In this article, we will review three examples of saints' mausoleums by the Ni‘matullàhí Order in Iran: the first one is the shrine of Shàh Ni‘matullàh in Màhàn (near Kermàn), the second is the mausoleum of Mushtàq ‘Alíshàh in Kermàn, and the third is the mausoleum of Sultàn ‘Alíshàh and the other Masters of the Order in Baydukht, Gunàbàd.

  Analysis of these monuments may lead one to notice some of the subtleties of the architecture itself and the relation between the buildings and their function and meaning.

  The building of mausoleums and tombs in Iran started in the ninth century. Over the course of eleven centuries from the ninth to the twentieth, excluding the first century after the Mongol invasion, this type of building was constructed continuously in various styles.

  From a stylistic point, we can classify mausoleum architecture as having three major types: (1) tower mausoleums, (2) complex mausoleums, and (3) kiosk-like mausoleums. The first type was common during ninth to thirteenth centuries and the last two types were common during the fourteenth to nineteenth century. In the nineteenth century, constructing mausoleums was not as common, but monuments were restored and expanded.

  Each mausoleum typically contains one or more tombs, which belong to either a religious or a political figure. Before the Safavids, religious mausoleums used to include either Shi‘ite Imams or Sufi masters and saints. After the Safavids, the shrines of the Shi‘ite Imams were expanded and new mausoleums for descendants of the prophet and Shi‘ite Sufi saints were built.

  The largest mausoleums in Iran belong to Imam Rièà, Haèrat-e Ma‘sêmah and Shàh ‘Abd al ‘Aîím, all of whom are descendants of the prophet. Shàh Ni‘matullàh Walí's mausoleum is the biggest one after these. It is one of the three monuments that we are about to review in this article. In the last symposium, I presented an article entirely about this monument. Here I shall briefly review its physical development, so we will have more time for the two other monuments.

1. Màhàn, the shrine of Shàh Ni‘matullàh

  The shrine of Shàh Ni‘matullàh in Màhàn was founded during the Timurid period, in the fifteenth century. The construction of the shrine started almost immediately after the saint's death in 1431.

  The building of the shrine is a vast complex with many closed and open spaces. Although different patrons and architects built it in different phases through five centuries, it is perceived as an integrated complex. The complex has a linear order that is oriented towards the qiblah.

  The parts of the complex from West to East are: west forecourt and portal, Muåammad Shàhí court, Mír Dàmàd court, the central part of the complex, which consists of the domed sanctuary and the naves around it, Wakíl al-Mulkí court, and finally ‘Atàbakí court.

  The complex has an entrance at each of its two ends. No matter which entrance we choose to enter, we still must pass two caravanserai-like courts to reach the domed sanctuary and the tomb. To meet the holy tomb, the pilgrim has to pass these introductory spaces.

  The domed sanctuary was the first building erected on the site. The first phase of the complex development was building the Shàh ‘Abbàsí nave, in the west of the domed sanctuary, in the late sixteenth century, in the age of the Safavid king, Shàh ‘Abbàs I. At the second phase, they built the first court, named the Mír Dàmàd or Shàh ‘Abbàsí court in the west side of the nave. The court probably served as a caravanserai for pilgrims and Sufis. The third phase was accomplished two centuries later in the age of the Qàjàr king, Muåammad Shàh. The Muåammad Shàhí court was constructed on the west side of the previous court. This court is the old entrance of the complex from the old Kermàn road. In the late nineteenth century, the age of Nàæir al-Dín Shàh Qàjàr, another development occurred: (1) the building of the three other naves, which settle on the north, east, and south sides of the dome and form a U-shaped plan, probably replacing some older buildings, and (2) the building of the Wakíl al-Mulkí court, the most pleasant court of the complex, on the west side of the main building. Some years later, Amír Niîàm Garêsí, the ruler of Kermàn province in the early twentieth century, added a second story to the east side of the Wakíl al-Mulkí court.

  Through a vestibule on its east side, the Wakíl al-Mulkí court connects to the vastest and latest court of the complex, the ‘Atàbakí court, built by Mirzà ‘Ali ‘Asgharkhàn Atàbak A‘îam, the famous chancellor of three Qàjàr kings.

      Nobody can describe the architectural quality of any space as it is perceived by the one who is present in the space. This fact is especially true of this shrine complex. The use of several successive courts as different phases in the pilgrim's path to reach the heart of the complex; the holy tomb with its sky-colored dome; several naves that circumambulate around the holy point; the naves which are fine and at the same time pure and mysterious, as the saint himself; and the interior dome over the tomb, which impresses the soul as if one is ascending in company with the saint's spirit-all are among the architectural means which compatible with certain effects of Shàh Walí's spiritual presence in the shrine. The complex has no gildings, mirror works, or other luxurious ornaments; nevertheless, it is justly known as one of the most spiritual, splendid and purest religious, national and historical monuments in Iran.

2. Kermàn, Mushtàqiyah (the mausoleum of Mushtàq ‘Alíshàh)

  The building complex called Mushtàqiyah, located in the old part of Kermàn city. It contains the tomb of Mirzâ Muåammad Torbat Khoràsània famous Sufi sheikh of the Ni‘matullàhí Order. In the late eighteenth century, Mirzà became a disciple of Fayè ‘Alíshàh and his son Nêr ‘Alíshàh I, the master of the Order in the early Qàjàr period in Iran, who bestowed the Sufi title Mushtàq ‘Alíshàh upon Mirzà. Titles in the Order generally refer to the character of the person to whom the title is given. Therefore, the title of Mushtàq ‘Alíshàh can be regarded as an indication of his character as an eager lover of God. In 1791 or 1792 he, accompanied by his master, left Khoràsàn for the shrine of Shàh Ni‘matullàh as a pilgrim and to lead dervishes in Kermàn. In 1792, he was killed in Kermàn by a mob.

  Most likely, he was buried in a common cemetery in the city in a mud-brick building of a local governor's tomb. In 1831, a Sufi shaykh named Kawthar ‘Alíshàh died in Kermàn and was buried near the tomb of Mushtàq ‘Alíshàh. It was around 1844 when a Qàjàr princess, called Khàn Bàjí, who was a follower of Kawthar 'Alíshàh, replaced the simple mud-brick building by an elaborate one. It is notable that the mausoleum was built in the reign of Muåammad Shàh Qàjàr. He was the same king who developed the shrine of Shàh Ni‘matullàh, as well.

  The core of the Mushtàqiyah complex is a vast garden-like court, where the closed spaces are located at its north and south sides. The east and west walls of the court are transparent ones: simply colonnades, which subtly separate the court from its adjacent little gardens. The transparent walls make the court look more spacious and delightful.

  The southern side of the court has a one-story one-layer building, consisting of two small iwans and four small entrances, which are located symmetrically about a portal, which once was the main entrance of the complex.

  Looking at the court's plan, the north side is similar to the south one, but higher and more decorated. Furthermore, the elevated and colored domes above it make this elevation look more prominent.

  The main part of the complex, which is located at the north part of the site, does not have the order and pure geometry that was common in Islamic architecture, although each unit is fully ordered in itself.

  Analyzing it layer by layer, the design of the north side has four layers.

  The first layer consists of the aforementioned small iwans and corridors. The small iwans are the same size; but the middle one, which leads to Kawthar's tomb, has a more elaborate moqarnas vault.

  The second layer is symmetrical at its two ends, yet is not in the middle. Kawthar's dome, which is by far the most important space in the complex, is not on the axis of symmetry. This space is a domed sanctuary with solid proportions, a square base, and a double dome. The interior dome is a hemisphere decorated with an intersecting ribbed vault, moqarnas, and painting on plaster. The exterior dome is a high turnip dome with an octagonal base that stands out in the overall view of the complex. The room in the south of this sanctuary acts as the common entrance to both Kawthar's and Mushtàq's tombs.

  The third layer from west to east consists of: (A) a long corridor that leads to the court, (B) an octagonal space with cupola, (C) a space with two side-by-side cupolas, which is in fact a small mosque, (D) Mushtàq's sanctuary and (E) another corridor.

  The mosque carries a couple of cupolas decorated by beautiful ribbed vaults and moqarnas. The double side-by-side cupola design is unusual among the known mosque models in the history of Iranian architecture. The spatial composition of Mushtàq's domed sanctuary is similar to Kawthar's, but is smaller and less decorated. In the west side of Mushtàq's sanctuary, there is another domed mausoleum that belongs to a Sufi named Shaykh Ismà‘íl Haràtí. It is newer and simpler than the two other domes.

  The fourth layer consists of two corner patios and two vestibules between them. The utility and function of these patios are unknown. One of the vestibules reaches to the north portal and is a part of the north entrance system. The north portal, with moqarnas vault and tile inscription, is the most prominent physical element in the north elevation of the complex. The elevation has a beautiful and elaborate design, and are good examples of Qàjàr architecture.

3. Gunàbàd, Sulìàní Shrine Complex

  Baydukht, a village in Gonàbàd area of southern Khoràsàn, was the birthplace of the late Sulìàn ‘Alíshàh, master of the Ni‘matullàhí Order in the late Qàjàr period. In the spring of 1909, he was martyred in the court of his house. His son and successor, Nêr ‘Alíshàh, buried him on top of a hill near the village's cemetery. First, he leveled the top of the hill and made a court for the coming mausoleum. Then he built a small room over the tomb and a small Åusayniyyah in the west side of the court. Later, he built a caravanserai for Sufis and pilgrims at the foot of the hill. He also started to build a great sanctuary over the tomb, but while the first phases of construction were in progress in 1918, he was poisoned to death. His successors, Æàliå ‘Alíshàh and Rièà ‘Alíshàh, made every effort to complete the mausoleum complex, which was finished in 1927.

  We can identify three periods in the complex history: (1) the formation period, in the age of the late Nêr ‘Alíshàh; (2) the institution and consolidation period, in the age of the late Æàliå ‘Alíshàh; 3) "development and completion period", in the age of the late Rièà ‘Alíshàh.

  Æàliå ‘Alíshàh's main work was to complete the main building construction. He replaced the mud-brick building over the tomb by a great domed building. Then he decorated the mausoleum interior with delightful stucco and mirror works. Furthermore, he developed the Åusayniyyah founded by Nêr ‘Alíshàh in the west side of the court. Another important step was to supply water for the complex by a special subterranean canal (qanàt) for it. The project started in 1924 and finished in 1927. The water appeared in the south of the main court, in the forthcoming Kawthar court.

  Æàliå ‘Alíshàh added two courts to the complex: the Pàyín court in the north and the Kawthar court in the south of the main court, in a form similar to caravanserais with rooms for pilgrims. He put a circular pool in the center of the latter court, filled by the canal. He also ordered the building of a clock tower over the north court in 1966.

  It was the last year of Æàliå ‘Alíshàh's life. They buried him in the shrine, beside his grandfather. His son and successor, Rièà ‘Alíshàh, followed up on the shrine project. The third phase in the shrine development was to be started.

  The Åusayniyyah has a special position among religious buildings of the Ni‘matullàhí Order: it is a combination of khàniqàh and a place for Imam Åusayn's funeral commemoration. In the same period, the Åusayniyyah on the west side of the main court was developed. They built a special court for it, called Tikyah or Firdaws court in 1968.

  When the Pàyín court was constructed in the second period, Rièà ‘Alíshàh replaced a caravanserai built by the late Nêr ‘Alíshàh with a new court, named Jadíd court. He built a library in the south of this court in 1968. He also completed the mirror works in the mausoleum interior.

  Rièà ‘Alíshàh passed away in 1992 and is buried beside his father. Just five years later, his successor Maåbêb ‘Alíshàh died and was buried beside them. Therefore, the shrine contains the tombs of four Sufi masters of the Order, which increases its importance among Sufi monuments.

  The Sulìàni shrine complex has a linear composition, oriented toward kiblah. The three courts have such an arrangement: "Pâyin" court, "Bâlâ" (or main) court, and Kawthar court. The site has a northward slope, so a court has a higher level if it is on the south side of the other. Then Kawthar court has the highest and Pâyin court has the lowest level. Main entrance is in the north end with a portal in Pâyin court.

  No doubt, such a layout was on purpose: when a pilgrim passes the north portal and enters the lower court, he faces a charming view of the domed sanctuary. The pilgrim in his way to the domed sanctuary, where is the pilgrimage goal, must pass through the garden-like court and ascend the stairs between the two courts.

   Pàyín court has rooms in its north and west sides. The east side is a simple wall and the south one has some delightful small iwans and a staircase in the center. These rooms and iwans visually unify the court's three sides. Each side has a visual center, which in the north side is the aforementioned entrance portal.

  Levels of the main and Kawthar courts are not so different. The visual rhythms of their spaces are also similar, which unifies the two courts. It seems that each court is a combination of a vast caravanserai and a garden. The middle of each side elevation is made prominent by a greater and higher iwan. The central east side iwan in Kawthar court is the entrance portal of the court too. 

  The major physical aspect of the complex is its combination of several courts. In Iranian architecture, open space is often the main physical part of a design. This is true in complex and kiosk-like mausoleums, among them the Sulìàni complex, which recalls the composition of Shàh Ni‘matullàh's shrine complex.

  We have already reviewed the major architectural aspect in the shrine complex of Shàh Ni‘matullàh: its linear composition of several courts. Such a linear composition did not occur elsewhere except in just one case: the Sulìàní shrine complex in Baydukht, built roughly five centuries after the shrine complex of Shàh Ni‘matullàh.

  The people buried in the shrine, who also founded it, were all the successors of Shàh Ni‘matullàh. They certainly built the complex according to a template: the shrine complex of their holly predecessor. They modified the template, which originally was designed for a plane site, for a slope, by putting courts on different levels in a stair-like composition. The similarity between the two, which are the most prominent Sufi building complexes in Iran, is interesting. Therefore, the Sulìàní complex is the climax in the history of Sufi architecture in the last two centuries.

  Comparing the Sulìàní shrine architecture to typical mausoleum patterns in the history of Iranian architecture, we can see another prominent aspect: it seems that all of the three types are gathered in its design. Firstly, it is a complex mausoleum. Secondly, the position of the single main building in the middle of an open space shows a similarity to kiosk-like type. Finally, the building itself is similar to a single tower mausoleum.

  The complex construction was started in the late Qàjàr period and was consolidated its final character in the early Pahlavi period when Iranian traditional architecture was being replaced by an eclectic one. Therefore, some confusion and disorder in its design is not surprising.

  Nevertheless, the overall composition is based on a one thousand year experience of Iranian architecture. It is a successful combination of Iranian mausoleum, caravanserai, khàniqàh, Åusayniyyah, school, and mosque. Rooms, small entrances, and class chambers have delightful settings. The continuation of the traditional architecture is reflected in frequent small iwans that are connected to make arcades, the composition of brick and plaster and sometimes tile-work in the courts' revetments, the ribbed and moqarnas vaults in the portals, familiar ornaments in the domed sanctuary, and above all, the charming entrance portals.

  Can we regard the continuation of this physical tradition as a symbol of the continuity of the spiritual tradition that the masters of the ìaríqah have been its patrons and messengers?