“History is a mirror of the past and a lesson for the present.” (Persian Proverb)

The term Islamic art not only describes the art created specifically in the service of the Muslim faith (for example, a mosque and its furnishings) but also characterizes the art and architecture historically produced in the lands ruled by Muslims, produced for Muslim rulers, or created by Muslim artists. As it is not only a religion but a way of life, Islam fostered the development of a distinctive culture with its own unique artistic language that is reflected in art and architecture throughout the Muslim world.

Here are 20 fascinating examples of Islamic art and architecture:

1. The Kaaba. Mecca, Saudi Arabia. 631 – 632 A.D.

2. Folio from the Qur’an. 700-800 A.D. Iraq

3. Dome of the Rock. Jerusalem. 691 A.D.

4. Suleiman Mosque. Istanbul, Turkey. 1550-1558

5. Bahram Gur Fights the Karg. Watercolor and gold on paper. Tabriz, Iran. 1330-1340

6. Taj Mahal. Agra, Uttar Padesh, India. 1632-1653

7. The Court of the Gayumars. Artist: Sultan Muhammad. Ink, watercolor, and gold on paper. India. 1520-1522

 8. Sultan Hassan Mosque. Cairo, Egypt. 1353-1363

9. The Alhambra. Granada, Spain. 1338-1390

10. Great Mosque of Samarra. Samarra, Iraq. 847-861 A.D.

11. The Ardabil Carpet. Artist: Maqsud of Karshan. Iran. 1539-1540

12. Sultan Ahmet Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey. 1609-1616

13. Chili Kiosk. Istanbul, Turkey. 1473

14. Selimiye Mosque. Edirne, Turkey. 1569-1575

15. Badshahi Mosque. Lahore, Pakistan. 1671-1673

16. Pyxis of al-Mughira. Ivory. Madinat al-Zahra, Spain. 968 A.D.

17. Sheikh Lotfallah Mosque. Isfahan, Iran. 1603-1618

18. The Great Mosque of Xi’an. Shaanxi Province, China. 742 A.D.

19. Al-Azhar Mosque. Cairo, Egypt. 972 A.D.

20. Great Mosque of Kairouan. Kairouan, Tunisia. 670 A.D