Hilvet Underground Mosque

Amid the medieval landmarks of the state historical and cultural museum-reserve «Azret Sultan» stands an underground mosque, known as the Hilvet. Located just 150 meters from the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, this semi-subterranean structure consists of separate rooms, each serving a distinct purpose: spaces for prayer, round-the-clock shelter for pilgrims, and areas for sacred rituals.

This mosque is closely associated with the Sufi poet Ahmed Yasawi, a central figure in spreading Islam throughout Central Asia. According to legend, at the age of 63, Yasawi retreated into this underground mosque, where he spent the remainder of his life. He is said to have justified this act by citing his wish not to see the sun for longer than the Prophet Muhammad, who, as tradition holds, lived to the age of 63.

The Hilvet became his final dwelling. During his seclusion, Yasawi composed a collection of religious and moral verses, titled Hikmet (Wisdom). He is believed to have written these works in a small cell, or gaar, a confined space located two meters below the mosque’s main chambers, which themselves descend four meters underground. This modest room measures just 1.5 by 1.5 meters, with a height of 165 cm.

According to historical sources, Yasawi passed away in 1166, also at the age of 63. Thus, some scholars suggest that his time in the cell may have been limited, casting doubt on whether he spent extensive years there writing. Another view posits that he lived to be 120 or even 125, dedicating his final years to composing poems in ancient Turkic, a language he mastered. In any case, what is certain is that Khoja Ahmed Yasawi was a historical figure, and the passage we see today became a place of veneration over the centuries. Eventually, the mosque fell into disrepair but was restored more recently, thanks to Georgian architect Tina Karumidze, who was exiled there in the 1930s. Observing the mosque’s deterioration, she took it upon herself to create a detailed model of the Hilvet while it was still largely intact. Using wood, heavy paper, fabrics, and tin, she constructed a 3D scale model, likely at a 1:50 ratio, capturing the structure’s architectural details with precision.

Fortunately, her model, which survived in one of the mausoleum’s chambers, was invaluable in restoring the mosque in the 1970s and 90s. However, the restored mosque does not match the original in scale, as only part of the original structure could be reconstructed based on the model.

Visitors today can view this model in the mosque museum. Still, when exploring the Hilvet and hearing tales of Yasawi’s 50-year sojourn there, or of various miracles attributed to him, it is wise to approach these stories with a critical mindset, as vibrant and intriguing as they may be.

For five centuries, followers of the Yasawi school practiced ritual ceremonies here. In particular, Sufis performed the zikr, a form of devotional remembrance, spending 40 days in seclusion to exalt the glory of Allah. The renowned Orientalist, Academician V. Gordlevsky, who visited Yasawi’s mausoleum in 1929, described the zikr ritual in the Hilvet: “The impression is akin to the sound of a saw cutting through a tree, then the metallic ringing as it withdraws. Moved by Yasawi’s hikmets, the devotees weep, embracing their neighbors and resting their heads on one another’s chests. The zikr ends with a silent recitation of the Al-Fatiha sura.” A distinguishing feature of the Yasawi school was its use of the Turkic language in zikr, while core Islamic teachings were still presented in Arabic. Notably, women participated alongside men, a practice at odds with orthodox Islamic dogma.

In other Sufi orders, the zikr was performed only within their communities, but Turks eventually adopted it as an Islamic rite in its own right.