Bahauddin Naqshband (Muhammad binni Muhammad Bahauddin an-Naqshband al-Bukhari)

 Bahauddin Naqshband (Muhammad binni Muhammad Bahauddin an-Naqshband al-Bukhari) (1318, Chigatai tribe, Qasri Hinduvan village near Bukhara - 1389, Timurid Empire, Qasri Orifon village near Bukhara) is a famous saint, the founder of the Naqshbandi order. Also known as Bahauddin or Khwaja Bahauddin, Balogardan, Khojai Buzruk, Shahi Naqshband.

The village where he was born was called Qasri Hinduvan (later Qasri Orifon in honor of Bahauddin Naqshband). There is no clear information about his family and children. But it is noted that Bahauddin Naqshband is one of the sayyidzads belonging to the descendants of the Prophet Muhammad, and he is a descendant of Sayyid Ali Akbar, the second son of the 11th imam, Imam Hassan al-Askari, from his father's side. His father Muhammad Bukhari was a weaver and an embroiderer. Bahauddin Naqshband's grandfather Sayyid Jalaluddin Bukhari has a special service. He was closely associated with the Sufis. Because of this, his grandson became very interested in theology.

Bahauddin Naqshband's first teacher was Khwaja Mohammad Babayi Samosi. The old sheikh entrusted the upbringing of young Bahauddin Naqshband to one of his deputies, Amir Sayyid Kulol. After teaching what he knows in the chapter of tariqat, he gives permission to his student. In search of knowledge, Bahauddin Naqshband went to the city of Nakhab (now Qarshi) to Sheikh Qusam, one of the famous representatives of the Yassawiya sect. He will study from him for three months. Bahauddin Naqshband had a high devotion to this pir, at the same time Qusam Sheikh recognized him as his own son and lived in Bukhara for the rest of his life and died there because of his infinite respect for his murid. Almost all of Bahauddin Naqshband's life was spent in Sufism in the countryside of Bukhara and its surroundings. He performed Hajj twice. He lived a strange life, making a living only by his own work - painting flowers. He considered it a sin to keep a servant or a slave.

Bahauddin Naqshband is popularly known by the title of "Balogardon" (that is, one who repels calamity with a prayer). In creating his teaching, he is based on the theories of Yusuf Hamadoni and Abdukholiq Gijduvani. His teaching is based on the motto "Dil-ba yor-u, dast-ba kor" ("Let your heart be in God, your hand in work").

Bahauddin Naqshband somewhat softened, moderated, and adapted the strict requirements of Sufism to everyday life. According to him, striving for God should be done with the heart. Let the hand be busy with work. Bahauddin Naqshband's idea that it is possible to reach God without abandoning worldly affairs, that is, without openly shaking hands with the affairs of this world, ensured that Sufism penetrated into a very wide population in the Muslim world.

Bahauddin Naqshband's tomb has been a place of pilgrimage since ancient times. In the past, emirs used to visit Bahauddin Naqshband Dakhma before ascending to the throne, when going on a trip and when returning. In 1544, Abdulaziz Khan built a huge room near the mausoleum of Bahauddin Naqshband. After the death of Bahauddin Naqshband, the Naqshbandi sect spread widely. In the 15th century, Khoja Ahror Ubaidullah Vali appeared as the greatest leader of this sect. Poets such as Abdurahman Jami, Alisher Navoi, Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur, Boborahim Mashrab were also in the Naqshbandi order. In their works, the ideas of Naqshbandiya were widely and comprehensively promoted.

Sayyid Amir Kulol

Khwaja Sayyid Amir Kulol, popularly known as Kalon ("High"), a religious scholar of the Hanafi faith, was a Sufi and religious teacher of Bahavuddin Naqshbandi. Syed Amir Kulol was born in 1281 in the village of Sukhor (present-day Yangihayat village) of Kogon district, in the family of potters. According to legend, "He was a tall man with broad shoulders. Sharp eyes peered out from under furrowed brows, and her skin was the color of sun-baked wheat. The edges of his face were covered with a gray beard, he behaved modestly and modestly. He did not object or be stubborn when he spoke. He had a mature, muscular appearance because he was engaged in wrestling in his youth. As for his religiosity, there was no one who doubted his truthfulness, because he was knowledgeable and had accumulated knowledge and enlightenment in the Shariah."

Syed Amir started wrestling from a young age.

Through wrestling, 15-year-old Syed Amir met his future spiritual mentor, Sheikh Mohammad Baba Sammosi, who came to the competition that day by God's will. In response to the protest of his new disciples who had accompanied him, he announced to all: "There is a man in this field by whose grace many religious people find the right path." Then he looked at his future teacher, their eyes met, and for a second there was a wordless conversation between them, after which Muhammad Baba Sammosi got up and left without saying a word. The next day, Amir Kulol went to him and asked permission to become a new disciple of the sheikh. For twenty years, he traveled the 25 km distance from Suhar to Sammos and served the Sheikh. He has since retired from wrestling and never made another public appearance. When Syed Amir, having reached his spiritual maturity, became the fourth deputy of Shaykh Muhammad Baba Sammasi, the venerable Shaykh called him his young disciple "spiritual son" - later the most famous Sufism. entrusted Bahovuddin Naqshbandi, who became the founder of one of the sects - "Khojagon Naqshbandiya". 

During his spiritual and educational activities, Syed Amir Kulol, Khwaja Bahovuddin Naqshband, Maulana Arif Deggarani, Khwaja Jamal Degai, Khwaja Darzuni, Shamsuddin Kulol, and Maulana Jamaluddin Keshi, educated hundreds of students. According to the chronicles, Sayyid Amir Kulol was the first pir that Amir Temur met in 1363. Sayyid Amir Kulol had many followers, including his four sons who later became Sufis and followed their father's path. li was also there.

He brought up his students with strict spirituality and warned them from small sins by giving examples of the words of our Prophet Muhammad that small sins that people commit every day add up to big sins and lead them to hell.

Syed Kulol died in November 1370 at the age of 90. Today, the burial place of the holy Sufi is located in the Kogon district of Bukhara region, where a beautiful memorial complex consisting of a mausoleum, a Friday mosque, a minaret, a small pond and a huge garden has been built. The complex was completely restored in 2008 and is a popular pilgrimage site for Muslims in Uzbekistan and abroad.

Khoja Muhammad Baba Samosi

 Khoja Muhammad Baba Samosi was born in the village of Samos near Bukhara in the middle of the 7th/13th century.

He was of medium height, wheat-colored, sharp-eyed, determined, with a radiant face. He was in the service of Khoja Ali Romitani until the end of his life and looked after the trees in his teacher's garden. Like other pirs of the Khojagan family, Khoja Muhammad Baba Samosi was a gardener by profession and earned his living through his honest work. He worked by himself in his garden in the village of Samos and grew various fruits, including grapes.

Khoja Muhammad Baba Samosi's father, Sayyid Abdullah, was originally from the village of Durun in Khurasan, and was a descendant of the Prophet (pbuh), Imam Musa Kozim (r.a.). In the work "Matlabut-talibin" it is recorded that Samosi first studied in his village, and then came to Bukhara on the instructions of his father.

According to this source, as soon as he arrived in Bukhara, he fell in love with Khoja Mahmud Anjir Fagnavi, the third elder of the Khojagan dynasty, and Khoja Mahmud entrusted his education to Khoja Ali Romitani. Samosy always walks by his pier and goes to various places, including Khorezm. As a result, he became one of the great caliphs of Romitani. Before his death, Khwaja Ali Romitani left Khwaja Muhammad Baba Samosi in his place and entrusted him with the education of all murids and caliphs. Khoja Muhammad Baba Samosiy began to educate murids in the village of Samos, where he was born and raised.

He looked for most of his students himself, and had great love for them. One day, while passing by the wrestling arena, he saw a wrestler named Amir Kulol. Walking further, he looks at the wrestler and pulls him to the spiritual field... After that, Amir Kulol quits wrestling and enters the service of His Holiness.

According to the sources, Khoja Mohammad Baba Samosi said that Bahauddin Naqshband would be born and become a "leader of the times" even after his birth. When he was born, he adopted him as a spiritual child and gave him to the upbringing of Sayyid Amir Kulol. The incident is mentioned in the sources as follows: "When Hazrat Muhammad Baba brought the newborn Bahauddin Naqshband to Samosi, he showed the baby and said to Amir Kulol: "This is ours. We adopted him as a spiritual child. As we said earlier, this is the person who will be the future of our tariqah, God willing. The village will later become Qasri Orifon. O Amir Kulol! I leave my son Bahauddin in this blanket to you. Don't allow any flaws in his outward and inward education!"

According to Jami's book "Nafahotul-uns", Baba Samasi gave his helmet to Bahauddin Naqshband. Bahauddin Naqshband meets with Samosi in order to send him to a suitor for marriage. Baba Samosi witnessed that Naqshband reached the rank of governor.

When I went to Hazrat Baba's room in the morning, he noticed my prayer and said: "O child, they do not pray like this, but they say: "God, what is your pleasure - take me now." Because if Allah, the Exalted, wants to send a calamity to one of his friends with his wisdom, let him also give him the power to bear the calamity with his grace and make the wisdom of this manifest to him. It is not permissible to ask for trouble by choice, it is greed!"

After a while, the meal was ready. After the meal, Hazrat put bread in my hand and said: "Take care of this!" Then the thought crossed my mind: "Now, we have eaten enough, what is the need for this bread?" Hazrat Khwaja Baba Samosii understood the thought that was in my heart and said to me: "Take care of this bread. Remove useless thoughts from your mind, do not disturb your mind, keep it under control!"

After that we reached a dervish hut. He greeted the dervish Hazrat Baba with great joy. After entering the hut, the dervish's face showed anguish. Hazrat asked: "Tell me the truth, what is the reason for your suffering?" He was embarrassed and said: "There is milk in the house, but there is no bread." Khoja Samosiy told me: "Put the bread on the table." After that, my love for Hazrat increased. Hazrat Khoja Baba Samosy came to Orifon Palace and went to courting himself. God did not turn back the wishes of Hazrat, and I got married." It is instructive that Baba Samosi was involved in marrying Hazrat Bahauddin.

Khoja Muhammad Baba left two sons. Sources do not reveal the name of the eldest son, but mention that he was a Majzub (Sufi in a state of ecstasy), and the second son, Khwaja Mahmud, became one of his father's caliphs.

Khoja Muhammad Baba Samosi died in the village of Samos, where he was born and raised, around 1335, and was buried there.

The mausoleum above the grave of Grandfather Samosi, the surrounding mosque and the stone well were beautified during the years of independence. Currently, the pilgrimage site is located in the territory of "Baba Samosiy" neighborhood, Romitan district, Bukhara region. During 2018-2019, among the seven pir shrines, Khoja Baba Samosy shrine was renovated and turned into a place with all amenities in accordance with the traditions of Eastern architecture.

Khoja Ali Romitoni

 Hajj Ali Ramitani is one of the famous spiritual authorities of the Sufi school Hadzhagana. He was the greatest master of wisdom, possessing high spiritual qualities and pronounced charisma. People nicknamedhim as “Azizon” (“venerable sheikh”).

He was born in 1195. He lived in the village of Kurgon (now Romitan district of Bukhara region) and died in 1321 in Khorezm at the age of 126 years. Later, the remains of the sheikh were transferred to his homeland.

Khoja Ali Ramitani perfectly mastered the weaver’s craft.

He was considered the fourth pir of the seven holy pirs of Bukhara.

After the death of his mentor Haji Mahmud of Anjir-Fagnawiya, Hajj Ali Ramitani took spiritual initiation from him and headed the spiritual brotherhood of the hajjagan.

Holy Hajj Azizon is the author of the famous work “RisolaiAzizon”, where  the main provisions of the mystical path of the Sufi “at-tasawwuf” are described.

Sheikh BadriddinMaidani asked Ali Ramitani: “We often mention God in our speeches.” Can you tellme how to mention him in a proper way? Is it with words or with heart? «Thesheikh replied: “It is necessary to start mentioning with your words, and ending with your heart.”

Sheikh Ali Ramitani had many statements. One of his most popular one is following: “Watch yourself during two kinds of actions – when you say and when you eat.”

Hajj had a long life. Before his death, he instructed his youngest son Hajj Ibrahim to continue his teaching.

Four Caliphs visited Hadji Ali Ramitani. They were Haji Muhammad Kulohduz, Haj Muhammad KhallajBalkhi, Haj Muhammad Bavardi and Haj Muhammad Baba Sammasi.

Khoja Mahmud Anjir Fagnawi

 Mahmud Anjir Fagnavi (died in 1317) - the most famous Sufi of his time, the recognized authority of Maverannahr.

The exact date of birth of Mahmud Anzhir Fagnavi is unknown, we only know that it happened in the village of Fagnavi, which is located almost in the middle between Bukhara and Gijduvan, 20 km from Bukhara.

According to eyewitnesses, Fagnavi was slightly above average height, with an open and smiling face, a regular straight nose and a somewhat large mouth. Unusually white-skinned, he wore a thick black beard, which beautifully set off a boiling-white turban - an indispensable attribute that the theologian never parted with. They say that the character of the famous Sufi was calm and not angry (like the Prophet Musa), and in general he was known as a pious and righteous person.

Fagnavi was the successor of the spiritual Sufi tradition, the most perfect of the followers of Arif ar-Rivgari, whose student (murid) he was for a long time.

The great Sufi mastered the craft of a carpenter to perfection and earned his living from this, even after he took the place of his spiritual teacher Arifa-ar Rivgari and acquired the right to instruct people on the path of truth.

In the annals of tarikat (spiritual brotherhood), he entered as a preacher of loud dhikr (spiritual meditation). It was he who, when sending prayers, began to greet and encourage along with the quiet dhikr - khufi, as well as the loud dhikr - jakhriya.

When his disciples asked why this was necessary, Faghnawi replied: “I would like to wake up the sleeping, immersed in worldly life, call on the careless to turn to the Almighty, follow the path of truth - tarikat, and sincerely repent before Allah. After all, only repentance is the key to forgiveness and bliss, a sign of happiness."

During his mentorship, Sheikh Mahmud trained many students, the most famous of which were his successors - Ali Ramitani and Amir Khurd Vabkadia, the younger brother of Amir Kulal.

Khadja Mahmud Anjir-Fagnawi died in 1286 or 1307 and was buried by his students and followers in his native village.

Today, the village where the grave of the famous Sufi is located is called Anzhirbog.

At present, a beautiful austere mausoleum has been erected over the grave of the saint, a Friday mosque has been built nearby, a hauz (pool) and a well have been dug, the water in which is also considered holy. A large garden is laid out on the territory of the memorial, there is also a place for receiving pilgrims, because the mazar is a place of mass visits of believers and grateful descendants.

Khoja Muhammad ar-Revgariy

 KHOJA MUHAMMAD ARIF REVGARI

Khoja Muhammad Arif Revgari, the second elder of the Khojagon series, who became famous with the nickname "Mohitoban", was born in the village of Revgar, which corresponds to the territory of the current Shafirkon district, around 1165.

The nisab of Khwaja Muhammad Arif is given differently in different sources. Researchers mention the village of Khoja Muhammad Arif as Revgar, based on the fact that he himself gave his nisba in the form of "Revgari" in the work "Arifnama", and mention it in the form of Revgari.

According to them, Khoja Arif was of medium height, moon-faced, with big eyes, arched eyebrows, and the smell of musk was emanating from his whole body. He was a gardener all his life.

Khoja Arif was the fourth caliph of Abdulkhaliq Gijduvani, and for many years he learned the teachings of Sufism from Abdulkhaliq Gijduvani. They met and talked in the village of Royibinon between Gijduvan and Shafirkon. As the fourth caliph (deputy) of Gijduvani, he managed the Khojagan silsila after the death of his master. He is mentioned in the "Silsilai Sharif" as the piri of the eleventh circle. Mohitoban Abdulkhaliq deeply understood the essence of obedience, enlightenment and rites of Gijduvani, thoroughly mastered them and further improved his teacher's teachings, expressed his views about the beautiful qualities that save a person. Also, Khoja Arif Revgari stated his views in the work "Arifnama" and defined the foundations of Sufism. His wisdom is famous: "He who depends on the event and denies fate is in hell, and he who surrenders to divine fate is in heaven."

After receiving permission from Khwaja Arif Revgari Abdulkhaliq Gijduvani for irshad (teaching murids), after the death of the leader of the sect after Gijduvani - Khwaja Ahmed Siddiq, he educated his murids at the same time as Khwaja Avliyoyi Kabir.

According to the work "Risolai Sighnaqi", one day, Khoja Ahmed Yassavi was cooking food and ordered his disciple Khoja Dugiy to go to Gijduvan and bring yogurt from Khoja Abdulkhalik. Before Khwaja Dugiy reached Gijduvan, Gijduvani's caliph brought yogurt to Khwaja Arif Revgari Ahmed Yassavi. Knowing about this, Khoja Dugiy acknowledges the perfection of Khoja Arif, saying: "Arif's condition has surpassed mine."

Khoja Arif Revgari left the work "Arifnama". It was written in 1225 at the request of Khwaja Naim, one of Revgari's murids, in the village of Nur (now Navoi region, Nurota district). The work is written in the form of an appeal and advice to the members of the sect. It reflects the views of the author on the stages of beauty, enlightenment, wisdom, and guardian manners. In addition, the work contains narrations about the life and views of Khwaja Arif Revgari's teacher Khwaja Abdulkhaliq Gijduvani, famous Sufis who lived in the early periods of the history of Sufism.

Khoja Muhammad Arif Revgari died in the village of Revgar around 1262 and was buried there.

After the independence, the construction of a mosque started at the Mohitoban shrine on the initiative of local worshipers. In 1997, the shrine was completed and handed over to worshipers and pilgrims. On August 10, 1998, the "Khoja Arif Revgari Mohitoban" mosque was registered with the state and received the status of a religious organization. In recent years, that is, during the years 2018-2019, the shrine of Khoja Arif Revgari was renovated and "Mohitobon Park" was established. Today, this place, built according to the traditions of Eastern architecture, is more crowded than ever.

First of the 7 Saints

The land of Bukhara keeps the ashes of many great figures of Islamic culture. Among them is such an iconic person as the outstanding Sufi Abd al-Khaliq Gijduvani (died 1180/1220). He was born and died in the village of Gijduvan near Bukhara.

Al-Gijduvani was a student of the famous sheikh Yusuf al-Hamadani and the founder of the Central Asian Sufi school "Hajagan" ("the way of teachers"). The followers of the Hajagan tradition were the Bukharian Sufis Amir Kulal and Baha ad-Din Naqshband, who gave rise to the teachings of Naqshbandiya.

In 1432 - 1433 Next to the burial of Sheikh al-Gijduvani, the ruler of Maverannakhr Mirzo Ulugbek (1409-1449) built a small one-story madrasah with a portal facing east. By area, it is four times smaller than the Ulugbek madrasa in Samarkand.
At the entrance to the madrasa of Ulugbek there is a small minaret, similar to the minaret of Kalyan. At the beginning of the XXI century, a modern memorial to Abd al-Khalik Gijduvani was built in Gijduvan. It is an exquisite wooden iwan on ten pillars with a blue dome, under which is the tombstone of Sheikh al-Gijduvani.
The full name of the holy feast is Khoja Abd al-Khaliq Abd al-Jamil Gijduvani. His grave is located in the village of Gijduvan in the Bukhara region. He was born in 1118, when Islam, as a religion, already fully mastered the minds of the inhabitants of the cities and villages of Maverannahr, and Bukhara acquired the status of the recognized capital of the followers of the Prophet Muhammad throughout Central Asia.

Abdulhalik was born into a deeply religious Islamic family and from early childhood was surrounded by the rites and mystery of Islam. His father was the imam of the mosque. By the age of nine, Abdulhalik knew by heart the main book of the Muslims - the Koran.
Such a boy's desire for scripture was a natural need of his developing spirit. From the age of ten he takes an active part in the joy of the dervishes, but after talking with them for about three years, he comes to understand that to improve the spirit in this environment enough true knowledge. And Abdulhalik goes to Bukhara.

During this period, mosques and madrasas were actively built in Bukhara. The city was ruled by the Karakhanids, whose rulers generously patronized Islam. In Bukhara there were many extensive libraries where rare manuscripts in Arabic, Persian, Turkic, and Uygur languages ​​were kept.
These were works on history, Islamic sciences, literature, philosophy, astronomy, medicine, and a whole series of exact sciences. Abdulhalik, without interrupting the friendship with dervishes and young Sufis, I eagerly plunged into the world of books, into the world of knowledge.
In Bukhara, he met with the sheikh of Abu Yakub Yusuf al-Hamadani, famous throughout the East, and soon became his most beloved disciple