Yasavi: Famous and Mysterious

Who is Ahmed Yasavi?
We will know a little about him in any encyclopedia. Ahmed Yasavi (about 1105-1166) is a Middle Asian poet, the preacher of Sufism. The collection of mystic spiritual poems “Concealed”(published in 1878) traceable to Ahmed Yasavi, had influence on the development of Turkic poetry. Of course, these lines don’t give explanation to such questions as why the magnificent mausoleum had been constructed on his grave to which the streams of pilgrims do not run dry. Therefore, let’s try to get deeper.
In 1103, according to other data in 1105, the boy with the name Ahmed was born in the family of devout Muslims in the city of Ispidjab (presently the village Sayram near Shimkent). At that time it was the remotest province of Islamic world. The father of boy was Ibrahim ibn Mahmood ibn Iftihar and the mother was Karashash ana. Even now the Turkic Muslims esteem their graves.
We have just a little piece of information about the early years of life of preacher. Only the absolutely fantastic legends have reached to our days. It is considered that the first spiritual tutor and educator of Ahmed was the local sheikh, Arslan-bab the half-legendary person who is considered to be the doer of many miracles. The legend says: “Mohammed died at the age of 63. Before death, the prophet gathered people and said: “I am dying, who can accept my amanat-symbol of Islam (its meaning is concluded in the persimmon stone) and continue my ideas? Arslan-bab responded from the crowd, the man who was now 300 years old, and who was well familiar with the bases of thirty three different religions, but now admitted the only one-Islam. By entrusting with the concept of Arslan-Bab, Mohammed went to talk to Allah and with his approval he gave his amanat to Arslan-bab. After 500 years while passing through steppe Arslan-bab met 11-year old boy who addressed him and said: “Aksakal give my amanat”. This boy was that Ahmed”.  This fantastic legend exactly explains that level of honor to the preacher which is paid by the local society.
After the death of Arslan-bab, Yasavi moved to Bukhara where Hodja Yusuf Hamadani, the famous Sufi sheikh, became his spiritual tutor. The young man soon got a title “irshada” which gives the right to explain “the ways for perception of truth”.
It should be noted here that Sufism in Islam-is special flow, the followers of which as it had been in the past and now do not agree with “Official priesthood”. According to Muslim theological teachings only the prophets could communicate with Allah. But Suffi didn’t think so. They were sure that by means of meditation and refusal of earth blessings, everyone could become close to the Most High (Lord).They called this “way of truth” tarikat. There were even times when the Sufi sheikhs were executed for discrepancy with ulems. That’s why Ahmed Yasavi said: “If I even lose my head, I will never turn from this way”
He was the Head of Sufis in Bukhara for some time. But then he moved to the border of Islamic world to Yasi (Turkistan) where he began active preaching activity among Turks.
Of course, they weren’t so good at the details of Sufism. But the active person himself, who spoke of Islam in their understandable language, the scientist who earned his living by netting the mats couldn’t stop attracting. The people came from the far places to listen to his sermons. In his sermons he summoned people to be kind and hate money-grubbing and greediness. He put the main point of his teaching in poetic work “Hikmat” which was very popular.

My hikmets for Muslims are teachers.
Whoever you are, you must worship the God.
Recite my hikmets to those who understand.
Glorify the kindness of God by prayers.
If you meet faithless person, don’t hurt him, the God turns away from the heart of violent person and from the soul of offender. Oh, my God! The underworld hell is prepared for such slave.
I want to be a nightingale singing my sad songs at sunrise in the spacious gardens of love to the Most High.
In those hours, I want to see the radiant appearance of my Allah-with the eyes of my heart.
Let my heart feeds with love.
Let my body covers with the cloth of happiness.
I want to rise with the strength of love and descend as a bird to the branch of consciousness.
Until you try the nectar of love,
Until you wear the clothes of those who fell in love,
Until you gather the trust and worship into one,
You won’t be able to see divine image of Creator.

His poems were learned by heart by the illiterate nomads. In fact, Ahmed Yasavi alone contributed to the spreading of Islam in Turkic sphere more than all the Arab preachers taken together. He founded the Sufi school of order Yasaviya-tarika. The devotee decided to leave the world at the age of 63 like the prophet and voluntarily imprisoned himself in the underworld cell where he lived up to his death. Not only had his family lived in the adjacent place to this cell, but also his many other followers who listened to the sermons and lessons of sheikh.
With great honor and respect he was buried in 1167 (according to other data in1166) in the mausoleum constructed for him, which immediately became the center of pilgrimage.
How the miracle was built
 The construction date of mausoleum and the date of death of the person in the name of whom it was built are separated by 400 years. It is connected with legendary warrior and statesman emir Timur. This is what the historian Nagimbek Nurmuhamedov writes about it:
“In 1934 Timur decided to build new vast memorial complex  in the place of that time’s decaying old mausoleum of Ahmed Yasavi in honor of his victory over the golden horde. There are no doubts that Timur was guided by not only religious reasons at that time. By this act he raised his authority, stated the idea of firmness of his power, which was so important for him provided the reliability of his steppe rear”.
At that time Timur was preparing for the wedding. By the wishes of Timur, the construction of huge garden “Dilkush” was finished for receiving the bride in Samarkand. Emir left to meet his bride. On his way he stopped in the tract Akhangeran not far from the village Chinaz. After that, he proceeded to Yasi, where he made solemn ziarat-praying rite over the grave of Ahmed Yasavi and made precious gifts to the priests living here.
According to the historical documents by seeing the grave of Turkic sheikh Timur ordered to demolish it and build new one in that place. The main sizes of mausoleum were written in details in the decree of Timur.
The construction of grand building began immediately and was done rapidly according to those times.
It is considered that only by this reason one can explain the fact that the mausoleum doesn’t make impression of unfinished building although its construction was suddenly stopped in 1405 after the death of Timur.

Reverses of fortune
The mausoleum which was built as only the religious building has changed its “profession” for many times within the centuries. Already at the beginning of XVI century the series of rooms have become vaults where the steppe nobles were buried.
Then during almost 200 years the building simultaneously with its religious meaning performed quite a secular representative functions. The main residence of Kazakh khans was located here. Important foreign ambassadors were received in mausoleum and important decisions of public significance were taken here.
At the beginning of XVIII century Turkistan was invaded by djungars but despite the fact that they weren’t Muslims, they disturbed neither the mausoleum nor its vassals for two decades of their rule.
In summer of 1819 Turkistan was invaded by Kokands. On the surface, the rulers of this State paid honor to Saint. However, those were the difficult times for mausoleum.
As a matter of fact it became one of the units in fortification the stronghold of Turkistan. The houses of officers of Kokand garrison were built close to it. Some parts of rooms became a storehouse of food and military property. The guards stood at the entrance to mausoleum. In winter they made a fire as a result its doors and some parts of wall were strongly covered with soot.
In 1846 the ruler of city Kanat-Shakh refused to obey Kokands and the war began. And the mausoleum was flooded with water because Kokand commanders tried to flood the city by blocking up the aryks.
During the siege of Turkistan by Russian army the building has been hit by 11 artillery shells.
In the early 70s of XIX century something which is out of boundaries happened. The Administration of city decided to demolish the mausoleum fearing that its walls will collapse. And only the interruption by the Turkistan governor Kaufman saved this unique building. And already in 1872 the funds were appropriated from the budget for its renewal. However then the funds were enough just for taking the garbage from the building which was accumulated inside of it.
In 1884 15 thousand roubles were appropriated for the renewal of mausoleum. The works were run by Tashkent master Zakir. The mausoleum was saved from the destruction but its inside attire was fairly damaged.