Khoja Shaqiqi Balkhi
Man-made, Cultural, Mausoleum
The mausoleum is located a distance of about 2 km from the main road connection Dushanbe Kulob, on the high hill of Sebiston village of Dangara district. The mausoleum was built inconspicuously in the 15th century. At the end of the 20th century, compassionate entrepreneurs simply restored the mausoleum.
There are different opinions among scholars about the year of death and the place of martyrdom of Shaqiq Balkhi. In all probability he was born in historical city or region of Balkh and is buried in a place where a mausoleum is built form him in 15th century. He was reportedly murdered in 810 nearby Khalton.
Abu Ali Shaqiq ibn Ibrahim Balkhi (d. 810, Khatlon) is credited as one of the outstanding Islamic scholars, while his life and legacy needs to be studied. It is said that he was born in a rich family, received a good education in his young age and was engaged in business. His name is mentioned in several tazkiras (biographies) of the saints, according to which he has received his training under famous Sufi scholars and also visited Mecca and Madina. Khoja Shaqiq had reportedly had many followers and nurtured in them the confidence, contentment, piety, and piety. This Sufi sage was involved in business and the main reason Shaqiq's piety was that while doing business in Turkestan (Western China), he saw people worshiping idols with shaved heads and demanding a better life from them. Shaqiq is angry and tells them why you worship stones instead of one god. In response, they say that we get our food from these gods, but why did you leave your property and come here for food, your food did not keep you in your homeland. Shaqiq appeared to be pious after hearing these words. According to the teachings of Shaykh Shaqiq, a perfect man should use repentance, patience, gratitude, danger, disobedience, poverty, austerity, trust, and love (having divine love) to be close to the Creator from the mortal to the eternal. He opposed the worship of man in life and death, preferring only the worship of the Creator, and had many followers and admirers in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Central Asia, and Arabia. Shaykh Shaqiq was murdered during his travel from Khatlon and Vashgird (present Sebiston) in Danghara district in 809-810 AD. Controversial account is provided about his burial place by Soviet scholars, and present researchers. Some scholars suggest that this saint was buried in the cemetery in the city of Balkh, while others believe that his body is in the Dangara cemetery and his head is in the Balkh cemetery.
Abu Ali Shaqiq ibn Ibrahim Balkhi (d. 810, Khatlon) is credited as one of the outstanding Islamic scholars, while his life and legacy needs to be studied. It is said that he was born in a rich family, received a good education in his young age and was engaged in business. His name is mentioned in several tazkiras (biographies) of the saints, according to which he has received his training under famous Sufi scholars and also visited Mecca and Madina. Khoja Shaqiq had reportedly had many followers and nurtured in them the confidence, contentment, piety, and piety. This Sufi sage was involved in business and the main reason Shaqiq's piety was that while doing business in Turkestan (Western China), he saw people worshiping idols with shaved heads and demanding a better life from them. Shaqiq is angry and tells them why you worship stones instead of one god. In response, they say that we get our food from these gods, but why did you leave your property and come here for food, your food did not keep you in your homeland. Shaqiq appeared to be pious after hearing these words. According to the teachings of Shaykh Shaqiq, a perfect man should use repentance, patience, gratitude, danger, disobedience, poverty, austerity, trust, and love (having divine love) to be close to the Creator from the mortal to the eternal. He opposed the worship of man in life and death, preferring only the worship of the Creator, and had many followers and admirers in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Central Asia, and Arabia. Shaykh Shaqiq was murdered during his travel from Khatlon and Vashgird (present Sebiston) in Danghara district in 809-810 AD. Controversial account is provided about his burial place by Soviet scholars, and present researchers. Some scholars suggest that this saint was buried in the cemetery in the city of Balkh, while others believe that his body is in the Dangara cemetery and his head is in the Balkh cemetery.
1. Bartol’d V. Sochineniya. (Obshie raboty po istorii Sredney Azii) (Moscow, 1963). Vol 2., p. 230.
2. Rajab Asozoda, Hotam Asozoda, Pironi Kuhistoni Khatlon (Dushanbe:Promekspo, 2015).
3. Bozor Murodov, ‘Orifi Khatlonzamin’, SSSR, 20 July 2017. Available at http://www.cccp.tj/tj/farhang/item/3604-orifi-hatlonzamin.html
4. Kholnazar Kasirov, ‘Orifoni Khatlonzamin’ Jumhuriyat 14 March 2015. Available at http://jumhuriyat.tj/index.php?art_id=18409
2. Rajab Asozoda, Hotam Asozoda, Pironi Kuhistoni Khatlon (Dushanbe:Promekspo, 2015).
3. Bozor Murodov, ‘Orifi Khatlonzamin’, SSSR, 20 July 2017. Available at http://www.cccp.tj/tj/farhang/item/3604-orifi-hatlonzamin.html
4. Kholnazar Kasirov, ‘Orifoni Khatlonzamin’ Jumhuriyat 14 March 2015. Available at http://jumhuriyat.tj/index.php?art_id=18409
Travelling to the Site
The village of Khoja Shaqiq (currently Sebiston) is located 85 kilometers away from Dushanbe on the high road connecting Dushanbe Kulob. It is easy to reach to the village from both Danghara district, and Dushanbe. However, it is a little bit difficult to reach to the mausoleum of Khoja, travelling through the path inside the tombs.
The mausoleum of Khoja Shaqiqi Balkhi is an attractive place for people from both Tajikistan, and foreign visitors from Iran, and Afghanistan, in particular from his native and ancient city of Balkh. The mausoleum of Khoja Shakiki Balkhi, located 18 kilometers from the center of the Danghara region, is of great historical importance. You can use any type of transport to visit this historic site. This historical place is attractive for domestic and foreign tourists, and the organization of a new route to the mausoleum will increase the number of tourists. The recently created tourist route "The Tomb of the Martyr in the Fortress" is of great cultural and historical importance and is located 3 km from the district center.
The mausoleum of Khoja Shaqiqi Balkhi is an attractive place for people from both Tajikistan, and foreign visitors from Iran, and Afghanistan, in particular from his native and ancient city of Balkh. The mausoleum of Khoja Shakiki Balkhi, located 18 kilometers from the center of the Danghara region, is of great historical importance. You can use any type of transport to visit this historic site. This historical place is attractive for domestic and foreign tourists, and the organization of a new route to the mausoleum will increase the number of tourists. The recently created tourist route "The Tomb of the Martyr in the Fortress" is of great cultural and historical importance and is located 3 km from the district center.