As this preceding activity is important to pass before one performs the congregational prayer that is to
condition our mind and heart so that we could expect to be able to do the prayer better or with full
contemplation, we might need to rethink how a religious space should be designed. Paolo Portogesi, as
quoted by Rasdi (1998), also stressed “the importance of prayers and meditative seclusion in the interior
spaces of the mosque and gardens which secure silence, privacy and allude to images of the Muslim
paradise”. This idea is relevant because, people need concentration during the prayer, and this act seems
not to be easily done if they are not well conditioned in the space. However, there are no rules or strict
guidance in terms of how building design style of prayer should be well developed. Rasdi (1998) stated,
“mosque is considered no different than either a church or a temple in relation to the design principles of
a sacred edifice where the mosque is looked upon as a place of silent meditation and seclusion from the
outer world”. Therefore, considering the principle of ijtihad, designers seem to interpret freely and
innovate based on such stereotypical understanding of religious settings.