Imam al-Bukhari memorial complex

Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari was born in Bukhara in 810. As a young man he travelled for years across Arabia, Iraq, Syria and Egypt collecting hadith, the reports of the sayings and deeds of the Prophet Muhammad. Tradition says he examined some 600,000 reports and selected only those whose chains of transmission he considered completely reliable, about 7,000 including repetitions.

The result, al-Jami al-Sahih (“the authentic collection”), known as Sahih al-Bukhari, is regarded by Sunni Muslims as the most authoritative book after the Quran. Al-Bukhari spent his last years in difficulty: after a dispute with the governor of Bukhara he left the city and died in 870 in Hartang, a village near Samarkand, where relatives lived.

For centuries the grave was marked by a modest tomb. In 1998, to mark the 1225th anniversary of al-Bukhari’s birth in the Islamic calendar, the government built a large memorial complex. The mausoleum stands at its heart: a square building with a turquoise dome, its interior lined with onyx and decorated with carved and painted ornament. The grave itself lies in a crypt below the hall.

Around it are a mosque with carved wooden columns and a large courtyard, galleries, gardens and a museum displaying Quran manuscripts, editions of the Sahih and gifts from Muslim countries. In recent years the complex has been expanded further with new buildings, including a research centre, making it one of the largest religious sites in Uzbekistan.

For Muslims in Uzbekistan and visitors from across the Islamic world, especially Turkey, Malaysia, Indonesia, Pakistan and India, the complex is one of the most important stops on a ziyarat, a pilgrimage to the tombs of saints and scholars. On Fridays, during Ramadan and on religious holidays it is crowded with families, and readings from the Quran often take place in the mausoleum.

Non-Muslim visitors are welcome to see the architecture and the museum, provided they respect the atmosphere. Many travellers find the visit moving because of the devotion of the pilgrims as much as for the buildings.

Women should cover their hair, arms and legs; long skirts or loose trousers are best, and scarves may be available at the entrance. Men should wear long trousers. Remove your shoes before entering the mausoleum and prayer halls. Speak quietly, do not walk in front of people praying and ask before photographing anyone. Photography inside the mausoleum may be restricted.

The complex is in Hartang (Khartang), in the Payariq district north of Samarkand, about 25 km or 30–40 minutes by car from the city centre. There is no convenient public transport for visitors, so a taxi, a car with driver or an organised tour is the usual way. Many itineraries combine it with the Imam al-Maturidi mausoleum and the Khoja Akhrar complex in Samarkand for a half-day focused on the city’s Islamic scholars.

Entry has traditionally been free or by donation; rules may change, so check before you go. Visiting on Friday around midday prayers is crowded and access to some halls may be limited.

Mornings on weekdays are quietest. In summer the courtyards are very hot by midday, so go early. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons. If you would like to experience the complex at its most lively, visit on a Friday afternoon after prayers, when families gather in the gardens.