By Hilal Ahmed on May 13, 2014
“What is a mosque?” This very simple and straightforward question introduces us to two very different perspectives, which actually shape and constitute the dominant discourse on Islamic built environment in postcolonial South Asia. There is a legal-technical perspective on mosques, which revolves around the architectural attributes, archaeological significance, historical values and/or legal status of mosques. More precisely, this perspective conceptualises mosques as architectural/historical/legal objects, and attempts to map out their placing in the wider secular discourses.
