Stone Inscriptions of Decrees Issued by Shah  Abbas I in Shah Mosque of Isfahan, Mir-  amad Mosque of Kasan, JanTa Mosque of Ardestan, and JanTa Mosque of Damavand

This paper begins by introducing a number of decrees issued by Safavid Shahs which were inscribed on stones and displayed in public places such as mosques and bazaars. It then studies four inscriptions of Shah Abass’s decrees which are installed in Shah’s Mosque of Isfahan, Mir- emad Mosque of Kashan, Jame’ Mosque of Ardestan, and Jame’ Mosque of Damavand. This study shows that the decrees of Safavid shahs were issued for different purposes and with various subjects such as: offering tax breaks, victory over Uzbeks, preventing corruption, pro­hibition of selling and using drugs and alcoholic drinks, and restriction on different types of unhealthy leisure activities such as wolf races, gambling and pigeon keeping. Offering special tax breaks to Shiites in Ramadan which is one of the major subjects of these decrees shows the Safavid shah’s religious affiliations.