In this article, the role of sacred numbers in the wise foundation of Islamic art, as used in traditional art, is examined. A comprehensive and in-depth examination of sacred numbers, whose significance arises from their application in the designs, symbols, and patterns of this traditional culture. The sacred numbers in Islamic art are not only known as the figures that are valid in mathematics but also as spiritual and religious symbols. These numbers include numbers such as one, two, three, six, eight, nine, ten, and twelve, which are repeated in the Qur’an, hadiths, and other sacred Islamic texts. However, the value of these numbers is also related to the pre-Islamic centuries in Iran. So how these numbers are used in Islamic art symbols is examined. In Islamic art, sacred numbers are considered symbols of religious and philosophical values. In this article, examples of the use of sacred numbers in architecture, music, calligraphy, and Islamic art painting are presented. These examples show that sacred numbers are used in art designs and patterns to represent Islamic religious and philosophical values and convey to the viewer deep messages. The purpose of this article is to express the importance and use of sacred numbers in Islamic art to show that these numbers have been used as symbols of spiritual and religious values in designs, symbols, and patterns of Islamic art. This article has been conducted qualitatively using a descriptive-analytical method. The data have also been collected from library sources, scientific research articles, and reputable internet sites. The statistical population of this article is collected images of buildings and works that are formed and built through sacred numbers in Islamic art including Islamic architecture, geometric motifs, tiles and more. The findings of the article indicate that artists, including musicians, calligraphers, and traditional architects, etc., exploit the sacred numbers that have been rooted in the thoughts of former thinkers and philosophers such as Plato and Pythagoras, as well as balance, and proportion. Islamic art is one of the most important and influential cultural elements in Islamic history. This art has been widely developed in coordination with architecture, painting, calligraphy, astronomy, etc., especially in Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Egypt. One of the interesting and varied aspects of Islamic art is the optimal use of sacred numbers used in symbolizing and artistic design. The topic of numbers is also one of the very interesting subjects, and the evolution of its concept among philosophers, logicians, mathematicians, literati, grammarians, and syntacticians is worth pondering. Therefore, the discussion of numbers has been of great use in astronomy, astrology, and superstition. Sacred numbers are a concept deeply associated with Islamic sciences and philosophy, such that in the Holy Quran and the Hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), great value and importance are given to specific numbers like the numbers one to nine. These numbers are also used in Islamic art as a symbol of religious credibility and beliefs, one of the prominent examples of the use of sacred numbers in Islamic art is the architecture of the mosque. Mosques, as sacred places for prayer and worship among Muslims, have unique artistic designs. In these designs, sacred numbers are used to create balance and harmony in dimensions, ratios, and decorations. For example, the ratio of length to width in the mosque structure is based on sacred numbers, and this helps the overall balance and beauty of the building. In addition, sacred numbers are exploited in art designs such as tile, mosaic, and inlay. These numbers are used in Islamic patterns, stars, networks, and geometric designs and cause fitness and harmony in the designs. The purpose of this article is to examine the status of sacred numbers in symbolizing Islamic art. Given the importance of these numbers in Islamic art, it is an examination of the concept and meaning of each sacred number and how it is used in symbolizing Islamic art. This article will also address examples of the use of sacred numbers in the structure of Islamic art and their impact on beauty and communication with Islamic religious and philosophical elements. The main question of the article is: How have sacred numbers been effective in the wise foundation of Islamic art? This study has expressed the mystery of some sacred numbers in a qualitative and descriptive approach and has conceptually examined them.
Regarding the significance of sacred numbers in the symbolism of Islamic art, we can refer to various books and articles that explore the recognition of the secrets of numbers, as well as their role and impact on Islamic works of art, including “Star Signs” by Linda Goodman (2003). In this book, the author employs numerology and astronomy to explain how they can be used to understand the hidden meanings behind words, names, titles, and phrases. Additionally, Ahmad Aqa Sharif (1383) in “The Book of Secrets and Mysteries of Numbers and Letters” has limited himself to introducing the secrets of a few numbers and has addressed the introduction of numbers and letters across different cultures and their beliefs and convictions. Asadullah Baqaei (2006), in “The Secret of Seven: Symbolism and Mythology of the Number Seven,” has spoken about topics such as the Seven Valleys, Seven Arts, Seven Sins, Seven Labors of Rostam, etc. Also, Azam Rahmani-Rad and Tayyaba Eslami (2007), in “The Amazing Secrets of the Number Seven,” mention the significance of the number seven in most cultures, ancient civilizations, and folk legends. They also refer to the ancient roots and sanctity of the number seven, including the story of the seven angels whom God sent to Earth from the heavens to help earthlings and communicate with prophets. Hassan Balkhari-Qahi (2009), in “The Geometry of Imagination and Beauty (A Study of the Views of the Ikhwan al-Safa on the Wisdom of Art and Beauty),” while discussing the wisdom of craftsmanship in Islamic culture, has extensively analyzed the viewpoints of the Ikhwan al-Safa and Khwan al-Wafa and examined them in relation to the theories of other philosophers and thinkers such as Plato, Avicenna, and Khwaja Nasir al-Din al-Tusi. Ikhwan al-Safa and the wisdom foundations of art, based on Greek opinions, divide geometry into two parts: rational and sensory, and describe its application in human life.
Majid Khazaei and Mehdi Momtahan (2011), in a study titled “Symbolic Representations of Numbers in the Quran, Mythology, and Literature,” state that creation has been concerned with the subject of counting from the beginning, writing, “It is not possible to determine a specific time for the discovery of numbers.” However, the direct relationship of human civilizations in the formation of numbers can be considered the evolution of human culture, as numbers have been an inseparable part of the necessities of human life and thought. Mahmoud Sadeghzadeh (2013), in his article titled “A Study of the Semantic and Literary Application of the Numbers Seven and Forty in the Masnavi,” while referring to the mysteries of the number seven in ancient Iran and their beliefs, including the belief in the seven realms and the seven attributes of Ahura Mazda, examines the significance of this number in the Quran and Islamic traditions, as well as in Persian mysticism, literature, and proverbs. Miranda Burruss Mitford (2015), in her book “The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Symbols and Signs,” discussed symbolic number systems and identified numbers in terms of their sacredness and symbolic aspects in tribes and nations. Also, in another example, Hassan Balkhari-Qahi (2016), in his book titled “The History of Art in Islamic Civilization (Music and Architecture),” while examining arts such as music and architecture in Islamic civilization, deals in detail with the history, theories, styles, and developments of Islamic music and architecture from the beginning to the contemporary period.