Imam Abu Khafs Kabir is credited with founding the Hanafi school in Mawarannahr (Transoxiana) and establishing the first madrasah of the Hanafi stream in Bukhara. According to legend, when the holy sheikh walked through the bustling Bukhara market to the madrasah, the entire noisy bazaar would respectfully quiet down. The school where he taught, later continued by his son and grandson (and, according to legend, his wife taught female students), became a prestigious institution attracting students from around the world.
Among his notable followers was Imam al-Bukhari, a highly respected figure in the Islamic scientific world and the author of the monumental collection of reliable hadith, “al-Jami as-Sahih.”
The people of Bukhara revered Imam Abu Khafs Kabir for his willingness to help anyone in need, whether an emir or a common citizen. This earned him the title Eshoni Hojat-baror (“Ishan, Resolving Problems”). Bukhara residents would seek his advice and guidance through the gates in the north-west part of the city wall, later known as “Gates Hakk rakh” (Road to Truth). The entire district was named after this.
Akhmad ibn Khafs al-Kabir al-Bukhari passed away in 832. According to Bukhara city tales, the memorial complex of Abu Khafs Kabir Bukhari is located on a hill, which is also believed to be the burial place of Afrasiyab, the legendary king of Turan. The tomb of the imam in the “Hakk rakh” district became a pilgrimage site for believers, who believe that prayers offered here possess special power. The tomb, shaped like a cube with a semi-spherical dome, architecturally resembles the Mausoleum of the Samanids. Abu Khafs Kabir’s son, Abu Abdallaha ibn Abu Khafs al-Bukhari, assisted the ruler of Bukhara, Ismail Samani, in gaining power. Like his father, he was a respected and influential scholar in Bukhara.
During the Communist era, the burial site was destroyed, along with many other monuments in the region. However, the memorial complex, including the mausoleum of Imam Khafs Kabir, was restored during the years of independence and continues to be a place of pilgrimage. The Mausoleum of Khafs Kabir is frequently visited by travelers from around the world, particularly those on Sufi tours, who seek to connect with the spiritual heritage of Bukhara.
