The aim of the book is to energize the ongoing debate in academia and among practitioners on the meaning and understanding of Islamic architecture. It contains seventeen essays by architects and academicians from different parts of the world, representing an effort to clarify how the various disciplines of the design profession can be employed to build in the spirit of Islam. It is not the intent of the book to prescribe or identify a specific formula. The editors have used this book as a debate forum to discuss and present ideas. The essays submitted by authors have been peer reviewed by experts in the respective field and authors were given an opportunity to respond to these comments. Given the complexity of the subject, combining article, comments and responses elicited diverse viewpoints from architects, planners, academicians and theoreticians.