Pir (sacred places) and pilgrimages

Tazapir mosque is sanctuary type architectural monument located in Absheron. This monument is not considered as the religious center only in Azerbaijan but in the whole of the Caucasus. The Caucasian Muslims Office is situated here.

Sanctuary\'s history dates back to the XIV-XV centuries. Researchers have confirmed that the tomb of the mosque deep beneath the rock layers was belonged to a prominent scientist and figure Abdulla Abu Seyid. The location of the sanctuary until the middle of the last century was known by the name of Khalfadam. At present this location is the area of the mosque Tazapir. Over time, the tomb of Abu Abdullah Seyed was subjected to destruction. However, the people respected the virtue of the sanctuary could not allow its total destruction.

Sanctuary has been repaired from time to time by the Baku aristocrats. In 1817 the son-in-law of  last Baku khan Huseyngulu Khan - Gasim wholly restored the mosque. At the beginning of the twentieth century the real construction of the sanctuary began. Thus, after 90 years since the major restoration of the mosque one of the richest believers Nabat khanum Khojabey kizi Ashurbeyli Rzayeva starts construction of a new sanctuary in place of one-storey mosque. 

This lady from the dynasty of Seyed Yahya Bakuvi sold her last jewelry to construct this building.  For building a new mosque over tomb this building is known among people as Tazapir mosque. The mosque was built by the funds of Nabat Ashurbeyli-Rzayeva on the project of 

Ziverbey Ahmebeyov on July 23, 1905. The mosque was repaired capitally in 2007-2009.

Here, tomb of Hazrati Hakima, the daughter of the seventh imam of the Shiites, two grandsons and one granddaughter of Imam is located. This historical and religious monument was built in the XIII century by Shirvanshah II Farrukhad ibn Akhsitan. Inscription with the historical facts written on the wall of the mosque is located here. The inscription was noted that the architect of the mosque, which was built in 1281-1282 Mahmud ibn Seyid. The well-known historians Bakikhanov, Beryozin, Dorn and Khanukov have written about this inscription, too. Daughters of VII Imam Museyi-Kazım Hazrati Hakimakhanum was buried in Bibiheybat, Hazrati Masuma in the Iranian city of Qum, Hazrati Rahima in Nardaran, and Hazrati Leyla in the village of  Bilgah.

Hazrati Hakima died in 1257 had never married and devoted all her life to sons of brother. When one hears the name of mosque it become interesting to everyone that why it is called Bibiheybat. To avoid receiving of news by enemies, Haji Badir hides the real name of Hazrati Hakima and she is addressed as aunt– bibi.  Bibi heybat” means Heybat’s aunt. He could protect grandchildren of Imam from scandal, rumors, persecution, oppressions and persecutions. Haji Badir was buried in the lower part at the feet of the grave of the Bibi, in terms of height. It comes from his respect and honor for the Hazrati Hakima. 

Being located approximately 12 km away from the city of Nakhchivan, between Ilandag and Nahajir natural cave- sanctuary Ashabi-Kahf, which is in Arabic means cave people. There is information in the ancient religious literature, as well as in Koran that the place with same name is existed in the territory of Asia Minor or Palestine. According to legend mentioned in sura “Kahf” (cave) the young people who believe in God, hide self in this cave to get rid of oppressions, with one dog. God made them slip and waken up a few hundred years later, but the young people saw the world alien to them, and again slept. The legend spread in the territory of Nakhchivan has the same content.

Renovation and restoration works were carried out in Ashabi-kahf, and conditions were created for the pilgrims, a comfortable road of 13 km was built, the mosque was built, and inscriptions were installed. 

Mirmovsum agha sanctuary is located in Shuvalan settlement of Baku city. This person\'s real name and surname is Mirboyuk Aga Mirabutalıb oglu Mirmovsumzade. Roots of his father Mirabutalib linked with the seventh imam Museyi-Kazim (s). His grandfathers were born in Karbala. Mirabutalıb agha moves to Azerbaijan at the end of the XIX century. Aga has 3 sons and 3 daughters. One of sons Mirmovsum agha was born in 1883 in Icherisheher. As Aga was sick his sister Goncha Sakina was not married, and served his brother whole life. Just a little time, after sister\'s death could not stand with this death Mirmovsum agha dies in 1950. Now one of the great pilgrimages the sanctuary of Mirmovsum agha is one of the most sacred places visited by pilgrims.

Imamzada or Blue Imam Sanctuary is a historical monument of the eighth century. One of the most interesting architectural monuments of the Ganja city is Imamzade complex known as the Blue dome and the Blue Mosque (Blue Imam) among the people. The naming of the monument complex among the people like it is connected with blue tiles cover of dome of tomb building occupying the main place among all buildings of the complex. The main building of that complex besides being the core, it is also the most ancient part of it. At present, this building consisted of lower and high rising dome, no doubt, once covered even larger area. The tomb later (probably in the XVII century) turned to place of pilgrimage and around it buildings with the religious nature were built.

The girl grandchildren of Imam Jafar Sadiq buried in Imamzada sanctuary located in the city of Barda. Prince Ismayil finds shelter in Azerbaijan having 3migrated due to ego of Arab Caliphate made to Ahli-beyt family. 

One of the ancient cities of Azerbaijan Barda becomes a place of residence of Prince Ismayil.

He lived and died on this land till the end of life. In XI century trader named Ibrahim saw how people visit this grave.

When he interested he was told that the girl grandchildren of Imam Jafar Sadiq buried here. The merchant builds on his own account sanctuary over grave from river rocks and with dome. In Encyclopedia this sanctuary was named as Tajir Ibrahim.

In 1968 4 minarets of Imamzade tomb was restored by architect Kerbalayi Safikhan Qarabaghi

This sanctuary is located at the top of a mountain in Siyazan region. This mountain is place of one of the 124 thousand Prophets–Khizir-zinda baba.

Sanctuary of Hazrat Babadagh  is one peak with the height of 3629 meters. The northern part of this mountain lay in Guba and south part in Ismayilli regions.

Visit of pilgrims on Hazrat Babadagh sanctuary begins from July and continues till the end of August. 

Intending to establish the independent state of the Safavids, Sheikh Juneyd was defeated by Shirvanshah I Khalilullah, and died in 1460. His tomb is located in the sacred place of the village of Hazra of Gusar region. The name of the village most probably had emerged in connection with the nickname of Sheikh Juneyd “Hazrat”. The tomb of ruler of Ardabil Sheikh Sultan Juneyd Safavi (H. 951 / cr. In 1544,1545) was built by Agha Muhammad son of Khaja Ziyaaddin  Nizamul–Mulk son of Khaja  Fakhraddin Ahmed Farahani, the vizier of I Shah Tahmasib, by the command of the latter. Tomb of rectangular plan was built of burned bricks. There is box made of hard wood on the tomb of Sheikh Junaid, made inside of frame. The tomb was covered with big dome. There is inscription of Arabic in seven lines in nasr calligraphy over the western gate of tomb.

This monument is in Uqah village of Davachi region. From photos of this building, shot once   in the past, there was inscription over the door of building in sulth calligraphy of Arabic. From book it was known that the Mausoleum of Sheikh Abu Bakir, sheikh of the society promoting the Sufism, was located here. Tomb there was built by son of Nasir Najaf Muhammad (H. 594 /, cr 1197-1198) during Sultan Farrukhzad ibn Aksitan.

 

Seyed Ahmad sacred place is in the graveyard of Mashkan village on the forest located in the right side of Lankaran-Astara highway. Mausoleum belongs to Sultan Ahmad ibn Karim (H. 876 / cr. 1471-1472). As word mashkhan used in the meaning of we sheikhs the name of village taken in the connection with local sheikhs.

From the available book son the building on Hapit village of Quba city it became known that Sheikh Kamil, Sheykhzade, Sheikh Mir Haji, Sheikh Sayed, Sheikh Jami, Sheikh Tahir, Sheikh Jamal, Sheikh Rahim, Sheikh Agha, Mir Muhammad, Sheikh Shirzad, Sheikh Arif Nur oglu ibn Muhammad, Fatalikhan, their masters Jafarva, Hashim from Shamakhy worked here. It is likely the building, which was functioned as a center of Sufism, had been built in X-XI centuries.

It is located in the 50 km from Baku city, on the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea, in Turkan settlement, in the old cemetery.

In spite the name of demised was deleted from the book of the grave in tomb, but among people it is said that  one martyr named Alibaba, sacrificed self for the sake of people. It is supposed that this person, whose grave turned to sanctuary, lived in the XIII century.

Black clothe sacred place in Nazranlı area of Buzovna settlement is connected with the name of nasrani Bahrama Samavarzi connected with the name Christian. He died on (H. 706 /cr. 1306). The similar monuments are in the villages of Absheron Yeni Surakhani and Shaghan. Tomb located in the Shagan village belongs to tomb Bulqaq (Abul-haqq) bin Bulqarar. He died on (H. 720 /, cr.1320-1321). Some writings on the tomb in Surakhany get old and deleted, so it can be assumed that this tomb belonged to son of Garshivaz died in 803 of Hegira. It is supposed that these monuments belong to Christians. To hide the stones inside of Shagan tomb, the gate of building was build of stones. And cross inside of tomb in Buzovna was covered with plaster. The given monuments are of great importance from historical view point. Thus, the Albanian Cross is the most ancient is the Caucasus.

It is in the Khanaga village of Ordubad city of Nakhchivan. From the books on the walls of the building of sacred place it is known that these are tombs of Sayyid Hamid oglu Sayyid Tahir (H. 707 /, cr. 1307-1308) and Sheikh Nuraddin oglu Sheikh Islam (H. 1010 /, cr. 1601-1602). As a result of studies it is supposed that earlier the khanaga (place of worship of sheikh, darvish) was located here. The name of village comes in connection with khanagah.

As there is no written inscription on it, it is not possible to obtain exact information on the history of the sacred place of Duylun village of Ordubad and the identity of person buried here. However, it is supposed that he was from the Sufi and started to work before XIV century.

The sacred place located on the road of Lankaran-Astara highway, in the cemetery of the village of Pensar (Butasar) is connected with name of Eynazzaman Jamaladdin Gil murshid of 

Tajaddin Ibrahim (Sheikh Zahid), the master of Sheikh Safi Ardabili. Seyid Jamaladdin from the village of Malvan of Butasar lived most of his life in Astara region and promoted Sufism.

It is connected with the name of Sultan baba who settled in Asnagaran (Demirchiler) village of Astara moving here from Gilan. One of his nicknames was in talysh language “Asnaqaran and in Persian as Ahangaran. And meaning of Babagil word according to the local population, means Father from Gilan. Real name of Sufi sheikh is not known. It is supposed that he lived in the eleventh century.

The sacred place is located in the village of Aza of Ordubad. The study of the sacred place had an important role in the defining the place of city of the Aza, famous in Middle and Near East and once existed here in the XI - XII centuries. In the Middle Ages, this city was popular with art, trade, viticulture, and winery. It is supposed that the mentioned city declined during the Mongol invasion. Maulana Shamsaddin Muhammad was buried in the grave, which became a pilgrimage at sacred place of Aza (H. 892 /cr. 1487). There are three gravestones in the form of sheep around the tomb. Two of these had no inscription. From the third inscription it is known that this grave related to a person called Safar.

The given sacred place is inside of one rock cave in the area of Maraza. Diribaba was murid of Shirvanshah Sheikh Ibrahim and acted as Sheikh. According to legend, as Diribaba always sit on one array on recommendations of Seyyid Ibrahim and prayed to Allah, so he remained in mind of those who visited him like it and therefore the sacred place called as Diribaba.

It is located in Hazra village of Gabala. These monuments belong to the XIV-XVI centuries, Sheikh Ibrahim Sheikh Mansur lived during period of Shirvanshah I (1382-1417) and as a result of study of Hazra tombs, it was found that these monuments belong to Sirvan -Absheron School of architecture and built by Shamakhy masters. Sacred place of Dadagunash is located in Dadagunash village forest of Shamakhy Local people calls this mausoleum as Piri Sultan Dadagunash. Dadagunash is alias of scientist, doctor and philosopher Kafiaddin Omar ibn Osman who lived in the XII century. According to legend, there was sulfur water and mud deposits with healing characteristics once in Malham village near Dadagunash village. As people of Dadagunash used to treat with ointment, it was called as sun of the sky and land.

It is in the graveyard of Agbil village of Guba. It was clear from books that Sheikh Mazyad, Sheikh Bayazid, Sufi Rafiaddin and martyr Shah Murad that lived during Shirvanshah II Khalilullah, had carried out the religious activity here. Sheikh Mazyad tomb was built on the tomb of Sheikh Mazyad, the son of Sufi Rafiaddin during the time of son of Sultan Sultan Khalilullah (H. 940 /, cr. 1533-1534). Sofi Hamid sacred place complex of monuments is in the territory of Shirvan city. It is assumed that the tomb was built in before XIV century. There are monuments of a few murids of Sofi Hamid in front of tomb. Sofi Hamid is believed to be sheikh one of branches of Bektashiyya faith.

It is in Hamzali village of Qabala. Tomb in the sacred place belongs to Sheikh Muhammad Sayyid. There is no exact information about the history of the death of sheikh and construction of the sacred place. There are box type commemorative monuments around the tomb of the XV - XVI centuries. The mausoleum began to function as religious, socio-economic, political center from the early fourteenth century.

Complex of the same sacred place in the village of Babaratma of Sheki city includes mausoleum, mosques and cemeteries. According to the inscription of the mosque-mausoleum, the tomb is of Seyyid Haji Agha Muhammad (H. 1005 / cr.1596-1597). His one of the grandfathers’ name was Sheikh Dada Mursal Seyyid Sheikh Babarta. Babarta is a distorted form of word Baba ribat, which means Abode Sheikh.

In the sacred palce of village Arabbasra of Yevlakh Maulana Efendi ibn Muhammad ibn Yusuf Al-Basrai (h1324 /cr. 1906) was buried. Sheikh Yusuf Haji Sheikh Yusuf was a follower of Haji Ali Padar and he in turn the follower of dervish Evliya Havi, and he a follower of Haji Ismail Sirajaddin Shirvani. Sheikh Ismail was teacher of Sheikh Shamil, who led a popular movement against colonial policy of tsarist Russia, in Dagestan in the nineteenth century

There is a complex of religious monument known among people as Piri Mardakan on the old road Shemakha-Jawad-Ardebil, in village Goyler, in the south-east of Shemakha. The tomb of place of bury of Sheikh Taj al-Huda Madakani Ibn Ali (H. 600 / 1203-1204) by order of the son of Shirvanshah III Manuchohr Farrukhzade was built by the order. After some period the name of sheikh and tomb was distorted and Madakani word turned to “Mardakani”. Madak» is name of place in South Azerbaijan, in the 27 km of south-east of Hasanabad. Ani is the space suffix.