Monument, Memory, and Remembrance: Rethinking the Masjid Through Contemporary Heritage Regimes

Masjids in UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Harar Jugol, Ethiopia, serve as dynamic spaces where spiritual significance and Islamic heritage intersect, reflecting processes of compromise, concession, and intervention. This study highlights how these sites navigate dual realities, balancing their roles as places of worship and cultural landmarks. It also explores the challenges faced by sustainable Muslim communities, such as New Gourna in Egypt, designed to preserve architectural and cultural legacies but ultimately failing, which raises questions about the 'embeddedness' of heritage traditions. Additionally, it examines contemporary trends like the 'Neo-Ottoman'-style mosques, exemplified by Ghana's National Mosque in Accra, which deviate from local mosque-building traditions and prompt debates on stakeholder involvement in defining heritage.

(Ed.). (2021). Monument, Memory, and Remembrance: Rethinking the Masjid Through Contemporary Heritage Regimes. The Masjid in Contemporary Islamic Africa, 79–131. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108573931.004