At the dawn of the 13th century, Central Asia was swept by the devastating Mongol invasions. Under the command of Genghis Khan, entire cities were razed to the ground, and their inhabitants were mercilessly slaughtered. This catastrophic event brought a millennia-old civilization to the brink of destruction.
Amidst the impending disaster, the Sufi masters, who were known for their foresight, anticipated the calamity and its repercussions. They decided to focus their efforts on three distinct fronts, a strategy they employed both then and in the present day. The first group of Sufis migrated to areas untouched by the invasions, where the teachings could be preserved in a more favorable environment. For instance, Jalaluddin Rumi’s father relocated his family from Balkh to Konya, while the poet Saadi moved to Baghdad, which remained relatively safe at that time.
The second group of Sufis stayed behind to resist the invaders. During the defense of Khwarezm, the revered Sufi Najmuddin Kubra was killed, and Fariduddin Attar perished at the hands of the Mongols, despite sending his students to safer places beforehand.
The third group remained in the occupied cities to subtly guide the actions of the conquerors, preserving and strengthening Sufi heritage and influence wherever possible.
By divine will, Bukhara was destined to be one of the sanctuaries where civilization and spiritual teachings could be safeguarded. According to some sources, this preservation was significantly due to the foresight of the Khojagan masters. Shortly before his death, Khoja Abdul-Khalik Gijduvani summoned his two closest disciples, Khoja Ali and Khoja Arif Revgari, instructing them to persuade all members of the Khojagan to relocate to Bukhara.
Khoja Arif Revgari, though relatively young at the time, took the lead of the Khojagan and maintained this role during the Mongol invasion. Born and raised in the vicinity of Bukhara, in the village of Revgari, a popular legend recounts that Genghis Khan passed through this village before laying siege to Bukhara. Most of the villagers fled in terror, but Khoja Arif remained calmly at his loom, working undisturbed. Genghis Khan, astonished by his calmness and skill, inquired how he managed to remain so composed. Khoja Arif responded, «My external attention is focused on my work, while my inner attention is on the Truth. I do not expend energy worrying about what happens around me.» Impressed by this response, Genghis Khan ordered that the village be spared and even requested Khoja Arif to accompany him to Bukhara.
Although the veracity of this legend cannot be verified, it is true that Bukhara escaped the fate that befell Samarkand, where nearly all its inhabitants were annihilated. It is likely that Khoja Arif Revgari’s advocacy and persuasion played a crucial role in saving countless lives in Bukhara. The city’s population was initially ordered to evacuate, but as winter approached, Khoja Arif is said to have persuaded Genghis Khan to show mercy and allow the people to return. Genghis Khan respected and feared individuals of exceptional spiritual power, akin to shamans, which may have influenced his decision. Thanks to the strategic approach of the Khojagan masters, who sought to build relationships with people of all races and beliefs, Bukhara resumed normal life much quicker than other cities.
Unfortunately, very little information about Khoja Arif Revgari’s life has survived. It is known that he reinstated the practice of loud dhikr, the public recitation of God’s names during Sufi gatherings. There are various opinions about why Revgari chose to do this. Essentially, the reason lies in the fact that Sufi practices are tailored to the time they are meant for, as «everything subject to Time becomes a victim of Time.» True Sufism, however, is in a constant state of renewal, adapting to new circumstances.
Despite these changes, other aspects of the Khojagan practices during Khoja Arif Revgari’s time remained traditional. The fundamental unit was the group or circle of dervishes (halkah), with the primary methods being the performance of dhikr, suhbat (spiritual communication between teacher and student), and acquiring practical wisdom through one’s daily activities. All Khojagan teachers earned their livelihood through their trades, believing that ordinary life was a treasure trove of teaching moments. Revgari emphasized the importance of ensuring that potential students had resolved their worldly concerns before embarking on spiritual training, illustrating this with a story from Idries Shah’s collection, “The Sufis.”
Khoja Arif Revgari passed away in 1262, and if this date is accurate, he lived for at least a century, with some sources claiming he reached the age of 150. In Uzbekistan, he is often referred to as Mohe-Tabon («Clear Moon»), a term traditionally used in Eastern tales to describe individuals with exceptionally remarkable and extraordinary appearances.
His mausoleum, located in the village of Shafirkan, approximately 40 kilometers from Bukhara, is notably simple and unadorned. This modesty reflects Khoja Arif’s own words: «It is foolish to seek something where an untrained imagination hopes to find it. In reality, it is everywhere you can extract it.«