Document Type : Research Paper
Author
Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, Jundi-Shapur University of Technology, Dezful, Iran.
Abstract
Introduction: Decorations in Islamic architecture are rich in meanings and symbols. Muslim artists have sought to express the intellectual and spiritual concerns of their time, as well as the wishes of rulers and jurists, through architectural decoration. In doing so, they have drawn on mystical teachings, jurisprudence, and religious interpretations, using elements such as geometry, color, hierarchy, and motifs. Hikmat al-Ishraq (The Philosophy of Illumination), with its particular emphasis on the meanings and symbolism of light, offers a framework for understanding the representation of light in architecture. This approach can be observed in the use of light and geometry and in certain motifs derived from divine verses, such as mesh and glass. The term Ishraq literally means “rising,” particularly the rising of the sun, although “illumination” is its more common translation. Suhrawardi used the term in a broader sense to encompass mystical experience and different forms of knowledge, including Elham, or personal inspiration. Among the distinctive forms of Islamic architectural ornamentation, muqarnas is particularly important. Used in domes, half-domes, entrances, and niches, muqarnas consists of a complex three-dimensional arrangement of niche-like units organized in tiers. In addition to its decorative and structural functions, it creates transitions between architectural elements and contributes to the spiritual and aesthetic experience of space. Historically, muqarnas emerged in the tenth century in the Middle East, possibly in Iran or North Africa, and subsequently spread across the Islamic world, appearing in mosques, madrasas, palaces, and mausoleums from Morocco to India. It was constructed from materials such as plaster, wood, stone, and brick. Its intricate geometric patterns reflect the Islamic emphasis on geometry, unity, and the infinite nature of creation. Beyond its visual beauty, muqarnas symbolizes the connection between the earthly and the divine. Its layered, downward-pointing forms are often interpreted as a metaphysical descent of heavenly order into the material world, making muqarnas a hallmark of Islamic architectural identity in which art, faith, and geometry converge.
Purposes & Questions: This research analyzes muqarnas as one of the significant structural and ornamental features of post-Islamic architecture. Beyond its aesthetic and geometric complexity, the study examines the symbolic meanings embedded in its form through the framework of Illuminationist philosophy developed by Shihab al-Din Suhrawardi. It explores how the layered, ascending arrangement of geometric units in muqarnas reflects metaphysical concepts such as the gradation of lights, the soul’s ascent toward the divine, and the manifestation of higher realities in material form. The interplay of light and shadow within the structure is also examined as a metaphor for the journey from darkness, understood as ignorance, toward light, understood as knowledge, a central theme in Illuminationist cosmology. The main research question is: How does the arrangement and geometric configuration of elements in muqarnas reflect the philosophical concepts of Suhrawardi’s Illuminationist philosophy?
Methods: The research employs a comprehensive analytical and comparative approach, combining simulation-based methods, formal and geometric analysis, and case study discussions. A comparative framework is used to examine the relationship between theoretical concepts and their physical manifestation in architectural structures. Data were collected from primary and secondary sources. Primary data were obtained through direct field observations, allowing firsthand examination of architectural elements in their actual contexts. Secondary data were gathered through library research and the analysis of relevant documentary sources, including academic publications, historical texts, and architectural records. The collected material was analyzed to clarify the relationship between architectural form and the philosophical concepts associated with Illuminationist philosophy and to support the study’s objectives through qualitative and quantitative evidence.
Findings & Results: The findings indicate that muqarnas possesses meanings and functions that extend far beyond its physical or decorative role in architecture. It is not merely an ornamental feature but a symbolic element carrying layers of philosophical and metaphysical significance. In particular, muqarnas resonates with the conceptual framework of light articulated in Ishraqi philosophy by Shihab al-Din Suhrawardi, in which light is regarded as the fundamental principle of existence and as the medium through which knowledge and divine presence are conveyed. Within this philosophical context, the structure of muqarnas can be interpreted as a spatial metaphor for the descent of light from the divine realm to the material world. Moreover, the symbolic form of muqarnas evokes the presence of a Nabi (prophet) and a Vāseṭ-e-Fayz (intermediary of divine grace), emphasizing its role as a bridge between the transcendent and the earthly. Thus, muqarnas is not only a geometric or decorative element but also a spiritually charged structure that embodies theological and cosmological meanings in Islamic thought.
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