Chapter 1: Dr. Mohammad Sadegh Mahfouzi
Divinity and Religiosity in Iranian Culture and Art
If a subject or phenomenon exists in all societies, civilizations, religions, and climates, and its formation is somehow influenced by their worldview and thought, then that subject or phenomenon can be attributed in each society to a quality that reflects the thought and worldview of that society or civilization. Many subjects and phenomena are also attributed to a quality that indicates a specific geographical location. In such cases, a particular geographical name evokes specific cultural and worldview foundations. Moreover, some geographical areas, due to their specific and different climatic, environmental, and historical conditions, can serve as a local interpretation of a subject. For example, speaking of Iranian architecture, in addition to indicating the thoughts, worldview, and beliefs that influenced the formation of Iranian architecture before or after Islam, also expresses a spatial interpretation of the principles of those thoughts, worldview, and beliefs that responded to the needs and climatic and environmental conditions.
It is evident that human creations, including architecture and urban planning, are deeply interconnected with culture and worldview. Some argue that Islam lacked the capacity for art, particularly architecture and urban planning, and that these cannot be attributed to an Islamic identity. Their argument is that the Arab Muslims, who conquered other lands, had no prior artistic or architectural traditions, and thus the architecture and art of the conquered territories were simply labeled as Islamic. For instance, the four-iwan structure was renamed a dome, and palaces were transformed into administrative buildings. The fundamental flaw in this argument is the equation of ‘Islam’ with ‘Arab.’ This assumption is clearly incorrect.
Another significant error in this thinking is the belief that, like those who attribute the architectural and artistic legacy of Muslim-ruled lands to Islam, every art form requires a fixed, physical, and material model. This notion is entirely incorrect and contradicts the spirit of Islam and its teachings, which emphasize eternal principles rather than fixed, material forms for human life across all times and places. Proponents of this view argue that since certain architectural elements, such as the four-iwan structure, were adopted from non-Muslim cultures like Persia, Islam cannot be credited with any artistic or architectural contributions. They believe that anything with a specific form, such as an arch or dome, is inherently Islamic. However, Islam presents principles that are interpreted and embodied in different ways across time and place.
What truly matters are unity, justice, balance, harmony, respect for human dignity, the reminder of the artistic creation, and the primacy of spirituality over materiality, as well as human liberation from ignorance. In other words, as Dr. Nedimi argues, architecture is a clear manifestation of the ontology, values, and identity of the culture to which the architect belongs. When attributing a specific style or work to a particular worldview, culture, or nation, one should seek to understand the underlying principles and meanings, rather than focusing on the superficial appearance and physical form. This is an unrealistic expectation and has no precedent in history. No religion, ideology, or worldview has ever unilaterally created fixed, physical models and imposed them on the various aspects of their followers’ lives in different places and times. Instead, each worldview presents fundamental principles and values, and it is the followers and believers who apply these principles to materials, tools, forms, laws, sciences, and arts. Although individuals have always focused on a small part of the earth, they have universally believed that there is a standard range of temperature and humidity for human habitation, and that deviating from this range would undermine human capacity, body, soul, society, civilization, and culture. Throughout history, all human societies have thought and constructed their homes and cities based on these climatic and spatial conditions.
In fact, these [architectural and artistic creations] were not brought into existence by a specific Muslim group or individual. Rather, they emerged as a result of the prevalence and influence of Islamic thought, which, due to specific temporal and spatial conditions, may have manifested as localized and temporally specific interpretations.
Given that art and architecture are fundamentally linked to culture and worldview, and that they serve as expressions of a society’s identity, it is undeniable that Islam has a profound connection with Iranian art and architecture. In other words, the Islamic character of Iranian art and architecture is indisputable.
It is important to note that although Iranian art, architecture, and historical cities have been characterized as Islamic, even if their design principles are entirely derived from Islamic teachings, we cannot and should not consider their physical manifestations and spatial relationships, which may have lost relevance or significance in the modern era, as fixed, uniform, and immutable Islamic models. Rather, it is more appropriate to refer to them as “works of the Islamic period.”
Firstly, it is worth noting that all of Iran’s past artistic works exhibit a deep appreciation for empirical sciences, an understanding of scientific laws, and a profound love for nature, existence, and the divine, which is beautifully intertwined with all forms of beauty. This artistic characteristic, in addition to architecture, is evident in thousands of years of sublime poetry, in pottery that rivals Chinese and Greek work, in metalwork, and in unparalleled mastery of carpet weaving. Not to mention paintings, miniature paintings, and other forms of bookmaking and book decoration. The exquisite designs found in carvings, calligraphy, and tile work further demonstrate this love of beauty. This beauty, as Professor Pope has observed, is truly noteworthy and must be preserved. Indeed, beauty is a celestial and divine attribute that has been universally recognized and affirmed through specific practices and customs.
