Sofi Hamid Shrine

Sofi Hamid shrine — located in the Sangachal settlement of the Qaradağ district of Baku, in the Miacik area.

Sofi Hamid shrine

Sofi Hamid shrine is situated in an area surrounded by small mountains between the Sangachal and Umbak settlements.

Hummat was engaged in sheep breeding, while Hamid dealt with camel herding. Known among the people as a great mystic for his Sufi way of life, Hamid was a promoter of Sufism with his whole being. According to local residents' conjectures, Sofi Hamid came to Azerbaijan from Arabia. He bequeathed to his disciples that they should bury him where the camel would lie down. The disciples obey his bequest and soon this tomb becomes a shrine. The white camel statue, a symbol of eternity placed on the stone over the tomb in the fenced area, is considered an expression of love from those who have faith in him. One of the features that popularized the Sofi Hamid shrine is the multicolored painted tombstones in the surrounding cemetery. These tombstones, perhaps unique in the world, are a “treasure of secrets” due to their form, pattern and colors.

About the shrine

Among those who turn to this remote pilgrimage site — the Sofi Hamid shrine — the majority are women who live with the desire to become mothers. According to belief, people who have taken refuge in this place must perform the ritual described in detail a little lower three times for it to be more effective.

According to legend, Sofi Həmid was an Arab merchant who came to this region as a mullah in the 14th century. When he realized his death was approaching, he asked his traveling companions to bury him at the place where his camel stopped. The companions fulfill Sofi Həmid’s will. It is said that today a white marble statue of a camel standing in the middle of the courtyard of the shrine is placed exactly where the merchant’s camel stopped. Interestingly, the way the camel stood on its knees then is reproduced in stone in the same posture. Over time, certain beliefs and customs have formed around the “white camel”.

According to belief, a person who can cross the very short distance between the ground and the “white camel” that is crouched on its knees fulfills his wish. Apparently, for this reason the marble-covered layer beneath the statue, which has not been overwhelmed by large numbers of visitors for many years, has sunk slightly.

The structure of the shrine is simple. A small iron door provides entry to this shrine, which is surrounded by high white walls. In general, the shrine consists of the tomb where Sofi Həmid is buried and the white camel statue.

According to belief, first the camel is visited, then the tomb of Sofi Həmid. The tomb is located at the front of the courtyard, in a small simple house‑like structure. There is no reliable information about the identity of Sofi Həmid.

It is said that earlier there was no tomb over the grave of Sofi Həmid. The tomb was built in the 18th century. On 2 August 2001, the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan decided that Sofi Həmid is protected as a state‑significant historical and cultural monument.