Assalamu alaikum,
The UK's channel 4 sometime last year showed a very interesting documentary on the development of Islamic Architecture. This is an interesting eye opener particularly for those GENUINELY interested in learning about Islam and Islamic history..
I have put this here particularly so that some basic questions can be answered for those seeking answers. If for any reason (for which i doubt if there would be any) you find this offensive, my apologies.
This is the link,
http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-8018912082115778034
Warning..!!! .. If you have any preconcieved notions and therefore do not watch this with an open mind, you stand to miss the point and to be completely disappointed..
Good informative film, told from the point of view of a non muslim, with a strong sympathy for islamic architecture. Has very little idea of the whole purpose of the religion itself, but on the whole, is not offensive at all. His take on the Taj Mahal is correct. I saw a film which analysed the construction of the Taj Mahal and the reasons behind the landscaping etc (cant remember much about it, its been a long time) however, Shah Jehan was actually trying to reconstruct paradise, right up to the inscription on the walls of one of the gates which read:
Fadkhuli fiy ibadeey Wad khulliy Jannatiy (Enter ye my devotees, enter ye my paradise) from suratu Fajr.
Reminds me of the story of a wicked king who was visited by an old sage at his palace one day and warned him to repent so that he might enter paradise. He asked what was so special about it, and the old man told him of the wonders of it. So he said if that was all that paradise entailed, he'd build one on earth. Being rich, he got the best crafts men engineers, architects, landscapists and also acquired all treasures from all corners of the world. After the monumental palace was built, he had a massive moving in ceremony. At the gates of his new palace, before he could enter into his duniya jannat, the angel of death was sent to take his life. When the angel had done his duty, he felt sad. Consequently he was Asked by God the reason for his sadness ( Allah Knew already). The angel said that there were two ppl in the world that he'd ever felt sorry for taking their lives; the king, because his ambitions were not fulfilled. He'd really looked forward to entering his palace, and the other one was a woman who got lost in a forest with a new born babe, and he had to take the life of the woman and leave the babe motherless. So the angel was informed that the baby whose mother died in the forest leaving it alone and seemingly defenceless was in reality the king whose life he had just taken and for whom he'd felt so sorry for because he had died without fulfilling his ambition of entering his palace.