Typically associated with domes, minarets, and rich decoration, mosques have achieved iconic status in popular conceptions of Islamic art and culture. Yet the architecture of Muslim places of worship is far more variable than often imagined, encompassing a range of forms, styles, and functions that reflect the geographical and cultural diversity of the Islamic world.
Ünver Rüstem, assistant professor of Islamic art and architecture at Johns Hopkins University, explores this tradition through examples extending from Spain to India and from the 7th century into our own time. Beginning in Arabia with the house of the Prophet Muhammad, which also served …