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Cosmology and Architecture in Premodern Islam

Cosmology and Architecture in Premodern Islam

By Akkach, Samer

Published by State University of New York Press

English 290 pages 2012
Estimated reading time: 5 h 19 min
PDF

About this book

A fascinating exploration of how the transcendent is expressed in the spatial sensibility of premodern Islam. This fascinating interdisciplinary study reveals connections between architecture, cosmology, and mysticism. Samer Akkach demonstrates how space ordering in premodern Islamic architecture reflects the transcendental and the sublime. The book features many new translations, a number from unpublished sources, and several illustrations. Referencing a wide range of mystical texts, and with a special focus on the works of the great Sufi master Ibn Arabi, Akkach introduces a notion of spatial sensibility that is shaped by religious conceptions of time and space. Religious beliefs about the cosmos, geography, the human body, and constructed forms are all underpinned by a consistent spatial sensibility anchored in medieval geocentrism. Within this geometrically defined and ordered universe, nothing stands in isolation or ambiguity; everything is interrelated and carefully positioned in an intricate hierarchy. Through detailed mapping of this intricate order, the book shows the significance of this mode of seeing the world for those who lived in the premodern Islamic era and how cosmological ideas became manifest in the buildings and spaces of their everyday lives. This is a highly original work that provides important insights on Islamic aesthetics and culture, on the history of architecture, and on the relationship of art and religion, creativity and spirituality.

Availability

Cosmology and Architecture in Premodern Islam is available as PDF at 9 online bookshops. Bookshops carrying it include Bajalibros Argentina, Bajalibros Latam, Bookshop Uruguay.

Language
English
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Frequently asked questions

In what formats is Cosmology and Architecture in Premodern Islam available?
Cosmology and Architecture in Premodern Islam is available as PDF at 9 online bookshops.
Where can I buy Cosmology and Architecture in Premodern Islam?
You can buy Cosmology and Architecture in Premodern Islam at Bajalibros Argentina, Bajalibros Latam, Bookshop Uruguay. Compare every option in the list on this page.
How long does it take to read Cosmology and Architecture in Premodern Islam?
At an average reading pace, Cosmology and Architecture in Premodern Islam takes about 5 h 19 min to read (290 pages).

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