Islamic Architecture And Family Viewing

May 21, 2025 adminsr

Islamic architecture is its own form of art. Although the style seen in Islamic architecture differs based on the culture and location of the building, there are some similar patterns within the architecture that have been deemed “Islamic” design. This will include geometric shapes and patterns, domes, pointed arches, minarets. Calligraphy, courtyards, gardens, sometimes even fountains. In the U.S, and Canada, Islamic architecture is most commonly found in mosques and Islamic centers either built from the ground up or redesigned. A Muslim family activity and exploration of artistic expression in the U.S. should consider a visit or study of some of the more elaborate and historical mosques in America.

Al-Farooq Mosque – Atlanta, Georgia. An octagonal building featuring a tall minaret, mashrabiya-covered balconies, and entryways with long pointed arches.
Al-rara mosque – first mosque built in Canada. It was constructed in Edmonton, Alberta in 1938. One of Canada’s first mosque incorporates elements of Eastern Christian (Ukrainian Catholic and Orthodox) architecture, particularly in its red brick, gable roof, and Ukrainian onion domes topped with crescents.
Assalam Center – Boca Raton, Florida. Large mosque featuring domes, arched doorways and intricate designed tiles.
Give al-Islam Mosque – Abiquiu, New Mexico. An adobe structured building with characteristic arched doorways and windows with multiple domes that blends in seamlessly with the Southwestern environment.
Diyanet Center of America – Lanham. Maryland. An Ottoman-inspired design with intricate tile work, soaring minarets, and a beautifully designed central dome. Inside are gold columns, and blue designs typical of Turkiye. The center encompasses a mosque, a Turkish cultural center, a conference hall, and even traditional Turkish baths.
Islamic Center of Washington – mosque and Islamic cultural center in Washington, D.C. located on Embassy Row opened in 1957. It has a beautiful blue tile dome, mosaics and ornate chandeliers.
Islamic Center of America – Dearborn, Michigan – Built in 2005, this mosque features a massive central dome, intricate calligraphy and stunning mosaics.
Islamic Community Center of Tempe – Tempe, Arizona. The center is known for its architectural design, which is inspired by the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. The Center was part of the larger Phoenix Mosque and Institute Project which included Jauharatul-Islam in Phoenix as the first part and then the ICC.
Islamic Society Of Boston Cultural Center (ISBCC) – Roxbury, Massachusetts. The largest Islamic center in the New England area white with tower columns, calligraphy and half domes.
Islaminspanish Islamic Center – Houston, Texas. It features a prayer hall, Andalusian arches and columns, a museum dedicated to the history of Muslims in Spain, and a community space.
Jauhaatul-Islam (Jewel of Islam)– Phoenix, Arizona- First mosque built from the ground up (not a renovated building) by African American Muslims in the western United States. Modeled after North African Moroccan design it has high minarets, lush gardens, courtyard, water fountains and geometric title on walls, doors and columns in the courtyard. The inside features ornate chandeliers, stucco columns and mihrab.
Islamic Community Center of Tempe – Tempe, Arizona. The center is known for its architectural design, which is inspired by the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. The Center was part of the larger Phoenix Mosque and Institute Project which included Jauharatul-Islam in Phoenix as the first part and then the ICC.
King Fahad Mosque – Culver City/Los Angeles, California. An Andalusian inspired design with a white exterior adorned with intricate geometric patterns, hand painted Arabic calligraphy, courtyard and a towering minaret.
Masjid Malcolm Shabazz – New York, New York. A brick, brightly designed building in the heart of the city with a large green dome. An example of how a mosque in the city can blend in with its cultural environment.
Mother Mosque of America (Rose of Fraternity Lodge) : Cedar Rapids, Iowa – the oldest building for the purpose of being a mosque in the United States, completed in 1934. It’s a simple, one-story wood-frame building designed in the prairie schoolhouse style that demonstrates how a mosque can seamlessly blend in with its cultural environment.
Omar Mosque Ibn Sayyid – Fayetteville, North Carolina. This red brick building is reminiscent of North African design with simple arched doorways and square design. It, like the other two mosques listed above, exemplifies American mosques blending in with its environment. It also serves as an historic site for one of the earliest Muslims in the Americas – Omar ibn Said.

Besides the buildings themselves some museums and art museums in the United States also have exhibits of Islamic themed architecture, artifacts and art. This includes:

International Museum of Muslim Cultures – Jackson, Mississippi
America’s Islamic Heritage Museum – Washington, DC
National Museum of African American History and Culture – this Smithsonian museum has a number of sections that feature Muslim artifacts and African Muslims in Early America
Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery – Yarrow Mamout – Washington, DC
Metropolitan Museum of Art – Islamic Art Collection – New York
Cleveland Museum of Art – Islamic Art Collection – Ohio