Today’s architecture and design of mosques in Iran is becoming simpler and less elaborate than before. Most of these new mosques look more like half-built structures and are vaguely reminiscent of the glorious mosques of the past. Green is the dominant colour used in the majority of these contemporary mosques.
Placing Islamic inscriptions (mostly words from Quran) over the entrances to the houses, business places, or public buildings used to be common in the past. It seems placing these words on the entrances has its roots in an older tradition that sees a supernatural power in words.
During their daily prayers, Shiite Muslims prostrates on a small block of earth, called “mohr” (meaning “stamp” in Persian) or “turbah”. The most favoured soil is that of Karbala in Iraq, the site of the martyrdom of Imam Hussein; however, soil from Mashhad or Qom in Iran may also be used. The writings on mohr often show where the clay comes from and some have the names of the Muslim saints written on them.
