Fayzabad Khanqah in Bukhara
Fayzabad Khanqah
Fayzabad Khanqah was built in 1598-1599 by Sufi Mavlono Poyand-Mukhammad Ahsi. At that time, it had two functions: it served as a place for prayers and Sufi rites, and as a temporary residence for dervishes.
Overview
This mosque, whose parishioners came from the Shokhi Akhsi quarter, served both for daily prayers (machiti panchvakti) and for Friday communal prayers (machiti jumahoni).
It was also the site of ritual gatherings of the Sufis and provided temporary shelter for dervishes. The ishanas, or leaders and mentors of this mosque, enjoyed great fame and influence and had numerous students known as murids.
The construction of this large, solid brick mosque was carried out by the renowned Sufi Mavlono Poynda-Muhammad Ahsi (Akhsiketi) Yay Fayzobodi, who passed away in 1601.
He was the founder of the Sufi center known as Fayzabad. The ishanov family of Shokhi Ahsi continued to reside in Bukhara until the establishment of Soviet power.
Architectural Features
The architectural composition of the mosque is ceremonial and balanced. On both sides of the central hall, arched-domed galleries are attached, creating a grand appearance. Inside the pylons of the main portal and behind the mihrab (the niche that orients worshippers towards Mecca), there are three-story residential hujras used as temporary shelters for dervishes. The dome’s interior is decorated with impressive two-color ganch carving using the chaspak technique.