<div>The current study offers a critical interpretation of
the more transient traces of Islam in Australia, and their representation in
the equally scanty tangible evidences. The scope of recent surveys in this
field is increasingly inclusive. However, very few studies focus on the
architecture of Muslim communities in regions where Islam is not the
predominant faith, especially in the southern hemisphere. The historical
Adelaide Mosque, and many others, is excluded from the historical record
despite the instrumental role it played in the life of Muslim settlers. This
absence raises questions about gaps, or histories untold, as well as myths
received, in histories of ‘Islamic’ architecture that raise questions about the
truth-value of the past.&nbsp; There is a need to examine hybridized forms and
shared architectural narratives to counter the myopic but persistent
representation—or fabulation—of supposedly authentic, largely Arab-centric, forms
of ‘Islamic’ architecture. This paper argues, then, that new theoretical
frameworks are required to interpret this architectural hybrid that is, we
argue, typical rather than exceptional.<br></div><div><br></div><div>Key words:&nbsp;Islamic
architecture; Adelaide mosque; hybrid architecture; resilience; assimilation<span style="font-size:10.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;
line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Arial&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA"><br></span></div>
Historical Fabulation: A Framework to Rethink the Islamic Architecture Outside Islamic World
Type
journal article
Year
2014
The current study offers a critical interpretation of the more transient traces of Islam in Australia, and their representation in the equally scanty tangible evidences. The scope of recent surveys in this field is increasingly inclusive. However, very few studies focus on the architecture of Muslim communities in regions where Islam is not the predominant faith, especially in the southern hemisphere. The historical Adelaide Mosque, and many others, is excluded from the historical record despite the instrumental role it played in the life of Muslim settlers. This absence raises questions about gaps, or histories untold, as well as myths received, in histories of ‘Islamic’ architecture that raise questions about the truth-value of the past.  There is a need to examine hybridized forms and shared architectural narratives to counter the myopic but persistent representation—or fabulation—of supposedly authentic, largely Arab-centric, forms of ‘Islamic’ architecture. This paper argues, then, that new theoretical frameworks are required to interpret this architectural hybrid that is, we argue, typical rather than exceptional.

Key words: Islamic architecture; Adelaide mosque; hybrid architecture; resilience; assimilation
Citation
Rashid, Md Mizanur and Katharine Bartsch. "Historical Fabulation: A Framework to Rethink the Islamic Architecture Outside Islamic World." Archnet-IJAR: International Journal of Architectural Research, vol. 8, issue 1 (2014): 120-132.
Parent Publications
Copyright

Md Mizanur Rashid and Katharine Bartsch

Country
Australia
Language
English
Keywords