How does Islamic architecture reflect Muslim beliefs? Essay

One of the most overlooked topics about the Muslim religion is its architecture; often times, Islam is always associated with the Koran, the Ramadan and such and most people are oblivious to the fact that these people also have been able to impact the world of architecture. Their structures are patterned such that the buildings and structures they create represent their religious beliefs. One style in architecture that reflects the belief of the Islamic people is their architectural decoration. The Islam religion dislike figurative representation; in turn, their architectural designs consists primarily of calligraphy and abstract ornaments and are often times coupled by colorful designs. (Farlex Encyclopedia) These calligraphic designs are often times based on the Koran. One other important thing in the Islam architecture is the design of their mosques. Basically, the Islamic mosque is a simple structure designed as a square structure with colonnades placed along the qibla wall. The design and function of this structure is said to allow the Muslims to be able to stand shoulder to shoulder in rows facing the Ka’ba when they pray. This style of architecture also creates a sense of space evoking spirituality of the environment, a feeling of peace, and the feeling of harmony and humbleness evoked in the individual during times of worship. (Hilal Plaza) These simple and oftentimes overlooked style of the Muslims in their architectural designs in reality hold more meaning than the contemporary architectures of our time, their style stresses the importance of the meaning of a structure over its aesthetic value.