The Language of the Taj Mahal: Islam, Prayer, and the Religion of Shah Jahan (Library of Islamic South Asia)

The Taj Mahal, built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (1592-1666 CE) as a mausoleum for his wife Mumtaz Mahal (1593-1631 CE), is considered exceptional in the history of world architecture.This book provides a deeper understanding of the Taj Mahal and its builder by examining its inscriptions within their architectural, historical and biographical contexts. The texts adorning the Taj Mahal comprise verses from twenty-two different chapters of the Qur'an but their meaning and significance escapes most non-Muslim visitors or those unable to read them. This book will be the first dedicated solely to the inscriptions in the monument, providing translations, commentary and interpretation of the texts. As well as offering a unique approach to the study of the building, the book uses the inscriptions to expound the foundational elements of Islam, the faith of Shah Jahan and also what the Taj Mahal still means today.

Michael Calabria is Director of the Center for Arab and Islamic Studies at the Franciscan Institute, St Bonaventure University, New York, U.S where he is also Associate Professor of Arab and Islamic Studies. He has published in the journals South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies and Journal of Religion and Film. He completed his PhD at the Arab and Islamic Studies Centre, University of Exeter, UK.