Journal of Researches in Islamic Architecture

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One of the most important problems in mosques designing is the quality of geometries and spaces which are appropriate for using in these religious buildings. It is obvious that one of the best references for studying this issue is Islamic teachings which are derived from verses and hadith. So, for responding to this question that what are the geometries and spaces which are appropriate for using in contemporary Tehran mosques, all religious texts such as holy Quran and Shia Imams remarks have been investigated. To achieve to the purposes of this research, thematic analysis method has been used for religious texts analyzing. This method is a simple and efficient way to explain patterns in the qualitative data. Using this method, in the first stage, all hadiths and verses which there is the word of “Masjid” or “Masjids” in them - that were about 15,000 ones - were studied. Then those of them which didn’t have effective relation with mosque architecture were omitted and the others were analyzed. Based on analysis of these hadiths and verses three types of code were subsumed. In the first level, descriptive codes were inferred which are the codes that are obvious and unequivocal. In the second level, interpretative codes were inferred which are latent and non-transparent and finally in the third level, pervasive codes were inferred which are the codes that comparing to two other types, have the most comprehensiveness. In this research, after deduction and classification of triple types of codes, the network of themes has inferred this network includes all pervasive codes that have classified hierarchically. In fact, this network provides the conceptual framework for mosques designing. Moreover, according to the requirements of the various stages of this research, for gathering data, archival research method has been used mostly meanwhile the authors have used logical argumentation method in analysis step and judgment of data (For example, the network of pervasive themes has deducted by logical argumentation method). The following, regarding to the importance of pervasive themes network, manufacturer principles of this network are cited: - Balance in permeability in mosques - Use of abstract geometries and patterns (in association with natural shapes and icons) - Use of geometries with clear boundaries for spaces separating - Attending to human scale in mosques - Use of axial and polar geometries - Application of uniform and pure geometries in mosques - Attending to the spatial hierarchy - The necessity of observing the simplicity in mosque - Attending to the mosque legibility for pedestrians - Attending to multi functionalism - Attending to the traditions and methods of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) and Imams (AS) in the construction of mosques - The necessity of preserving Islamic identity and avoiding the imitation of other cultures in physical design of the mosques - Change in original physical patterns of mosques in certain circumstances - Use of convergent, balanced and introversive geometries and forms in mosques In the last part of this research, different contemporary mosques in Tehran were selected to be evaluated according to 14 above principles. The quality of selection was based on some valid researches that formerly have been done for Tehran mosques typology. According to these researches, totally six mosques were selected that three ones of them are designed in traditional style and the others are designed innovative. Based on the results of this research and regarding to 14 above principles, to establish the appropriateness of the appearance and conscience in contemporary Tehran mosques, use of converged, static, balanced and generally introverted geometries and spaces is necessary and contrary to what is seen in some contemporary Tehran mosques over recent years, diverging and extroverted geometries and spaces are not suitable for this problem. But unfortunately and according to findings of this research, these features are less respected in Tehran innovative contemporary mosques compared to Tehran traditional contemporary mosques.

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Each researcher while studying about a specific issue is influenced by certain philosophical foundations for the research process. These foundations are such as glasses that in fact, researcher looks at research topic from behind it. In scientific communities, these foundations are introduced with the term of «paradigm» which indicates researcher›s approach about issues such as ontological, epistemological and especially methodological assumptions. For example, researchers who believe in objective and positivistic approach, merely accept empirical methods as valid scientific methods and because of non-compliance with the objective oriented philosophical basis, know narrative or non-testable citations as invalid citations. In this article, in addition to introducing approaches (paradigms) affecting architecture and urbanism studies (including two objective and relative approaches), using logical-argumentative method, critique of them from the perspective of Islamic teachings (including philosophical and narrative teachings and etc.) is presented. During these critiques it is shown that neither of two objective and relative approaches does not provide acceptable foundations for applying in architecture and urbanism studies and both of them report only some parts of the truth with a reductive orientation. Accordingly, the strategy used in the body of this article, is a critical strategy which through it, these two approaches foundations are criticized from an Islamic perspective. Meanwhile in the conclusion by comparative comparison of these approaches, Islamic approache is explained too.
Most critiques of the objective approach are the results of this fact that this approach reduces research methods to experimental or empirical methods. Of course from Islamic perspective, empirical method is approved and this issue is discussed in some Quranic verses such as this verse: «Allah brought you out of your mothers› wombs, and gave you hearing, sight and hearts, in order that you be thankful» (Sura 16/ Verse 78). But in some other verses such as this verse, reduceing the methods to empirical methods is negated: «And when you said to Moses: ‹We will not believe in you until we see Allah openly, ‹ a thunderbolt struck you whilst you were looking» (Sura 2/ Verse 55). In addition, objective approach does not provide a reasonable analysis about the principle of causality and neglects the impact of non-material factors on material factors. But this impact has been discussed in numerous verses of the holy Quran such as these verses: «Had the people of the villages believed and been cautious, we would have opened upon them the blessings from heaven and earth. But they belied, and we seized them for what they earned» (Sura 7/ Verse 96); «Whosoever fears Allah, He will appoint for him a way out and provide for him from where he does not expect, Allah is sufficient for whosoever puts his trust in Him. Indeed, Allah brings about whatever He decrees. Allah has set a measure for all things» (Sura 65/ Verses 2-3).
On the other hand, most critiques of the relative approach are the results of this fact that this approach neglects of a non-relative truth which is called «fetrat: nature» that exists in all human beings: «Be devoted to the upright religion. It is harmonious with the nature which Allah has designed for people. The design of Allah cannot be altered. Thus is the upright religion, but many people do not know» (Sura 30/ Verses 30).
After evaluating the relative and objective approaches, in conclusion chapter, the Islamic approach is explained. According to the results of this chapter, from the Islamic view, the relation between researcher and the subject of research depends on the nature of the subject. So that in some subjects (especially descriptive and experimental subjects) independence of researcher and in others (especially normative subjects) interaction between researcher and subject is required. In addition, in conclusion chapter, topics such as foundations, resources and research levels in three cited approaches (objective, relative and Islamic approaches) are investigated.

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Islamic texts have significant capacities in various fields of human knowledge. Among the issues raised in these religious texts is architecture and its features that on this basis, till now, some researches have been done on the Islamic architecture.
One of the main problems which have been considered during recent decades (especially in the field of urban development) is development pattern which can be classified into two main patterns: horizontal development pattern and vertical development pattern. But due to various problems, in recent decades, in most cities especially in metropolises, vertical development pattern has spread increasingly. According to the above descriptions, in this research this problem is studied from the perspective of Islamic teachings (especially Shiite jurisprudence) and so, the main problem that is investigated in this article is desirability or non-desirability of residential buildings vertical development in Islamic city.
          The research method which is used in this article is a compound method. In this way, according to the features of the various stages of this research, for gathering data, archival research method is used meanwhile logical-argumentative research and qualitative content analysis in analysis step and judgment of data has been used. In this way, propositions (especially the jurisprudential hadiths) that directly or indirectly are related to the problem of this research have been extensively investigated using qualitative content analysis method and then, using the resultant of propositions analysis by logical-argumentative method, the research findings are concluded.
According to these findings, because of various Islamic reasons (such as visual dominance and some of Imams traditions like star sightings and etc.) apartment and vertical development pattern is not desirable in Islamic cities especially for residential buildings.