INVESTIGATING PANTHEISM IN IRAN’S ISLAMIC ART (CASE STUDY: ORNAMENTATION OF ASNAQ MOSQUE)

Abstract

One of the main topics of discussion of philosophy is the link between the perceptible worldand heavenly world2 and mosques are a place when religious beliefs in the form of symbolsthat display the link between art and religion. Since the beginning of creation, temples havebeen crucially significant and that is why they have led to emergence of the most advancedtechniques in architecture. In fact, mosques have created the sacred art and this type of artis based on allegories and exemplifications and is built upon pantheism. This ultimately hasled to creation of the philosophy of unity in diversity and diversity in unity in all Islamicaspects which is manifested in many works of art. The present study aims to recognize thearchitectural ornaments of Asnaq mosque and their association with the dominantphilosophical thinking. The question that rises here is that: in which elements of Asnaqmosque have the sacred notions and spiritual identities been manifested? In this article, byreferring to written historical sources and by using the field study method and a descriptive– analytical approach, it has been attempted to initially review the architectural ornamentsof Asnaq mosque and then to philosophically decode these ornaments and symbols. Thisarticle also aims to establish a connection between philosophy and art in Asnaq mosque.Ultimately, the result obtained from this research will show that manifestation of god innature is the origin of Islamic art and architectural ornaments of Asnaq mosque areindicative of the oneness of god.