Explanation of the optimal solutions and strategies for the realization of the five principles of mosque-oriented, education-oriented, neighborhood-oriented, introversion, and nature-oriented in the architecture of mosques-schools based on Shia tradi

The Shi‘a teachings originated from the Holy Quran and the Infallibles’ sayings have presented certain conceptual and practical strategies as principles beyond time and place, which are exploitable. One of the architectural and urban places reflecting the ideology of the ruling systems is mosque-school. Since, with a review of the studies conducted, the effect of the most important principles of the Islamic-Iranian architecture (mosque-centrism, education-centrism, district-centrism, introversion and naturalism) on the body of architecture of the mosque-schools have not been clarified, this study explains the desired solutions and strategies of the five principles extracted from the Shiite sources based on the Infallibles’ traditions as the most important principles of the Islamic-Iranian architecture. In this article, the Shi‘a traditions serve as the independent variable affecting the structure of the mosque-schools as the dependent variable. This study aims at identifying the values and principles of the Islamic-Iranian architecture, describing the ways to realize them in the architecture of mosque-schools based on the Shi‘a traditions. The research method is qualitative-quantitative (compound) in type of data, descriptive-analytical from the viewpoint of type of results, and historical-interpretive in its approach. The aforementioned five principles were seen of great priority, for the experts, among the most important principles of Islamic-Iranian principles of architecture and urban planning based on the Shi‘a traditions in the in early studies. For explaining the desired strategies and solutions, these five principles were analyzed in four historical mosque-schools selected purposefully from Islamic periods (Saljuqids, Teymurids, Safavids and Qajars).