Â
Hello fellow readers, thank you for taking your time to stop by and read the article which I researched and wrote, in this article I will be explaining on how the Islamic culture in terms of Islamic architecture and Islamic art, affect the world specifically in politics.
The influence of Islamic Art and Architecture on political identity, the Islamic art and architecture have played an important role in shaping the political identity of various societies throughout history, the intricate designs, calligraphy, and geometric patterns that decorates the walls and buildings of Islamic cities, contributes towards the reflection of the cultural and spiritual values, alongside giving powerful symbols of political power and authority, these creative expressions can be traced through various historical periods and geographical regions, which relates towards religion, culture, and governance.
One of the ways Islamic art and architecture influence political identity is through the concept of unity, because Islam emphasizes the oneness of God (Allah) and the unity of the Muslim community (Ummah), these meaning manifests within the architectural designs, symmetry, geometric patterns, and the absence of a central figure in religious art, Mosques or can be explained as the place for Muslims to do their prayers or the house of Allah, is the central place of worship in Islam, their vast, open prayer halls resembles a sense of equality among worshippers, implementing a meaning that everyone is equal before God.
The architecture of mosques, with their grand domes, towering minarets, and expansive courtyards, symbolizes the power and presence of Islam, The Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, which was converted into a mosque after the Ottoman conquest, is an example on how architecture can be used to signify political dominance and the spread of Islamic culture alongside its influence towards humanity, another example of this is the Mosque of Cordoba, with its magnificent designs and elaborate mihrab, this reflects the political and cultural achievements of the Umayyad caliphate in Al-Andalus.
Now we know that mosques with its architectural designs which have impacts towards politics alongside the other Islamic art and architecture designs, but did you know that the creation of palaces and fortresses using Islamic art and architectural designs also contributes towards the political identity of Muslim rulers, these structures often blend with defensive functionality with luxurious designs, symbolizing that both the strength and sophistication of the ruling class, an example of this is The Alhambra in Granada, this structure with its lush gardens, showcases the political power and cultural designation of the Nasrid dynasty, its use of the water features and gardens within the fortress or palace resembles the Islamic paradise.
The resemblance of beauty and religion also with powerful meaning that’s embrace within the structure gives us an idea how these mere structure have influence towards the political identity as it shows many aspects of rules, dedication, power, and authority, besides these palace or fortress can also be served as military bases or administrative centers, like the Citadel of Aleppo, this demonstrates control over territories conveying a message of stability and authority, important for maintain political identity.
As the information above is focused on Islamic architect lets dive into Islamic art with its Calligraphy and Ornamentation, Islamic art is famous for its use of calligraphy and ornamentation, which is often used in architectural designs, Calligraphy, especially the Arabic script, is considered a high art form In Islam due to its relation with the Quran, the implementation of Islamic calligraphy into architect, such as inscriptions on mosque walls and palace facades, shows the connection between political authority and religious legitimacy.
Ornamentation itself, which includes geometric patterns and arabesques, serves both aesthetic and symbolic purposes, which brings out designs that often carry spiritual meanings, In within, representing the infinite possibility and nature of Allah and its order of the universe.
In the modern era, Islamic art and architecture continue to contribute a significant impact in shaping political identity, how is this well, it’s because in the 20th and 21th century, Islamic art and architecture have become a contested terrain in the context of political identity, specifically in Muslim majority nations grappling with modernization, political turmoil, and the question of what it means to be a Muslim nation in the contemporary world, in some extent some governments have sought to revive or reinterpret  traditional Islamic styles to implement and mark the Islamic identity which separates it from the western influence, however this results in critics as this approach creates arguments that a focus on monumental architecture diverts resources from social development and the appropriation role of religious imagery in public spaces, mainly the debates focuses on complex relationship between art, architecture, and political identity.
Mentioning about the Muslim contemporary world, Muslim-majority countries often draw upon traditional architectural designs to express national identity and political identity, for example, the Faisal Mosque in Islamabad, Pakistan, this resembles the combination of modernist design with traditional Islamic elements, also in post-colonial contexts, the Islamic architecture was also used to implement national identity and remove colonial influences, an example of this is The Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, Morocco.
