Architectural historic preservation has been used as a means to express or represent national, Islamic and even ethnic identity, and often this is linked to tourism or used to serve political ends, particularly in nation building. This article investigates agency and utility in the conservation and restoration of religious built environments in different societies in the Islamic world and its meaning to these societies today. Conservation should be interpreted more broadly than the physical continuity of historic structures; it should also enable the continuity of non-material aspects of culture.

Keywords: Stewardship; values; conservation; restoration; charter guidelines.