Very beautiful mosque is seen in Nagshe Jahan square, in front of magnificent mansion of Qapu which is called mosque of sheikh lotf Allah. the name of the mosque is derived from the name of the scientist, that shah because of his devotion to him put his name on the mosque.
The story of sheikh lotf Allah is as follow: with the establishment of safavid government, the ottomans increased pressure and intimidation on Shiites of south Lebanon and shams. Sheikh lotf Allah maysi, his father Abdul Karim and his grandfather sheikh Ibrahim, were considered as religious scholars of Lebanon. They along with some of Jabal Amel `s grandees , who were under pressure and intimidation of ottomans, went to Khorasan for pilgrimage of eighth Imam and acquisition of more knowledge.
Attack of Uzbeks to khorasan, sent him off to Qazvin, and then became engaged in teaching and scientific affairs. Until the transfer of the capital from Qazvin to Isfahan, he went to Isfahan with the invitation of Shah Abbas I, and engaged in scientific and spiritual affaires. It is quoted that for easy access of Shah Abbas to sheikh Lotf Allah mosque, the underground rout was embedded, that made the meeting feasible for Shah and this scholar. The corridor was located between the AliQapu palace and sheikh lotf Allah mosque, as soon as arriving at entrance of mosque, the person must walk through meandering path, to finally reach the main building of the mosque.
Along the way, the guards stood and protect the harem women and also their coming and going into the mosque. the doors of building were always kept close. Today, these doors are open for visitors but the doors of underground corridor are closed. There is the only mosque among all of Islamic mosque, which has no courtyard and minaret. Since this mosque was a mosque for the courtiers and their families, the minaret hasn`t been built over it so the public didn`t go there. When professor Pope, a famous Iranologist, saw the mosque, said: it is hard to believe that this building is made by human.
