Khoja Ubaidulla Ahrar, revered as a saint in Sufism, was known for his virtuous deeds which earned him his honorific name. Born Khoja Ubaidulla in the mountainous village of Bogiston near Tashkent in 1404, his birth coincided with the auspicious «night of predestination» during Ramadan, marking the revelation of the Quran to Prophet Muhammad. His lineage was noble, tracing back to the second caliph, Omar. His father, Khoja Mahmud, and uncle, Khoja Muhammad, were both deeply rooted in Sufi teachings.
A pivotal moment in Khoja Ahrar’s early life was when his grandfather, the blessed Khoja Shakhobiddin, on his deathbed, requested to see his grandson. Holding the infant Khoja Ahrar, he tearfully prophesied that the child would grow to be a favorite of God, a worker of miracles, and an advisor to kings.
At 22, Khoja Ahrar journeyed to Samarkand to study. There, he encountered scholars like Qazi Zadeh Rumi and Kashi, and even the ruler Ulugbek, who enjoyed engaging with students. However, Khoja Ahrar’s interests lay not in the exact sciences but in the spiritual realm. His quest for deeper understanding led him to Bukhara, the heart of Islamic enlightenment and the birthplace of Shaikh Bahouddin Naqshbandi, founder of the Naqshbandiya Order.
In Bukhara, Khoja Ahrar sought the wisdom of Naqshbandi’s disciples and sheikhs. At 24, he traveled to Herat, a renowned center of Islamic scholarship, where he studied under Sayd Tabrizi and engaged with other prominent Sufi figures. It was in Herat that he learned of Sheikh Bahouddin Naqshbandi’s disciple, Yakub Charkhi, who would become his mentor.
After extensive studies, Khoja Ahrar returned to Tashkent, embodying the life of a Sufi. His reputation as a divine-minded sheikh quickly spread across Turkestan, Bukhara, and Samarkand. Beyond his spiritual contributions, Khoja Ahrar was also a sophisticated political figure. His influence over empires and rulers was profound, as described in Alisher Navoi’s work «Nasaim al-Mukhabbat min Shamail al-Futuwwat.» Rulers from across the region, from Egypt to China and India, sought his counsel and considered themselves his disciples.
Khoja Ahrar’s political acumen and advocacy for the people were also highly regarded by the poet Abdurakhman Jami, his contemporary. Khoja Ahrar passed away at the age of 89 in 1489, leaving behind a legacy as a thinker, miracle worker, protector of the poor, and a revered political figure. His life and works continue to inspire and influence the spiritual and political spheres within the Islamic world.
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