Memorial Complex of Imam al-Bukhari
| Memorial Complex of Imam al-Bukhari | |
|---|---|
 The cenotaph of Muhammad al-Bukhari within the religious complex. | |
Interactive map of Memorial Complex of Imam al-Bukhari | |
| 39°48′54″N 66°56′40″E / 39.8149986°N 66.9444850°E | |
| Type | Islamic religious complex consisting of a mosque, cenotaph and library. |
| Location | Samarkand, Uzbekistan |
| History | |
| Built | 1998 |
| Site notes | |
Architectural styles | Mix of modern styles and traditional Uzbek architecture |
The Memorial Complex of Imam al-Bukhari (Persian: آرامگاه امام بخاریUzbek: Imom al-Buxoriy yodgorlik majmuasi; Arabic: قبر الامام البخاري) is an Islamic religious complex located in the district of Xo'ja Ismoil in the city of Samarkand, Uzbekistan. It mainly consists of a mosque and a memorial to Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari, the compiler of Sahih al-Bukhari, one of the canonical Hadith compilations in Sunni Islam. It is a relatively modern complex, built in the 20th-century over the ruins of a 16th-century mosque.
History
Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari, compiler of the Sahih al-Bukhari, died in 870 and was buried in a cemetery in a village named Hartang near Samarkand.[1] In the 16th century, the Shaybanids built a mosque and library near his grave as a memorial to the deceased scholar. During the Soviet occupation of Uzbekistan, the mosque was abandoned and left in a state of ruin.[2] When the first President of Indonesia, Sukarno, visited the ruined mosque in 1961, he made a request to Nikita Khrushchev to rebuild the mosque and reopen it for both the public and visitors from abroad.[3][4] Sukarno's request was granted and a new mosque and cenotaph were built at the site from 1997 to 1998.[2][3][4]
In 2025, the religious complex was extensively renovated, while the mosque was completely rebuilt in order to accommodate more worshippers.[5] All were reopened in the Islamic month of Ramadan in 2026.[6][7]
Architecture
The Memorial Complex of Imam al-Bukhari is built in a modernized architectural style while retaining classical Uzbek elements. The main buildings of the complex, which consist of a mosque, library, museum, and cenotaph, all skewer off the street parallel in the direction of Mecca.[2][6][8]
The present mosque, built in 2025, can accommodate more than 12,000 worshippers.[6][8] Made of marble, it has a square base, with a large dome topping the main prayer hall, followed by four smaller cupolas surrounding it on a lower level. Four minarets surround the mosque and the ancillary buildings that are attached to it.[6][8]
The cenotaph of Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari is a cuboid structure, topped by a ribbed dome. Each wall has an iwan leading into the structure.[9][10] Steel grilles fill up the empty spaces in the iwans that are not in use. The tombstone of the scholar, a rectangular sanduga, is mounted in the centre.[9][10] It is not the real grave of Ibn Ismail, who wished to be buried in a modest and flat grave.[11] He is instead interred in a crypt near the mosque, where the cloth-wrapped sarcophagus of the scholar can be found.[9]
Other ancillary establishments next to the complex include a cemetery, park, toilets, hotel, tourist centre, as well as a madrasa.[6][8]
See also
References
- ↑ Tabish Khair (2006). Other Routes: 1500 Years of African and Asian Travel Writing. Signal Books. pp. 393–. ISBN 978-1-904955-11-5. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
- 1 2 3 Primova, Dilbar (2025-12-16). "A world landmark reborn: the Imam al-Bukhari complex". Euro News.
- 1 2 Argenti, Gilli (2025-03-06). "Masjid Biru dan Makam Imam Bukhari, Hasil Diplomasi Soekarno Era Uni Soviet" [The Blue Mosque and the Tomb of Imam Bukhari, the Result of Sukarno's Diplomacy in the Soviet Era]. Indonesiana.id (in Indonesian). Retrieved 2026-04-07.
- 1 2 "Bung Karno Dibalik Penemuan Makam Imam Bukhari" [Bung Karno was behind the preservation of the tomb of Imam al-Bukhari]. MPR Indonesia (in Indonesian). 2019-10-15.
- ↑ Chegaboev, Komron (2025-10-30). "Prezident yangidan qurilgan Imom Buxoriy majmuasini ziyorat qildi". Kun Uzbekistan (in Uzbek). Retrieved 2026-04-07.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Raxmonkulova, Sarvinoz (2026-03-12). "New Imam al-Bukhari complex opens to host up to 65,000 visitors daily". Euro News.
- ↑ Norboyeda, Rashida (2026-04-07). "Sayyohlar uchun qayta ochilgan Imom Buxoriy majmuasi 65 ming ziyoratchini sig'dira oladi" [Imam Bukhari complex reopened for tourists can accommodate 65,000 pilgrims]. Zamon Uzbekistan (in Uzbek).
- 1 2 3 4 Janobiddinov, Adkhamjon (2026-03-20). "Imam al-Bukhari Complex Reopens After Major Expansion in Uzbekistan". The Friday Times. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
- 1 2 3 Bulai, M.; Eva, M.; Rosu, L. (2016). "Analysis of tourism features and development strategy for memorial complex "Imam Al Bukhari Mausoleum", Samarkand region, Uzbekistan". Tékhne. 14 (2): 134–143. doi:10.1016/j.tekhne.2016.11.001.
- 1 2 Nomura, Kalen (2025-11-08). Bukhara Travel Guide: Culture, Heritage, Adventure, Mountains (1st ed.). KaNo. ISBN 9798266025561.
- ↑ Leisten, Thomas (1990). "Between Orthodoxy and Exegesis: Some Aspects of Attitudes in the Shariʿa toward Funerary Architecture". Muqarnas. 7: 12–22. doi:10.2307/1523118. ISSN 0732-2992.
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