Soaking in Uzbekistan's Historical Splendour

By Sakini Mohd Said SAMARKAND, Dec 31 (Bernama) -- The time was only half-past 10 in the morning but I could feel the searing heat of the sun stinging my skin. It was the tail-end of summer then but I forgot how hot the weather was the minute I set my eyes on Imam al-Bukhari RA mausoleum complex here. Its beauty and tranquillity just blew me away. The mausoleum houses the tomb of Imam al-Bukhari (810-870), a renowned Islamic scholar who authored the hadith collection known as Sahih al-Bukhari. The monument is situated in the village of Hartang in Payayk district, about 30 kilometres from Samarkand.   Imam al-Bukhari, whose real name was Muhammad bin Ismail bin Ibrahim bin al-Ju’fiy al-Bukhari, was blessed with good memory and while still a child he memorised the hadiths of Prophet Muhammad SAW. He also studied other religions. I was in Uzbekistan to cover the 12th Sharq Taronalari International Music Festival that took place from Aug 25 to 30. I was busy taking photographs and videos on the grounds of the mausoleum when a loud voice stopped me in my tracks. A woman who was probably in her late 30s was saying something to me in the Uzbek language. I couldn't understand a word she said but her loud voice seemed to imply that she was rebuking me and I wondered if I had done something wrong. VERY FRIENDLY Fortunately, Rozimurotova Nilufar, who is studying English at the Samarkand Institute of Foreign Languages, was with me then and came to my rescue. “She said you took her photo. Don't you remember her?” Nilufar asked me. The woman, whose name was Marina, said I had taken a photo with her at Amir Timur Square in Tashkent which we had visited earlier and she was puzzled why I did not recognise her. I apologised to Marina for not recognising her. How could I have forgotten our first encounter! Marina was so happy when I informed her that I was from Malaysia. She was even more overjoyed when I told her my name as she has a relative with the same name. Most of the Uzbeks I met during my trip to the central Asian nation were just as warm and friendly as Marina and they bowled me over with their hospitality. Some of them have visited Malaysia and admire Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad. Some even invited me to their village so that I could get to see how people live in the Uzbek countryside. I was touched when Nilufar asked her mother to stitch a table cloth for me featuring the famed Suzani embroidery. RICH IN HISTORY Uzbekistan was never really on my list of must-visit destinations. But now that I have been there, I certainly would like to visit it again. Not many people may be aware that this nation has a rich history of Islamic civilisations and has mosques that were built hundreds of years ago. There is the Amir Timur Museum in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, which stores thousands of manuscripts on the Islamic civilisation, and Imam Khazrati or Hast Imam complex, also in Tashkent, which houses the first handwritten copy of the Al-Quran. Uzbekistan was also the birthplace of many scientists, Islamic scholars, mathematicians and astronomers. Samarkand, Uzbekistan's second-largest city, is rich in history too, having been founded in the seventh century BC. From Tashkent, it takes about five hours to travel to Samarkand by road and three hours via Afrosiyab or high-speed train. Known as the Pearl of the East, Samarkand also enjoys Unesco World Heritage Site status. In ancient times, it was the pulse of the historical silk route between China and the Mediterranean region. It was also a prime centre for the propagation of Islam, the evidence of which can be found in its historical monuments, one of them being the Imam al-Bukhari mausoleum complex. My photographer colleague Mahayudin Mohamad who was with me had an interesting story to share with me. "There are two ponds here (mausoleum complex). When I visited this place in 2008, some people here informed me that whoever drinks the water from the pond will return to this country. So, here I am in Uzbekistan again!" he said, grinning.  It is just a belief but the locals regard the pond water as sacred. The mausoleum complex also has a museum and mosque where Mahayudin and I performed our prayers. Another must-visit site in Samarkand is Registan Square in the city centre which is fringed by three beautiful madrasahs (religious schools) — Ulughbek, Sher-Dor and Tillya-Kari. In the olden days, residents would gather at the square to hear announcements with regard to royal decrees. Other historical places in Samarkand include the Gur-Emir complex which houses the tomb of eminent leader Amir Timur, Shah-i-Zindah complex (tomb of Qusam ibni Abbas, a cousin of Prophet Muhammad SAW) and Ulughbek's Observatory. Translated by Rema Nambiar -- BERNAMA