Book excerpt: The ongoing debate among practitioners and in academia about the meaning and understanding of Islamic architecture will be energized by this book. It contains essays by architects and academics from various parts of the world which clarify how the carious disciplines of the design profession can be employed to build in the spirit of Islam. Divided into three sections the book covers: *meaning from Faith, which draws meaning from the Islamic faith in order to propose a built environment that is universally beneficial *analysis of History, which examines historical buildings and planning concepts, and suggest how to apply lessons learned to contemporary practice *contemporary Trends, which discusses current trends in architecture, education and socio-economic aspects of various Muslim countries. Illustrated throughout, this book will appeal to students and scholars, practising architects and planners alike.