Journal of Modern Researches in Islam and Iran History Studies

Journal of Modern Researches in Islam and Iran History Studies

The custom of kissing the ground, kissing the feet, and prostrating before the Safavid Shah

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Professor, Department of History, Lorestan University, KHORRAMABAD, IRAN
10.22034/nriihs.2026.2087741.1083
Abstract
One of the ancient traditions in the ceremony of honoring the presence of the Iranian kings was bowing and reverence by the guests. This bowing took various forms, such as bowing the head and waist, kneeling until it fell to the ground, and kissing the ground or the hands and feet of the king. In the Safavid era, such a custom of kissing the hands and feet and kissing the ground was also common, and the Safavid opponents interpreted it as prostration before the kings and considered it an example of disbelief and rejection of the Safavids. In this article, based on library studies and a descriptive-analytical method, the manners of attendance before the Safavid kings are examined. Was the tradition of kissing the ground and feet common or was it a type of prostration meaning worship of the Safavid kings? The findings of the study show that the custom of bowing and bowing in the Safavid court was common in order to show the glory and greatness of the kings in front of others, by bowing down, kissing the feet, and kissing the ground. The Qizilbas' falling to the ground and rubbing their foreheads on the ground was not an order from the kings as a form of prostration to a servant, but rather a demonstration of the disciples' passion and devotion to the king-teacher and a sign of their loyalty and Sufism (one-sidedness and one-heartedness).
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  • Receive Date 29 April 2026
  • Revise Date 26 May 2026
  • Accept Date 26 May 2026
  • Publish Date 20 February 2026