Monumental Mosque: A Study of the Paradigmatic Shift in the Essence of Contemporary Religious Architecture in the Gulf States and North Africa 1990-2019

For the past three decades, the pervasive proclivities in Muslim societies are the iconic mosques that are significant as national identity. However, studies on those monumental mosques have only focused on the grandeur and decorations. As a result, it has further fuelled the conundrum on Islamic architecture and mosques.This thesis examines the paradigmatic shift in the essence of contemporary monumental mosques while using two of the most referred mosques in the Gulf States and North Africa. A mixed qualitative and quantitative methodological approach was used to explore the essence of the Hassan II Mosque in Morocco and the Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi. While using semiotics and hermeneutics, the study examines the congruence of their philosophical and architectural context with the principles of quintessential mosque frameworks in the Quran, sunnah, and early historical accounts. The users' perception utilised questionnaire assessments from 61 participants to inquire about the role of the mosques in creating a sustainable Muslim community. The analysis employed diagrams to correlate the findings between the case studies. This study identified that the two recent samples differ in precepts with the ethos of need that created the early mosques during the time of the Prophet and the guided caliphs. Analysis of the architecture revealed the emphasis of the design and construction were majorly on creating touristic monument rather than a functional mosque. In turn, it impaired regular use as a mosque that caters for the society. Besides, the mosques are opulent structures that are created in rivalry to outdo other preceding structures. Whereas, the positive effect of Mosque tourism on Islam remained insignificant.