An Analysis of “City” and “Urbanization” Concept according to Quran’s Perspective

Islamic urban design should be based upon primary religious sources. Many researchers do not pay enough attention to the primary religious sources and usually get their foundations from disreputable sources. Those who refer to primary sources do not have reliable methods to interpret these references. This prevents from achieving a dependable and comprehensive Islamic urban design theory. Accordingly, exploring definitions of religious sources and approaching the fundamental concepts of urban studies are of utmost importance. In this regard, the concept of "City" and "urbanization" is the first priority. Additionally, Quran plays a dominant role in providing basic and strategic policies between religious sources such as Quran and Hadith, because it is the constitution of Islam. In this research, we present the exact definition of "City" and "urbanization" during a methodological study of Quran, named "Tadabbor". According to this method, we have to review surahs comprehensively by considering their cohesiveness not just verses independently. Also, we explain about the chief foundations upon which Islamic city is created and survived on. These are elements of existence and stability of cities according to Quran's policies. The study -based upon Tadabbor method- shows that Quran defines city (or Madinah) as a place in which the God's sovereignty over the earth is realized by aggregation and centralization of believers (Ummah) around the "vali" -or in other words God's saints- all oriented around "Vahy" (revelation from God). Thus "urbanization" is a kind of submission to the sovereignty of god's scripture (Quran) and substitute (Vali) that results in centralization in a place on the earth. This definition includes five key concepts: "God", "Vahy", "Vali", "Ummah" and "earth" which shows that urbanization is the result of their interaction. This kind of urbanization is associated with a type of life which has four evolution phases. Urban life as a prepubertal child should mature as a grown Islamic and divine urbanization. In the first phase, the "social" aspect of urbanization evolves and is in line with five fundamental elements according to Quranic studies. These are "law", "Sovereignty", "aggregation", "social interaction" and "ownership".  The second step of urban life is the evolution of the "corporeal" aspect, in which urban life should provide the corporeal needs of Ummah as earthlings and has four indispensable bases: "Residence", "Livelihood", "Development" and "Security". The third stage of Islamic urban life evolution is its "Divine" appearance. Developing this attitude needs four essential concepts: "Worship", "Education & Cultivation", "Thinking & remembrance" and "donation". This stage is the highest level of a city but it should also be widespread and survive that constitute the fourth phase, the "Civilizational" aspect of urban life. After creation of the Islamic city and completion of the "social", "corporeal" and "divine" dimensions of urbanization, it should play a role on a global scale and sustain forever. To achieve this stage, two concepts should come to existence: "Global interactions" and "Generation". All the four stages and their fifteen key concepts make a strong foundation for reaching the Islamic urbanization, named by Quran: "Hayat Tayyebah".