11-4 Together with People in Contemporary Islamic Societies

A book written in English by a Japanese author and published in the United States in Meiji 32 (1899) has been translated into Arabic, Persian, and Indonesian, and continues to be read by people in the Islamic world to this day.That Japanese author was Inazō Nitobe (who served as Under-Secretary-General of the League of Nations and died in Canada in Shōwa 9 (1933)), and the work in question is *Bushido: The Soul of Japan* (Japanese title: *Bushidō*).It has long been said that this work, underpinned by Nitobe’s global erudition and profound reflection, shares common ground with Islamic teachings.In Islamic societies, where Islamic teachings serve as the norm for all aspects of social life—including the economy—“Rectitude,” “Sincerity,” and “Benevolence” are considered vital virtues.
Muslims sympathize with the fact that Japanese society—which, like Islamic society, originated from a non-Western civilization—has built economic power and technological standards on par with Western countries while preserving its traditional culture. Here, we highlight two projects related to Islamic finance that were carried out with respect for Islamic culture.

Of the current world population of 7 billion, 1.6 billion are Muslims, a number projected to reach 2.1 billion by 2030; their presence has been growing in recent years.
In Showa 46 (1971), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which unites Islamic nations, was founded, and one of its key challenges became the integration of norms and economic principles based on Islamic doctrine, known as Sharia.In Showa 48 (1973), the Islamic Development Bank—which serves as the cornerstone of a mutual aid system based on Sharia—was established, and it currently provides development assistance to more than 50 Islamic countries.Its headquarters are located in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia’s second-largest city, which is known as a stopover for pilgrims traveling to the holy city of Mecca and has prospered as a trading port on the Red Sea.

To construct the headquarters building for a development bank of great importance to the Islamic world, a long-term international design competition spanning four phases was held from Showa 58 (1983) to Showa 61 (1986).Nikken Sekkei, with the cooperation of Dr. Makiya—an authority on Islamic architecture—beginning in the second phase, ultimately had its proposal selected from among 25 firms worldwide. Following seven years of design and construction supervision, the building was completed in Heisei 5 (1993).

The building consists of two wings—the bank headquarters and the research and training center—that are integrated under a single large roof. Looking up at the main roof from the light court enclosed by the two wings, one notices the symbolic skylight, which resembles openwork carving featuring Islamic motifs.The design theme centers on the thick exterior walls with few openings—a hallmark of Islamic architecture—and the expansive spaces opening onto the inner light court; elements unique to Islamic architecture, such as spatial concepts and traditions, are reflected throughout the structure.The sculptural appearance of the building, created by the interplay of deep shadows and light, not only serves as a regional landmark but also stands as a symbol embodying the important concept of “mutual aid” that underlies Islamic society as a whole.

Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, is also one of the financial hubs of the Middle East. It is said that the combined market capitalization of companies listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange—known as Tadawul—is comparable to the combined market capitalization of all other Gulf countries.In Riyadh, development and construction are underway on the KAFD (King Abdullah Financial District), a new central business district that will bring together various key financial institutions. One of the five buildings at the heart of this district is the Tadawul Tower. A master plan had been formulated in advance for this core area of the KAFD.The plan called for five buildings connected by skywalks to surround a central plaza that would serve as a symbol of the district, and design guidelines stipulated that the exteriors of these five buildings be unified under the concept of “facets” (crystalline forms).As a result of an international invited competition held under these master plan conditions, Nikken Sekkei’s proposal was selected in Heisei 22 (2010).Following further deliberations, the design was finalized in Heisei 23 (2011), construction began in Heisei 24 (2012), and work is currently underway toward completion in Heisei 28 (2016).

It has been 20 years since the Islamic Development Bank headquarters building was completed, and there have been significant advances in environmental technology during that time. In particular, the technology behind “Low-E glass”—a type of glass with high thermal insulation properties—has brought about a major shift in the image of Arab architecture, which was previously characterized solely by structures that blocked out sunlight.Low-E glass consists of two panes of glass in a double-pane unit, with a thin, barely visible metallic coating applied to the inner surface of one pane; this thin metallic film reflects the infrared radiation carried by solar heat outward. Tadawul Tower The Low-E glass used in consists of three panes, and the building also features fine horizontal awnings called “Horizontal Fins” that create shade.
Tadawul Tower, which incorporates a variety of architectural techniques, is a sustainable building that—combined with environmental technologies such as advanced control systems for various facilities—is scheduled to achieve LEED (U.S. green building standard) GOLD certification.

Tadawul Tower incorporates a variety of features, such as the Tadaur Forum—where visitors can easily access the latest financial information—and the Tadaur headquarters on the upper floors, which surrounds an atrium featuring a gentle waterfall. Its exterior resembles an elegant crystal.

(References)
Inazō Nitobe (translated by Tatsuya Naramoto) (2009), *Reading "Bushido" in English and Japanese*, Mikasa Shobō
Toshihiko Izutsu (1982), *Islamic Culture: Its Foundations*, Iwanami Shoten
Ritsu Miyata (2001), *Trends in Contemporary Islam*, Shueisha Shinsho
“Islamic Development Bank Website” (2014)
“Tadawul Website” (2014)