2026/05/19 by Reza Masoudi Nejad
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Architecture and Cultural Influences #Global Maritime and Colonial Histories #Islamic Studies and History
paper · pdf · doi:10.1017/irn.2026.10158
crossref issued 2026/05/19 · crossref published 2026/05/19 · crossref published-online 2026/05/19 · openalex created_date 2026/05/19 · openalex publication_date 2026/05/19 · crossref created 2026/05/19 · crossref deposited 2026/05/19 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22 · crossref indexed 2026/07/30
Abstract This article examines the Iranian mosque in Mumbai, known as Mughal Masjid, built in the 1860s by a Shirazi master mason for the Shirazi diaspora community, as a lens through which to reconsider the stereotype of the Iranian mosque. Conceived as a garden mosque, it combines the architectural traditions of mosques in the southern Zagros region with the spatial ambience of a Shirazi garden. With a survey of mosques across the southern Zagros, the article shows that historical mosques in this region are typically domeless, hypostyle structures, challenging the stereotype of the Iranian mosque defined by domes and monumental minarets. The article also critiques the stylistics of Mohammad-Karim Pirnia, arguing that nationalist historiography and colonial scholarship advance different narratives yet share a meta-narrative and epistemology that obscure regional diversity and marginalize Qajar architectural significance.