Saif Ed-Din Bokharzi & Bayan-Quli Khan Mausoleums - The Kubrawiya Order

The Kubrawiya Order

"Kubrawiya" is the Sufi order, founded in the 13th century by Sheikh Nadjm ed-Din Kubra, (was killed in 1221). The order ("tariqa" - means "spiritual way") of Kubrawiya was a religious community ("taifa") of followers. The mystical teaching of perception of God was an idea, which united all followers. There was an opinion that only elite, talented people, marked by God can walk by this mystical way, because this way was not easy. According to the doctrine, the order's main aim was to educate enlightened and advanced people - godly men.

The order community consisted of two unequal parts. There were ordinary members and spiritual elite, devoted into the secret teaching of Moslem mystics (Sufi). The greater part of the community consisted of ordinary people. They should live their ordinary life and not penetrate into the depths of the complicated teaching, inconceivable to them. Leaders and tutors of the order did not demand knowledge of postulates of teaching from the majority.

Ordinary members participated in the order activity through the offertory and membership dues. They were taught that their membership in the order is useful for them, because they receive a peace of mind and pride from their participation in training the godly man inside their order. Therefore, the order members should be very successful people, unlike others. All the people outside the order they called as a gang of unlucky and wretched people, without proper understanding of life.

After Mongols had captured Khoresm in 1221, they killed a great many people. Najm ed-Din Kubra was among killed captives. Here are some other names of prominent representatives of the order Kubravi listed below:

1. Farid ed-Din Attar (d. about 1225)
2. Saif ed-Din al-Boharsi (d. 1261)
3. Aziz ed-Din Nasafi (d. 1263)
4. Badr ed-Din Firdavsi as-Samarkandi