The Spirit of Time and Lighting in Religious Spaces Case Study: Sheikh Lotf Allah Mosque in Isfahan, Iran

Sheikh Lotf Allah mosque is the most beautiful and splendid building in Isfahan that built in Saffavi age. The style of lighting is unique and there is an exact relation between time and light in designing the spaces. The mosque is a space for praying and gathering for Moslems and the religious identity reached its zenith during the Prayer. The aim is to investigate the concatenation of light, kinds of light that enter to spaces and decorations that connected with time and light. The type of Lights is based on Suhrawardiʹs Thoughts. The methodology involves personal natural observation and Documentary methods. In the rising time of the sun, the scintillations of sun illuminate Shams Sura on rim of dome and in the going down time it illuminates the Lail Sura. Shams mean sun and Lail mean night in Koran. The mosque related 45 degree from the east part of Naqsh-e Jahan square because of pray time and Mecca. It caused visitors passed the dark entrance and entered to central space after a long corridor. This building and its spaces are alive and singular forever and the durability secret of mosque is forever identity and timeless way of constructing.