Khoja Akhrar complex

Khoja Ubaydullah Akhrar was born near Tashkent in 1404 and became the leading master of the Naqshbandi Sufi order, the brotherhood founded by Bahauddin Naqshband of Bukhara. Unlike many Sufis, he was deeply involved in worldly affairs. He owned large estates, farms and workshops, and he used his wealth and authority to protect farmers and craftsmen from heavy taxes.

He was a spiritual guide and adviser to the Timurid ruler Abu Said, who governed from Samarkand in the 1450s and 1460s, and his influence over politics and the economy of Transoxiana was enormous. His followers included poets and scholars; the poet Jami of Herat wrote verses in his honour. Khoja Akhrar died in 1490 and was buried here, in a garden that became the centre of a shrine complex.

The complex has grown over several centuries. The grave of Khoja Akhrar lies in an open courtyard, surrounded by a carved marble enclosure and the graves of his descendants and followers. Next to it stands the madrasah of Nadir Divan-begi, built in the 1630s by the same vizier who built the famous madrasah on Lyabi-Hauz in Bukhara. Its portal is decorated with tilework of birds and floral patterns.

A summer mosque with a deep porch (aivan) on carved wooden columns faces the courtyard, and a winter prayer hall stands behind it. The ensemble was restored in the late 1990s and 2000s, when the courtyard was paved and gardens were laid out.

For the people of Samarkand, Khoja Akhrar is a saint who protects the city, and his tomb is visited constantly by families, students and pilgrims. On Fridays and holidays the complex is busy, and a prayer leader often recites verses for visitors at the grave. The atmosphere is calm and devotional, a contrast to the tourist bustle of the Registan. Many travellers find it one of the most authentic religious experiences in the city.

The complex is in the southern part of Samarkand, on the street named after Khoja Akhror, about 10 minutes by taxi from the Registan. Entry has usually been free, with donations welcome. Dress modestly: women should cover hair, shoulders and knees, and men should wear long trousers. Remove shoes where indicated, keep your voice down and ask before photographing people at prayer.

The complex combines well with the Imam al-Maturidi mausoleum and the Imam al-Bukhari complex for a half-day on Samarkand’s religious heritage, or with the quiet Timurid sites of Abdi Darun and Ishratkhona.

The Naqshbandi order, founded in Bukhara in the 14th century, became one of the most widespread Sufi brotherhoods in the world, spreading to India, the Ottoman Empire, the Caucasus and China. It is known for its silent remembrance of God (dhikr) and its principle of “solitude in the crowd”: living an inward spiritual life while engaged in society. Khoja Akhrar’s active role in politics and economics was an expression of that principle. His teachings, recorded by his disciples, are still read today.

The southern part of Samarkand around the complex is a residential area with traditional houses and small local mosques. A short taxi ride takes you back to the Registan or to the Ishratkhona and Abdi Darun sites in the south-east of the old city. Local bakeries in the area sell fresh Samarkand bread from the tandir in the morning, a simple pleasure after the visit.