One of the oldest and still today legendary mosques in Uzbekistan is the Hazrati Hizir Mosque in Samarkand. It was built by the first invading Arabs in the VII century, right on the edges of the Afrosiab township

According to legend, Kutayba Ibn Muslim, the army commander and Muhammad Ibn Vase, the saint, sat out in search for the perfect site to build a mosque onto. They came upon a tall elderly, dignified man wearing a white robe, Hazrati Hizir. As is customary along The Great Silk Road, they greeted each other and inquired abouteach others journey. The two men explained the nature of their undertaking; Hizr responded by leading them to a location which he knew to be "the most elevated and yet even and flat space"inthearea.

Kutayba Ibn Muslim took the words of the wise man to heart and swiftly ordered for a mosque to be built on the indicated spot. Once the foundation had been laid, Hazrati Hizir made a renewed appearance, pointing out that the Mekhrab did not indicate the direction of Mecca. He suggested some ingenious architectural adjustments. Kutayba Ibn Muslim honored the act of the wise man, who he knew, had saved him from ill fate. He dedicated the mosque to the very Hazrati Hizir.

If you take a close look, you can still see, on the Mecca side, the bricks,readjusted by Hizir. Some folktales speak of Hizir to be a prophet, others mention him as a saint. There is a Sura in the Koran that states :"Kafr is there (aboutyati) where a story is to ld about Maijsey with Hizir." The word Hizir, translated from Arabic, means "green light, as though alive" and over time, Hizir has taken on much of a symbolic role, known as a mystical figure, with eternal life.lt is said that we all encounter Hizir two or three times in our own lifetime, often near a spring, by the sea, a garden, dense foliage. Women and girls meet Hizir in their dreams and receive his blessings. Thus reinforced, they will help the orphaned and the poor and gain fame for their generosity and good deeds.

Visit the Hazrati Hizir mosque on your next stay in Samarkand. It is located on the hill diagonally to Bibi Khanum Mosque, on the right hand side, as you drive in to the city. Maybe you will stumble upon the graveside of Muhammad Ibn Vase, a friend and contemporary of Shah I Zinda and Husain Ibn Abbas. Or ask for the site of the ancient well, the Arzis, which had been long lostbutre-discovered in 2002, nowadays supplying much of Samarkand with precious water.

In 1854 Emir Bukhari Muzaffarkhan initiated the mosque's restoration, ordering an aywan, a covered terrace, which was added in 1899. Later in 1916 Usto Abdukodir Bokiev, the master from Samarkand, transformed the front part of the vestibule, the Darvozkhona. Since 1997, gentle renovation takes place, so as to preserve the unique spirit and atmosphere of one of Uzbekistan's very special monument.