Mausoleum of Murad Avliya

Murod Avliyo mausoleum is one of the Muslim mausoleums in the city of Samarkand. Buried in the mausoleum is the famous Khoja Said Musa ibn Said Murtazo, known as Murod Avliyo (Avliyo), who died in 1511. The word Murod and the name mean “wish” or “good intention”. The saint of believers was called so because he supposedly contributed to the swift fulfillment of wishes pleasing to God. It is one of the few Shia pilgrimage sites in Samarkand. However, Sunnis also respect this mausoleum.

Murod Avliyo was one of the famous Muslim theologians of his time in Samarkand, Mawaraunnahr and Khorasan, a jurist, a scholar of Sharia, and a philosopher. He was a disciple of Khoja Ahror Vali, and there is no information about the exact birthplace of the saint; however, some historians claim that historical sources state he was born in Samarkand, while others point out that he was from the present-day Qwaite region and came to Samarkand to spread Islam.

The mausoleum was built in the 19th century by the local Iranian community of Samarkand. The mausoleum was closed during the Soviet period and, according to some legends and information, it was decided to destroy the Murod Avliyo mausoleum; bulldozers, tractors and other heavy equipment were brought to the mausoleum for demolition. When the equipment began to damage, suddenly all the machines stopped and during inspections damage was found. After that a decision was made to stop the demolition. Some consider this event a miracle. After Uzbekistan achieved independence in 1991, the mausoleum was reopened, fully restored, and carried out under the supervision of the local Iranian community of Samarkand.

The mausoleum is located in the western part of the city of Samarkand, next to Mirzo Ulug‘bek Shah Street, on Jarariq Street, 150 meters north‑east of the Samarkand Museum of State History and Culture of Uzbekistan. The mausoleum is situated within a large courtyard area, part of which contains an ancient cemetery and the ruins of the Timurid palace. Previously the cemetery occupied almost the entire area, surrounding the mausoleum. In a corner of the courtyard there is a small mosque of the same name, which people still use.

Many pilgrims visit the mausoleum to fulfill their wishes. People come here mainly seeking cures for illnesses and infertility. According to tradition, most pilgrims come to the mausoleum on Wednesday, believing that their wishes will certainly be realized on that day of the week.

Together with other architectural, archaeological, religious and cultural monuments of Samarkand, it is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List under the name “Samarkand – Crossroads of Cultures”.