Sultans and Mosques - by Perween Hasan (Paperback)

About the Book

The mosque architecture of the Independent Sultanate period (from the 14th to the 16th centuries) represents the most important element of the Islamic architecture of Bengal. The early Muslim architecture of Bangladesh is an important architectural heritage of the Islamic world and the Indian sub-continent. This work deals with this area.

Book Synopsis

Before the Mughal style came to dominate the Islamic architecture of the Indian sub-continent, Bengal and its rulers had developed their own forms. The mosque architecture of the Independent Sultanate period (from the 14th to the 16th centuries) represents the most important element of the Islamic architecture of Bengal. This distinctive regional style drew its inspiration from the indigenous vernacular architecture of Bengal, itself heavily influenced by Hindu/Buddhist temple architecture. The early Muslim architecture of Bangladesh is an important but little studied part of the architectural heritage of the Islamic world and the Indian sub-continent. Perween Hasan's work is a most original contribution to this subject.

Review Quotes

"Perween Hasan is a genius with a gift for writing about complex subject matter... Beautifully written and accessible, the tome presents the endeavour less as a struggle against foreign domination, but as an issue of conflict resolution - a vital difference, necessary for a deeper comprehension of this past." --The Muslim World Book Review

About the Author

Professor of Islamic History and Culture at the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. She obtained her PhD at Harvard University where she studied under Professor Oleg Grabar.