The American Society

for

Muslims in Architecture

©Gerry O’Leary

Misson

The mission of The American Society for Muslims in Architecture (ASMA) is to unite, empower, and advocate for Muslims in the field of architecture. We strive to build a community of, and establish strong connections among, Muslims in the profession. Through social events, conferences, and digital platforms, our aim is to provide students and professionals with a robust support network, enabling them to thrive as Muslims in the architectural world.

Just as Islam enriches every aspect of our lives, we are determined to enrich the architectural profession as well. Guided by the teachings and principles of Islam, we seek to achieve Ihsan (excellence) in architectural design, research, and pedagogy, following the rich tradition of excellence exemplified throughout Islamic history. We embrace the journey, God-willing, to make a positive impact on the architectural landscape.

Prayer area

Guiding Principles

“Ihsan” (from root h-s-n, meaning to do what is beautiful) is an Arabic word that conveys the notion of excellence/ beautification/ goodness as a way of thinking and doing. 

ASMA has Ihsan as its guiding principle from bottom up, in its nationwide member network to the preservation and application of sacred knowledge and morals in a contemporary context.

Dubai Mosque 
©Gerry O’Leary

Vision

Through connecting a large body of Muslims in Architecture across America, we can work continuously towards the empowerment of Muslims through architecture in various ways:

Growth / Knowledge - We will work to gather resources and knowledge from Islamic architectural history until today to empower Muslims in architectural practice and pedagogy to build careers that integrate and align with Islamic principles and traditions.

Advocacy - We aim to advocate for Muslims in the West both in the architectural workplace and in architectural design itself. Through staying connected and advocating for ourselves within the larger architectural community, we strive to push for architectural design that keeps the Muslim user in mind.

Outreach - By bringing together Muslims in architecture from throughout the country, we hope to ultimately give back to our larger Muslim community by providing architectural support, advice, and resources for building mosques and other spaces for Muslims.

Meet the Team

  • mira

    Mira Abdalla
    Charlottesville, VA

    FOUNDER

  • Taha Suhrawardy
    Detroit, MI

    FOUNDER

  • areej

    Areej Shahin
    Bloomfield Hills, MI

    ACTIVITIES DIRECTOR

  • Karim El-Araby
    Richmond, VA

    SECRETARY

  • Tasneem Abuayyash

    Toronto, ON

    ENGAGEMENT DIRECTOR

  • Ayatullah Abualhayjaa
    Charlottesville, VA

    OUTREACH DIRECTOR

  • Position Open

    TREASURER

  • Position Open

    RESEARCH DIRECTOR