The wisdom of Islamic mosques based on the mosque of Sheikh Lotfollah

Dissertation for receiving Master degree (M.A)

Trend: Art Research

Abstract of the thesis (including summary, objectives, implementation methods and results obtained):

In this research, an attempt has been made to address the issue of wisdom in Islamic art and to examine the interpretations of wisdom from the viewpoints of Islamic art thinkers.  Then, the origin and origin of Islamic architecture is discussed and then Islamic mosques and its elements are studied, because mosques are the most important part of Islamic architecture, and since Sheikh Latfullah Mosque among Islamic mosques fully follows Quranic and religious teachings, it reveals the necessity of researching this mosque. In this research, the wisdom of its elements has been investigated and also the connection between the elements and decorations of Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque with Abjad letters has been researched and concluded. Introduction

We are walking in Naqsh Jahan Square and our eyes are passing and moving through the monotony of the eastern side of the square in the company of its matching white arches. A body with a completely smooth and horizontal sky line, suddenly a cream-colored dome stops this movement and calls the observer towards it. As we move towards the mosque, the dome slowly sets behind us until we can no longer see anything from it, and what is in front of us is a magnificent entrance with beautiful Alvan tiles, as is the case with the Shah Mosque. The entire complex forms a curtain placed in front of the dome, hiding it from view as if it were too sacred to be easily seen. In any case, if we move far enough away from the headland that the entirety of the dome is visible, then nothing of its decorations can be identified for us except for a number of very large main lines in black color.

The basic question here is, with what logic and reasoning were these complex decorations formed on the dome and, of course, under and in its interior space? While their visual perception is very difficult and is not possible without armed eyes and at a great distance!!!

In fact, the visual elements in this mosque are symbolic and have a meaning other than what is received from it at first glance, and the purpose of this research is to deal with the reasons for their existence.

There are many interpretations of wisdom, each of which refers to different areas. However, Islamic art's interpretation of wisdom belongs to a sublime and holy realm and seeks to express supersensual and transcendental matters. In fact, its essence is conveying and presenting the divine message that is hidden in the bed of the symbolic secrets of art. The symbols in Islamic art do not have a decorative aspect and were not created according to the personal taste of the artist. In fact, they were not created with the sole purpose of beautifying works of Islamic art. On the other hand, these symbols do not have an earthly or material aspect. In fact, each of these symbols and symbols refer to points in the extraterrestrial world, and addressing the nature and inner meaning of these symbols will clarify the discussion of wisdom in Islamic art. The deepest meaning of wisdom, which is considered to be its core and fundamental principle, is "unity", it is unity that makes the subject of plurality in unity and unity in plurality so broad in Islamic art. Islamic art is an art that is the result of the religious thinking of Muslims. The mystical nature of this art is based on the Qur'an and then on the basis of religious rules, i.e. prophethood and imamate. Islamic art shows the light and beauty of God. By being in the unseen world and distancing himself from the material world, the artist reveals the secrets of the realm in the form of a work of art. In fact, the artist shows the beauty of God and the divine light like a mirror. Islamic architecture, as one of the greatest characteristics of Islamic art, has been able to institutionalize a huge part of the characteristics of Islamic art in the context of time and during various periods. Islamic architecture has a close relationship with the Islamic religion, which is a sign of belief in monotheism, faith and practice in the teachings and teachings of the Islamic religion. The mosque has always had a special place among different ethnic groups, and through the study of the art and architecture used in mosques, one can understand the importance of the role and position of this holy place, in fact, mosques are considered to be a prominent manifestation of Islamic architecture. The special architecture of the mosques and the decorations mixed with this architecture, each of them alone are examples of the unique artistry performed by the lovers of God in these spiritual places.. The special architecture of mosques and the decorations mixed with this architecture, each one alone are examples of the unique artistry that is done by the lovers of God in these spiritual places. Since Islamic art is the art of symbolism, without a doubt, each of the elements in the mosques follow an eternal and mystical message.

Among the Islamic mosques, Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque shines as a shining gem in the Islamic lands. Isfahan officially became the capital of the Safavid government in 1006 AH, and beautiful monuments from that era have been left in this city. Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque is one of the most beautiful religious buildings of the Safavid period. Since this mosque is closely related to the subject of the wisdom of Islamic art and it can connect with the confused human spirit and bring it to peace a little, it makes the research about this mosque necessary. In this research, the architecture and decorations of this mosque are discussed and the wisdom of each element and their relationship with the fundamental concepts and meanings of Islam is clarified. Also, in this research, an attempt has been made to discuss the connection between the decorations of the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque and the Abjad letters.

1-2 The importance of the research topic and the reasons for its selection

Given that Islamic art is formed with the aim of manifesting the fundamental concepts of the Islamic religion, and these concepts and teachings are inseparable from Islamic art, especially its mosques, and the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque among Islamic mosques fully follows all these teachings, hence the research and research In this context, it seems necessary.

1-3 research objectives

1. Investigating the meaning of wisdom in Islamic art based on Islamic mosques

2. Investigating the legal origins of the structure of Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque

3. Investigating the Islamic origins of Sheikh Lotfullah mosque decorations 1-4 research questions or hypotheses 1- Do the structure and decorations of Islamic mosques have a purely decorative aspect, or can they be attributed with religious concepts and purposes? What symbolic meaning do they follow? 3- The decorations used in Islamic mosques, especially the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque, in addition to the aesthetic aspect, refer to which of the teachings of Islam? 4- Are the decorations of the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque related to the Abjad letters? The language moved and spread to the literary text. In a short time, semiotics included any text and discourse and was used as a method for reading and analysis within the paradigm of text analysis. In the cultural and artistic circles of Iran, the semiotic discussion about Islamic and Iranian art has received special attention. Talking about the system of signs, especially in mosques, has always been and is the best approach to traditional Islamic art. According to Ferdinand de Saussure (1914-1839), one of the founders of semiotics, "a sign consists of two independent elements, the signifier and the signified." The signifier is the [visual or] phonetic image of the spoken word, and the signifier or meaning is what occurs in the audience's mind when hearing [or seeing] the signifier" (Zimran, 2013, pp. 8-9).  In this research, with the help of semiotics method, two main parts in mosques are discussed. At first, mosques are considered in terms of structural dimensions and signs such as dome shape, garlands, and courtyards are examined. Then, based on the decorative dimension, signs such as color, inscriptions, tile tiling and moqrans are discussed. Then we can determine the relationship between the signifier and the signified that exists in the semiotic study method. In fact, we can look at how these elements have a form, what is their signifier, from which source do they originate, and what are their wisdom meanings in Islamic culture and art.

So with the semiotic approach, the elements of the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque are determined and the wisdom hidden in these elements is examined from the perspective of Islamic art thinkers and researchers.

1-6 research method

The research method of this thesis is descriptive-analytical.               

1-7 Background of the research

Although Sheikh Lotfollah mosque has been the subject of many researches, but a research that deals with its structure and decorations from the point of view of wisdom of art and also examines its elements from the point of view of numbers and alphabets has not been done so far. Therefore, the following researches are mentioned here in connection with the background of the present thesis.