Analysis of the correlation between the artless approach in traditional Iranian architecture and the use of the word "poor" in mystical poems

Abstract Traditional arts of Iran point to common themes in different manifests, and the study of the relevant judgmental discussion reveals the intellectual unity between the artists of these works and the formation of these arts in the mysticism context. According to investigations of some arts, including miniature, architecture, calligraphy, and so forth, artists of these works either remain unknown or use the surname “poor” to introduce themselves. Therefore, a question arises here: is there any relationship between the term "poor" used by architects of Iranian traditional buildings and the position of poverty in mysticism? Regarding the effect of mystical themes on the creation of traditional artwork, it seems that the appellation of the architect’s name with the term “poor” mysteriously refers to the mystical moods of the architect. The purpose of this qualitative study with an inductive approach is terminology of the term “poor” used in inscriptions of Iranian traditional monuments examining its possible relationship with the mystical worlds. In this study, analysis indicators are extracted based on qualitative content analysis and coding the transcripts then the indicators derived from the mystic poems are validated based on the narrative interpretation. The term "poor" used in the inscriptions of architectural monuments was then analyzed based on rational reasoning. According to the results, the surname of the architect indicating the term "poor" in the inscriptions found in traditional monuments is related to the position of poverty in the mystical world, and artists of the traditional world (masters) were mystics who reached the status of unseen witnesses and could see the mystical world. With such spiritual conduct, the mystic architect made its architectural work a field for contemplation and reflection revealing a world beyond the terrestrial senses.