Features Of Islamic Architecture - Essay Example

Prophet Mohammed shapes the lives of Muslims in today's society even Muslims are living in America. The seventh century prophet changed world historyin 23 years, and the message he delivered continues to form the foundation of life for more nearly 2 billion people. The Sunnah of the Prophet is habits which dictate the religious life of Muslims. The Sunnah has been described as the Qur'an in practice. The Sunnah includes the Salah, the manner of prayer. Although the Qur'an prescribes prayer, it does not describe how to pray.

This we have learned from our Prophet, Mohammed. The method of ablution is specified by the Prophets mannerisms. Much of the Sunnah has been collected in Traditions of the Prophet known as Hadith. Not all Hadith are considered canon however, and the study of Hadith is a system of knowledge in unto itself. These understandings are the cornerstone of Islamic Life even in America. Islamic architecture is used in today's homes and mosques and work places. Perhaps most notable are the domed roofs of nearly all government centers.

From county court houses to state capitols to the congress, the dome is a symbol of Islamic tradition as barrowed from enlightened Europeans. It is known that fraternal organizations concentrated on the formation of a liberated America. These organizations often draw from ancient symbols of the near east, one of which is the domed architecture. As a revival of such methods promulgate, we see more and more domes and minarets in America - sign Muslim communities are returning to traditional Islamic architecture.

How much of what we know of modern society may be traced back to the advent of Islamic society Bin Fadlan an 11 century Persian scholar recounted something of the state to which Europe had fallen following the collapse of the Roman Empire. Barbarian tribes had overrun Europe and society had fallen into the violent disarray of feudal fiefs. Common people suffered and ignorance reigned. Traditional civil society carried on in the Islam however. Although religion was central to life in the medieval, in Europe, it had become a stifling force, but in Islam, it had become a liberating force.

The Catholic Church saw free thinking and science as a threat to their power structure, whereas Islam regarded all knowledge as flowing from the good of Our Lord. As a result of the attitudes, academic understanding waned in the European peninsula and maxed in the Islamic Empire. This is seen most markedly in the differences between Europe at large and Iberia (modern Spain) of the Middle Ages. In Europe, petty warlords fought for control of resources produced by their serfs. Humanity was viewed as basically ruined, and science was regarded as witchcraft.

In Islam, the story differed. In Iberia, universities had become world centers of learning. Liberal thought brought about near-utopian conditions. Even the Jewish people who were persecuted in Europe enjoyed a Golden Age where much of what is regarded as apocrypha was formulated. Little of this is taught in Western schools.