could broadcast Qur’anic recitations. They did the same when the first TVs were introduced. Now the mutaween has its own webpage (despite this, pretty much every website is blocked in Saudi – not only can you not see porn, but anything related to democracy, or alternative religions, is blocked). If we keep with the wahhabi notion that “any innovation is an error”, then this would be rejected as “shirk”. However, I’m sure there are mainstream Muslims who would be in favour of such a move. Either way, it comes up against a fairly fatalist stream in Islam summarised in the phrase “inshallah” – if God wills it, it will happen, if not, then it won’t. As such, surely god will either let the climate change, or not, regardless of what we mere mortals do?