Chapter 2: Dr. Mohammad Taqi Hashemian
Factors in the Flourishing and Endurance of Iranian Culture and Art
What has most significantly contributed to the flourishing and enduring nature of Iranian culture and art, and deepened the semantic significance of the cultural and artistic elements of this nation’s people, is the existence of a profound and comprehensive worldview. This worldview is centered on religiosity, and its grace and honor have cast a shadow over all Iranian artistic and cultural works like a verdant plain. Islam’s eternal gift to humanity has been a vast and comprehensive human civilization that has forever served as a beacon for humanity. This civilization emerged at a time when the world was shrouded in darkness and people were misguided. The most important and primary characteristic of Islamic civilization is the authenticity and richness of Islamic culture. In this civilization, the Holy Quran has become the center of codified religious literature and the fundamental point of knowledge and learning. Following the Quran are the words and teachings of the Prophet, known as the Sunnah, and subsequently the teachings of the Imams and religious scholars. It is through the utilization of this characteristic that Muslims, particularly Iranians, were able to possess an authentic, vast, and profound culture in the very first century of the Islamic era, even before the transfer of knowledge from others.
A hallmark of this Islamic civilization and its wisdom is that it not only pays attention to the rational, tangible world but also invites humanity to a realm beyond. It teaches that human happiness lies in spiritual elevation, not material advancement. To facilitate this spiritual journey, it provides humanity with tools and instruments. It also emphasizes the importance of reason and the Islamic worldview, urging individuals to pursue this goal with knowledge, understanding, and righteous actions.
Another distinguishing feature of Islamic civilization—particularly prominent in Iran—is its emphasis on knowledge and scholarship. Islam has, from its inception, promoted the pursuit of knowledge, making it obligatory for every individual. It encourages scholars to educate students and to expand the frontiers of knowledge and culture.
Various factors have contributed to the flourishing of Iranian culture and civilization, making it difficult to pinpoint them all. Islam has been the most significant driving force behind Iranian civilization and continues to be a fundamental element, providing an enduring foundation.
Islamic culture and civilization are authentic and grounded in the Quran and Sunnah. This authenticity was evident from the very first century. However, alongside these core principles, the vast conquests of the early Islamic period brought Muslims into contact with various ancient civilizations and cultures. Islamic society became a crossroads of these civilizations, and nascent Islamic culture, in addition to its rich spiritual heritage, inherited the legacies of these diverse civilizations. It is crucial to note that Islamic civilization, while inheriting the cultures of the East and West, did not merely imitate or continue them. Instead, it synthesized and complemented these traditions. The four primary centers that influenced Muslims were Iran, Egypt (Alexandria), Syriac centers, and India.
Iran, prior to the advent of Islam, was a center of a brilliant civilization. Despite a hierarchical social system, it was a hub of knowledge and learning. Notable academic centers during the Sassanian era included cities like Madain, Gondeshapur, and Rey. The Persians had made significant advancements in various fields such as music, medicine, mathematics, and astronomy, thanks to their interactions with the East and West, and nations like the Indians, Babylonians, and those from Asia Minor. In the Sassanian era, mathematics and astronomy were particularly emphasized, as evidenced by the astronomical tables used by Islamic astronomers. Additionally, there were libraries containing numerous books in Pahlavi and Greek.
When Islam entered the Iranian civilization, it affirmed many of the existing religious teachings and beliefs, refining and spiritualizing them. As a result, Iran’s cultural and artistic trajectory after the advent of Islam continuously progressed, serving as a model for the Muslim world. Consequently, all Iranian cultural and artistic works created during the Islamic period, owing to their profound religious worldview, possess a unique solidity, coherence, and grandeur.
Another influential factor in the flourishing and enduring nature of Iranian culture and art is geography, which has influenced the formation, pace of development, and diverse manifestations of the civilization. The Iranian plateau is a triangle between the Persian Gulf in the south and the Caspian Sea in the north. The Alborz mountain range, with Mount Damavand as its highest peak, runs along the northern part of the plateau. This mountain range extends to western Azerbaijan. In addition to fertile land, the Iranian plateau is rich in minerals, metals, and timber, giving it a competitive advantage over its neighbor, Mesopotamia, and fostering economic growth.
Given that Iran, in the past, encompassed a vast territory extending from India in the east to North Africa in the west, with numerous peoples periodically under its central government, examining the impact of geography on its civilization and culture is complex. To conduct a more comprehensive analysis, we will limit our scope to Iran in the late Sassanian period.
