Light and Sama as a Common Language of Sacred Architecture: A Comparative Reading Inspired by Rumi's Mysticism

Abstract

In the tradition of Islamic mysticism, light symbolizes the singular divine truth and circular motion expresses the human journey from multiplicity toward unity. In Rumi's thought, these two elements are not merely sensory phenomena but ontological structures of the spiritual journey, where light corresponds to presence and awareness, and sama represents the return to the center of truth. This article aims to explain the role of these two concepts in shaping the spatial expression of sacred architecture and examines how light and circular movement, rooted in Islamic mysticism and especially in Rumi's teachings, appear as a ``shared spiritual language'' in the architecture of different religions. The main problem addressed is the lack of comparative studies that analyze these two symbols together across Islamic, Christian and Eastern traditions. The central research question asks how light and rotation are consciously or unconsciously reflected in sacred architecture and what role they play in users' spiritual experience. The research adopts a qualitative, interpretive and comparative approach and analyzes five case studies from three religious traditions: Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque and Sancaklar Mosque (Islamic), the Church of Light and Notre Dame du Haut (Christian), and Borobudur Buddhist temple (Eastern). The findings indicate that light in all three traditions symbolizes divine presence and the disclosure of meaning, and circular or spiral paths function as metaphors for the spiritual journey toward unity. This conceptual convergence suggests that light and rotation can provide a basis for interpreting architecture as a language of peace, unity, and interfaith dialogue.