“Indefinable Islamic Culture”It is a common misconception that “the west” or western civilization is in opposition withthe “the Muslim world”(Ernst [2004]:3). Universal acceptance of this false assumption sets the stage for the over simplification of Islamic culture through broad assertions that stereotype the Muslim people. In an attempt to draw a definite box around everything that can be considered part of “Islamic culture,” a person neglects to realize the complexity of a culture and imposes unnatural divisions to define Islamic culture such that it is simple, limited but also often incorrect. To look at Islamic culture as it truly exists, requires an acknowledgement of culture, as something which cannot exist in isolation. Islamic culture does not exist in a “pure” form in which it is free from any outside influence. But the overwhelming number of influences and contributions that make up various cultures make it difficult to determine where to draw the line between that which belongs to Islamic culture and that which does not. Infinite and ongoing interactions between cultures leave a vast grey area in which association with Islamic culture is debatable and open to interpretation. The distinction between Islamic art and Islamicate, acknowledges the problematic task of understanding culture in the absence of definite boundaries. Although Islamic civilization is clearly associated with Islamic religion, Islamicate recognizes the significance of secular influences and the participation of non-Muslims in Islamic culture (Ernst [2004]: 184). Islamicate is not only important to identify in architecture and art; Islamic culture has been largely shaped by non-secular forces. Distinctions between Islamic art and Islamicate highlight the ambiguous boundaries of religious identity that make Islamic culturecomplex. Political structures arising from Qur’anic principles suggest that the most basic Muslimbeliefs encourage the development of an integrated society, creating questions as to the scope of Islamic religion. Cultures constantly borrowing and sharing ideas and traditions result in messy 1overlaps; specifically in art and philosophy. The distinction between Islamic art and Islamicate, applied to Islamic culture, brings to light the role of religion in Islamic civilization and the problematic questions that make it difficult to define Islamic cultures.The Muslim authority’s recognition of multiple religious groups in the Arab Empire, set the stage for ambiguity surrounding that which qualifies as Islamic culture. By incorporating religions other than Islam in the political system, it guaranteed the influence of non-Muslims within Islamic culture. Individuals of a society largely direct cultural development; it is unclear how to identify characteristics of a religious culture that is largely made up of non-Muslims. Thisis the question that Islamicate attempts to clarify by acknowledging the absence of Islamic religion in numerous aspects of Islamic culture. While the political policy of religious pluralism suggests Islamicate is a legitimate form of Islamic culture, this institutional incorporation of multiple religions is derived from Qur’anic scripture. The Qur’an refers to “People of the Book,”as people who practice a religion that contains a sacred text. According to the Qur’an, people practicing these religions are spiritual kinsmen to the Muslim people and should be allowed to practice their religion (Egger [2003]: 29). In accordance with this passage from the Qur’an, the Arab Empire adopts a policy of religious pluralism. The Arabs set-up a taxation system in which non-Muslims can practice their own religions under the protection of Muslim authorities in return for a tax; these people became known as dhimmis (Egger [2003]: 48). This political structure derived from Holy Scripture lays the foundation for ambiguous boundaries regarding identity and overlap between cultures; both of which are addressed by the concept of Islamicate. From the very beginning, Islamic culture does not exist in the “pure” form that people constantlyattempt to reduce it to. Even within their own empire, Muslims were initially a minority; Islamic civilization as it originated in the Arab empire, began with a society in which the majority of the 2people had no connection to Islamic religious beliefs {Egger [2003]: 48). Early integration of multiple religious groups makes it difficult to define the scope of that which qualifies as part of Islamic civilization.Architectural structures and art forms typically associated with Islamic culture have historically been employed by non-Islamic cultures. In India during the fifteenth century, a manual was written in Sanskrit providing directions on how to build a mosque. The temple, it was written, was to be dedicated to a formless supreme God was not to include any images; theseprinciples clearly correlate with Islamic principles (Ernst [2004]: 188). This presence of Islamic culture in Indian culture is commonplace. Cultures are constantly borrowing ideas and traditions from Islamic culture (and other cultures they may have contact with) to enhance their own culture. These overlaps that then occur make it increasingly difficult to distinguish architecture inIslamic culture from architecture in India. Is the dome a feature of Islamic culture or Indian culture? Islamicate recognizes the presence of non-Muslims, and their contributions to Islamic culture. The presence of Islamic art can be seen in the palace constructed under the Spanish Christian King Pedro. The king employed Moors from Granada to construct a palace in Seville. The palace was covered with arabesque design and Arabic calligraphy, both art forms associated with Islamic culture. The art had no religious significance to the king, but was instead used to signify imperial authority (Ernst [2004]:188). Again, cultures overlap, and the lack of religious meaning comes into question. During this time, Christians were conflicted about Islamic faith. However, they continued their appropriation of Islamicate culture, which came to be known as mudajar art (Ernst [2004]:189). These various cases are examples of the constant intersections between Islamic culture and other cultures, which make the task distinguishing Islamic culture from other cultures difficult. It further reinforces inaccuracy of the universally held belief, that 3the Muslim world is in some way