English Travelers’ Narratives of Iran’s Religious Sites and Cities during the Qajar Era

Abstract

The present study belongs to the category of historical research. The required data were collected through library-based research, and the study has been conducted using a descriptive–analytical method. The religious customs and beliefs of Iranians during the Qajar period constitute one of the significant and noteworthy subjects in the reports of English travelers, who sought to examine and analyze this dimension of Iranian life from all possible perspectives. In this context, Iran’s sacred and holy sites and cities received considerable attention, and beyond the physical descriptions of these locations, the beliefs and religious perceptions of the Iranian people regarding these places were carefully documented and interpreted. For the British, the establishment and consolidation of colonial dominance over Iran required substantial political influence within the governing structure; consequently, understanding the moral character and psychological dispositions of the Iranian nation—particularly their religious practices and beliefs—was regarded as a primary strategic priority.