Sofalineh

Sofalineh

The Manifestation of the Name Ali in Applied Arts during the Timurid to Qajar Epochs

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Mahnaz Shayestehfar
Associate Professor, Department of Islamic Art, Faculty of Arts, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
The continuous support of Iranians for the Shia religion in the Timurid to Qajar periods caused prayers and hadiths related to imams to be a valuable subject for the occupation of calligraphers and inscribers; hence, the artists used these subjects to decorate practical objects and dishes such as plates, bowls, and candlesticks made of metal, marble, stone, wood and fabric. For this reason, in Islamic Iran from the 15th to 19th centuries (9th to 13th Hegira), Shi’ah themes gradually became the mainstay of artists' work. They used calligraphy and inscription in applied arts not only as a decorative element, but also as a tool to propagate and strengthen the high values of Shiism. Among the religious subjects used in the calligraphy of practical works of these historical periods, mentioning the name of Ali (PBUH), the first Imam of Shiites, is one of the examples of the association between art and religion. Mentioning his name alone or next to Allah, Mohammad (PBUH) and the Infallibles, two Shiite martyrdoms, the hadiths of the Prophet in his Manqbat, and parts of the graceful prayer of Nad-e Ali prayer are among the topics that not only show devotion to this holy Imam, but also reveals the tendency of Iranian towards the Shi’ah beleif. The method of data collection is documentary and library research and the method of organizing the article is descriptive, analytical and historical.
Research aims:

Investigating the differences and similarities of the appearance of the name Ali (PBUH) in the calligraphy of applied works from the Timurid to Qajar periods.
Exploring the reasons for the devotion of artists to choose themes in the portrait of Imam Ali (PBUH) considering his personality.

Research questions:

What is the position of calligraphy and inscription in Islamic art and its relationship with Shi’ah religion?
What are the subjects of the expressions in the description of Ali (PBUH) in the calligraphy of applied arts?
Keywords
Calligrapher
Ali (PBUH)
applied arts
Timurid period
Qajar period

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Sofalineh
Volume 1, Issue 2
September 2025
Pages 82-102