ANALYZING SPIRITUAL MESSAGES IN THE GEOMETRIC AND NUMERIC PATTERNS OF SHEIKH LOTFOLLAH MOSQUE BASED ON ISLAMIC COSMOLOGY
Negar Hakim, Mehrsa Payandeh, Azadeh Haririb
ABSTRACT
The Safavid era marked a pivotal period in the evolution of Islamic Architecture in Iran. During this time, architectural styles moved beyond mere physical structures to embody profound spiritual concepts. These buildings conveyed specific mystical ideas through encoded messages, often using numerical symbolism, all aimed at evoking a sense of eternity. This study seeks to compare the divine concepts found in Islamic cosmology with the numerical ratios used in the design of the Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque. Through a descriptive-analytical approach, the research examined library resources and conducted field research to understand how numerical patterns in the mosque’s architecture relate to philosophical concepts in Islamic cosmology. The findings reveal a consistent use of numbers such as ‘8’ and ‘9’ in various aspects of the mosque’s design. These represent of mystical ideas associated with the eighth and ninth heavenly spheres, known as Ālam al-Malakūt in Islamic cosmology.