Interpreting Ibn Khaldun's Principles of Urban Planning toward Sustainability of Cities

Ibn Khaldun was a scholar whose thoughts and ideas transgress boundaries of time and place. His magnum opus, the Muqaddimah, describes some principles relating to planning the urban environment that are still relevant in addressing contemporary urban issues. Currently, the sustainability of cities is the focus of discussion; the same issues were highlighted by Ibn Khaldun more than 600 years ago. What are the lessons to be learned from his writings? This research note explores how we can use Ibn Khaldun’s ideas to improve the quality of life and the sustainability of our cities. The paper analyzes and discusses the interpretation of his writings in the context of planning principles.