Orientation Towards Qibla in Iranian Mosques: The Confrontation of Elements

A deciding factor in the design of a mosque is the direction of the qibla. The qibla is directed toward theKaaba, which marks a fixed direction of prayer for Muslims worldwide. The mosque adjacent to Prophet’s houseis credited with the earliest attempt at qibla-orientation, which was based on the canopy. Later on, the orientationwould be determined through the courtyard direction. However, Iranian architecture has employed several otherways to orientate towards qibla, thanks to its specific elements that differ from those of Arabian architecture. Thefirst mosques in Iran were formed through modifying the earlier chahar-taqi buildings. Yet, several other originalmosque designs also emerged as Iranian architecture was dynamic and constantly evolving. The three elements ofthe “dome,” “iwan,” and “courtyard” have interacted with each other within Iranian mosques. This paper focuseson the role and implications of these three elements for qibla-orientation. As a primary research, it combinesexploratory and descriptive-analytical approaches to study and examine various Iranian mosques from differentperiods. The results suggest that the courtyard was less influential than the other two elements in the mosques inshabestani, one-iwan and two-iwan plans. However, with the advent of the four-iwan scheme, the courtyard tookon the primary role in the pre-Safavid mosques. Mosques would begin to develop a more centripetal organizationin the Safavid period, when the courtyard and iwan, placed opposite to the direction of qibla, assumed a morecritical role.