A STUDY ON SIMILE AND PURIFICATION IN THE “PHILOSOPHY OF DECORATION” OF IRANIAN ISLAMIC ART (FROM IBN ARABI’S POINT OF VIEW, WITH EMPHASIS ON TWO BRICKLAYING INSCRIPTIONS FROM THE DOME OF TAJ-AL-MOLK, THE GRAND MOSQUE OF ISFAHAN IN THE SELJUK PERIOD OF THE 5-6TH CENTURY AH)

Abstract

Statement of the problem. Iranian Islamic art refers to the works of culture and civilization of the Iranian Muslim nation in the Islamic era. It has properties and descriptions, which in its thinking and epistemological nature, have a different language from simile and purification and are associated with a rich philosophy called "decoration" based on spiritual manifestations. According to the type of subject, nature and method, this research is descriptive and analytical. Through documents, libraries and field observations, various data were collected by examining the principles and components of simile and purification with emphasis on Ibn Arabi’s point of view, analyzing how the Muslim artist used and his goals of employing the combination of the two components in the philosophy of decoration, and also recognizing the sacred geometric patterns in Iranian Islamic art (with a sample of studies on two geometric inscriptions from the dome of Taj Al-Molk in Isfahan Grand Mosque). Results. The analysis of the data and the results show that since "decoration" means the refinement and separation of the individual from his/her individuality, and "simile and purification" , as a mystical approach, has led to the formation of a special language in the structure of Iranian art; therefore, in the philosophy of decoration, the mystic artist has used it as a tool to manifest the beauty and perfection of God in forms through the embodiment of unity and expressed his/her immediate and intuitive perception of his/her inner journey without relying on material concepts or purely aesthetic perceptions to manifest the idea of the holy by using symbol and irony in simile and purification. He/she decodes and expresses the most exalted realities of creation and the actual concept of real unity in a mental state, in material and abstract forms, and geometric patterns to be understood by all. His/her art in all its aspects has been based on the monotheism of wisdom and on the emanation issued by the Divine speech. In fact, in his/her art, the Iranian Islamic artist combines the two principles of beauty and spirituality with " simile and purification" in the " philosophy of sacred decoration " and manifests the " sacred art ".