In Iranian civilization and culture, professional treatises and futuwwatnames serve as central documents, reflecting the epistemic system governing traditional crafts and explaining hierarchical structures, professional customs, and traditional mechanisms of knowledge transfer. In this professional system, occupational ranks and master-apprentice relationships are defined based on the conduct of chivalry (futuwwat); such that technical progress is necessarily considered a function of spiritual perfection and adherence to ethical principles.
Among these, the “Futuwwatname of Builders” is a unique document that specifically addresses the profession of architecture and construction. This document specifies and documents the internal regulations, occupational hierarchy (from laborer to master), and spiritual rules governing the guild of architects and builders in the construction profession, and forms the main focus of the present research.
Problem Statement: How does the Futuwwatname of Builders define the professional hierarchy (from laborer to master) as a professional system? The aim of this article is to explain the hierarchical structure and professional rules of builders based on the text of the “Futuwwatname of Builders.” The research method of this article is descriptive-analytical with a qualitative approach, and data has been collected through library/documentary methods.
In the landscape of Iranian-Islamic civilization and art history, architecture has always been considered one of the cultural pillars and a collection of functional spaces and beautiful forms. Every building is not only a tangible manifestation of artistic creativity and technical knowledge but also a complete mirror of the social, economic, and epistemic systems governing the society that created it.
The theoretical framework of the article is formed by the ideas of Henry Corbin (1984) regarding chivalrous men and the tradition of futuwwat. He emphasizes the mystical and spiritual aspect of chivalrous men and the guilds of futuwwat, which imbues the profession with meaning. He believes that a chivalrous person is one who is the complete embodiment of chivalry and the transition from military knighthood to mystical knighthood. But a faithful individual who is engaged in a profession becomes an ideal example. The profession of anyone who joins futuwwat, whatever it may be, transforms into a kind of chivalrous service.
Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the intellectual and executive system of traditional crafts becomes possible by referring to treatises such as professional futuwwatnames as valuable treasures. These texts are not merely a collection of ethical and mystical recommendations, but also guidelines for professional organization, defining occupational ranks, knowledge transfer, and professional conduct.
These documents, contrary to the prevailing modern view that primarily sees work as an economic activity, highlight the unbreakable link between technical progress and spiritual perfection. While many studies have focused on the artistic, aesthetic, and technical aspects of Iranian architecture and have illuminated a large part of our architectural history, the examination of the internal relations of the guild of builders and the ethical and occupational rules governing it, especially by relying on primary texts such as futuwwatnames, has received less serious attention.
This research gap doubles the importance of addressing the social and cultural mechanisms supporting the creation of architectural works. In this context, the “Futuwwatname of Builders” holds a unique position. This document specifically and comprehensively addresses the details of the building and construction profession, explaining hierarchical structures, customs of entering the guild, master-apprentice relationships, and the ethical and spiritual principles governing professional relations.
This treatise is not only a technical guideline but also an internal regulation for the administration of the guild, opening a unique window into the worldview and professional lifestyle of builders and architects and providing a framework for a deeper understanding of the social and cultural status of the builder among other professions.
Accordingly, the main goal of this article is to identify the hierarchical structure and professional rules of builders based on the text of the “Futuwwatname of Builders.” This research seeks to answer the fundamental question: How does the Futuwwatname of Builders define the professional hierarchy (from laborer to master) within a coherent system of occupational and ethical relations?
Corbin considers the evolution of the futuwwat tradition as a transition from military and martial knighthood to mystical and spiritual knighthood; that is, a transition from the lesser jihad (war against infidels) to the greater jihad (struggle against the commanding self) so that humans can achieve true freedom and spiritual perfection.
Accordingly, futuwwatnames are not merely a collection of occupational instructions, but rather comprise a set of principles and rules of this spiritual knighthood. These treatises contain moral themes and lofty ideals, introducing futuwwa as a way of life that is in complete conformity with the principles of the prophetic religion.
Afshari and Madaini (1385) believe that futuwwatnames are in fact a type of advice literature, written more or less in the same ancient style as Pahlavi advice and admonition literature, and it seems that the elders and masters of the javanmardan (chivalrous ones) wrote them for the education of their disciples and students, following a very ancient method whose origins must be sought in ancient Iran.
This is why many of these treatises are in the form of questions and answers. Just as some advice literature is attributed to famous and great figures like Ardashir, Anushirvan, and Bozorgmehr Bakhtagan, many treatises of the people of futuwwa are also attributed to the prophets of Bani Israel or Amir al-Mu’minin Ali (AS) and other Shi’ite Imams (AS).
Since every individual in traditional society has a profession and a job, Sa’id al-Shaykhli (1362) believes that every craftsman inevitably needs a master from whom to learn a craft or a science.
Therefore, in the Futuwwatname of Builders, the guild and professional relations of builders move beyond a purely economic and technical system and transform into an educational and ritualistic system. Corbin, by referring to the fundamental link of futuwwat with Shi’ite thought and wilaya – whose founder is Prophet Abraham (AS) and whose pole is Imam Ali (AS) – explains the basis of spiritual legitimacy and the hierarchical structure of the guild.
Thus, the master-apprentice hierarchy in the builders’ guild, like the ranks of free builders (apprentice, journeyman, master), is not a material institution, but a spiritual hierarchy whose goal is the transmission of esoteric knowledge and spiritual training (tarbiya) alongside technical instruction.
The existence of specific Futuwwatnames for each guild (such as chitsazan, textile makers) shows that the ideal of spiritual chivalry was all-encompassing, and this spirituality permeated all aspects and facets of life, giving it spirit.
Consequently, the guild and professional relations in the Futuwwatname of Builders should be interpreted as the practical manifestation of this spiritual chivalry; a system whose ultimate goal was not maximum material profit, but the realization of spiritual perfection and worthy practical action within the context of work and profession.
It should be noted that the apprentice must emulate the master in the details of life, because important educational points can be hidden in these subtleties. When the master deems the apprentice worthy of his teaching, he then employs him in his workshop.
Based on the guild and professional relations outlined in the Futuwwatname of Builders, the system is capable of transforming the javanmardan working in market professions into spiritual knights, who, in the concept of fityan, are engaged in the greater jihad.
By adopting this approach, the builders’ guild cannot be considered merely a technical and material institution; rather, it should be regarded as a ritualistic and traditional institution in which every part of the professional, educational, and hierarchical (master-apprentice) relations was considered a tool for self-purification and attaining inner perfection.
This article, using this theoretical framework, will analyze these relations in the Futuwwatname to show how the principles of javanmardi, as a spiritual ideal, organized the structure of work and professional ethics in traditional Iranian architecture.
The findings indicate that the Futuwwatname of Builders, in addition to technical skill, stages the guild hierarchy as a spiritual journey in which promotion from the position of “laborer” to “master” requires undergoing specific rituals and proving moral eligibility alongside professional ability.
The research also shows that the Futuwwatname of Builders defines the guild hierarchy in three main ranks (laborer, sahib, and master builder); a structure based on technical skills, but deeply intertwined with the ethical, ritualistic, and spiritual principles of futuwwa (javanmardi).
In this system, progress from the beginner position of laborer (focusing on simple and physical tasks) to the intermediate rank of sahib (acquiring intermediate knowledge) and finally to the position of master builder (with complete mastery of complex tools and techniques) is not only a function of professional experience, but also requires proving moral eligibility (such as observing modesty, truthfulness, and humility), adherence to ritual practices (reciting Quranic verses during work stages), and undergoing stages of spiritual journey (conforming to the greater jihad and spiritual chivalry according to Corbin’s view).
The position of the master as a complete model of javanmardi and a spiritual mentor, and the apprentice (equivalent to laborer) as a student and the foundation of this educational path, emphasizes that professional relations in this guild, beyond economic relations, were a tool for self-purification and the realization of human perfection. This research, in response to the main question, reveals that the Futuwwatname of Builders stages the guild hierarchy as a spiritual-professional evolutionary journey, but there is a mismatch between its three-tiered organizational structure (wage-earner, owner, master) and the four-tiered system of mystical journey (Sharia, Tariqa, Haqiqa, Ma’rifa), whereas in most Futuwwatnames, the spiritual ranks include the four aforementioned stages.
Contrary to the position of Naqib in market-level professions and what the guild tradition of Futuwwat requires, no such position is seen in the building profession. This is because, in this Futuwwatname, similar to other texts of this kind, the spiritual invocations and atmosphere of the master-apprentice relationship are reiterated.