Who We Are

In the 7th century AD, a sudden and unprecedented proliferation of architectural production occurred, forever changing the direction and legacy of the architectural corpus. This new body of work over the course of over a thousand years eventually came to be called Islamic Architecture, created by a people that attained spiritual excellence through their devotion to God. For them, the beautification of the built environment was simply a manifestation and glorification of their Lord. Yet today, this legacy remains childless, its inheritors dispersed, unacquainted, and uninspired in foreign contexts.

Unconstrained by regional boundaries, the principles and ideals of this mode of design once permeated through a multitude of lands, taking on new physical forms through each culture it came in contact with, while still rooted in the principles of Islamic philosophy. Yet, there was no term “Islamic architecture” in these Muslim lands. The only context in which this term carries meaning is when used to compare it to the architecture of the modern West, and it does so by collapsing centuries of various cultures’ architecture into a single romanticized conception, mostly consisting of domes, minarets, and arches.

The erasure of this heritage is not only ideological, but also physical, as exemplified by the bombing of every mosque in Gaza and the vigilante destruction of the highly politicized Babri Masjid. The continuation of such trends leads to enormous cultural losses for not just Muslims, but architecture as a collective whole. A reclamation of this heritage in both academia and in practice is fundamental to not just preserving, but advancing cultural dialogue and architectural excellence.

It is in response to this critical need that the American Society for Muslims in Architecture (ASMA) emerges, establishing a community of Muslim architects and designers who can authentically research, teach, and practice Islamic architecture in a contemporary context. The Society is thus a central forum for architects to deepen their knowledge of Islamic architecture, connect with and support others on the same journey, and positively impact the architecture profession through both theory and built work. Through knowledge, advocacy, and outreach, ASMA is committed to revitalizing the legacy of Islamic architecture, transforming it from a relic of the past into a vibrant and enduring tradition for the future.