Abd al-Aziz mausoleum

One of the notable historical sites in ancient Ispidzhab, now part of the southeastern outskirts of Shymkent in southern Kazakhstan, is the mausoleum of the standard-bearer Abd al-Aziz. Sayram itself is rich with mausoleums and monuments from the medieval period, some widely known—like the tombs of the parents of Sufi master Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, who was born here—while others remain less famous. The Abd al-Aziz Mausoleum, however, is well-known, with locals—even children—ready to guide visitors there.

Abd al-Aziz Bab is venerated for his courage in the mission to spread Islam in the Turkestan region. His life is mentioned in the Treatise on the Saints of Madinat al-Bayda and Ispidzhab, written in the early 18th century, which lists him among the virtuous Muslims and companions of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). According to legend, he lived about 300 years before the birth of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. Historically, the conquest of Central Asia by Qutayba ibn Muslim during the Umayyad period in the early 8th century is recorded. Although Turks and Sogdians initially resisted, they later voluntarily embraced Islam after the Battle of Talas in 751, uniting with the Abbasid governor of Khorasan, Abu Muslim, to decisively defeat the Tang Empire’s forces.

Locals are convinced that in northern Sayram lies the grave of a man who was the standard-bearer of the first Muslim army to arrive in Central Asia during the caliphate. “Abd al-Aziz Bab was the alamdar (flag bearer) of Ishaq Bab’s first Muslim army,” they say. Legend has it that Ishaq Bab arrived in Turkestan in 767, following the Battle of Talas. He appointed a local warrior, Tukty Shashty Aziz, as his deputy, marking the beginning of widespread conversion among the Turks to Islam. Both Ishaq Bab, mentioned in Safi al-Din Orunkoylaki’s Nasab-nama, and his standard-bearer Abd al-Aziz—recognized as a tabi’un (successor) in the Treatise on the Saints of Madinat al-Bayda and Ispidzhab—became preachers, dedicating their lives to educating the local population in Islam, and they are revered as saints (awliya).

Historical records on Abd al-Aziz as a standard-bearer are scarce. One version suggests he died in battle during the region’s Islamization. However, the fact that his grandson, Sayyid Khodjahan, is also buried in the mausoleum suggests that Abd al-Aziz settled down and lived his later years in Central Asia. If he had simply died in battle alongside other warriors without becoming a preacher, why would the locals choose to honor him with a mausoleum? After the Battle of Talas, a brotherly bond was established between the Muslim newcomers and the local population, making it unnecessary for Ishaq Bab’s group to enforce Islam upon the Turks.

The original mausoleum over Abd al-Aziz Bab’s grave is believed to date back to the Karakhanid era, between the 10th and 12th centuries. Later, the Shaybanid ruler Navruz Ahmad Khan (Barak Khan) constructed a new building on the old foundation. This structure also decayed over time, and the current building, erected in the late 1860s, has since remained standing.

The mausoleum dedicated to this saint received thorough study only recently. In 1982, it was added to the list of national historical and cultural monuments and remains under state protection today. Pilgrims from across Turkic nations and curious tourists on their way to Turkestan often visit Sayram first, the birthplace of the Sufi Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. The central part of the mausoleum is topped by a dome, and the interior consists of three interconnected halls with wide passageways. It is traditionally believed that Abd al-Aziz Bab’s grave lies in the northern part of the mausoleum.