Beyond the Mosque Diverse Spaces of Muslim Worship
I.B. Tauris in association with the Institute of Ismaili Studies
Also available as an audiobook
Mosques are the central house of worship for a majority of Muslims around the world, yet many communities have developed their own distinctive religious spaces. These reflect the different cultures, geographies and interpretations that enrich Islam.
In this book, Rizwan Mawani encounters diverse communities and their sites of worship, including the mosque, husayniyya, khanaqah and jamatkhana. Readers are introduced to a variety of Muslim spaces, modest and elaborate: their distinct structures and the rituals practised within them, as well as the purposes they serve as community centres and markers of identity. This illuminating survey reveals architectural responses to evolving community needs and local environments, from Senegal and China to Iran and India. Beyond the Mosque is a celebration of the significant pluralism that characterises the living Muslim tradition today.
Introduction
1. Mosques and their Architectures
2. Mosque Practices
3. Shi‘i Sites of Piety
4. Sufi Sites of Devotion
5. Transcending Boundaries
Conclusion
Glossary
Further Reading
List of Illustrations
Index
Acknowledgements
Note on the Text
‘This fascinating and much-needed introduction to religious space in the Muslim world presents an extraordinarily wide range of structures that Muslims have created to meet the varied religious and social needs of their communities across the globe.’
– Professor Jonathan Bloom, Boston College
'Beyond the Mosque is a unique and engaging exploration of the diversity of sacred spaces in Islam from the seventh century to the present day. Through anthropological case studies, Mawani brings to life a myriad of practices and persuasions of Muslims from across West Africa to Southeast Asia and Northwest China.’
– Dr Fahmida Suleman, University of Toronto and Royal Ontario Museum
‘This book offers a compelling insight into Muslims’ worship in different kinds of buildings around the world. The author introduces readers to the basic historical, religious and architectural backgrounds, enlivened with eye-opening illustrations. Drawing upon vast first-hand experiences, he outlines in fluent, accessible prose the wonderful variety of sacred rituals and spaces that Islam espouses.’
– Professor Robert Hillenbrand, St Andrews and Edinburgh Universities
Rizwan Mawani is a Canadian educator and researcher. He has a BA in Anthropology and Comparative Religion from Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, and an MA in Islamic Studies from the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. He has advised policy-makers and think tanks on issues of religious literacy, tolerance and diversity.