Legend of Mausoleum Daniel: A historical tale of awe and reverence
Along the Siyab, a tributary of the Zerafshan, lies a sacred place steeped in blessings. Here, according to legend, rest the remains of Daniel, a prophetic figure of the Old Testament.
An alternative version suggests that it is the grave of Doniyar (Doniel), the companion of the Arab preacher Qutham ibn Abbas. Regardless of the version, all opinions agree that Doniyar is revered as a saint who is honoured by followers of all three world religions.
It is believed that the spirit of the saint, who rests here, watches over the city of Samarkand and brings prosperity and well-being. Believers flock to the mausoleum to pray and ask for divine help, paying special honour to the spring at the foot of the mausoleum.
According to tradition, the remains of St Daniel, brought there by Amir Temur, rest in the mausoleum of Samarkand. According to legend, the Great Temur undertook a campaign to Asia Minor, conquered almost all the cities, but failed at the small city of Suza in Iran. It put up unprecedented resistance and refused to accept the seemingly invincible army.
When asked why he could not take the city, his spiritual teacher explained to him that the city was protected by the spirit of Daniel, the Jewish prophet of the Old Testament. Temur then ended the siege and asked to be led to the tomb of the saint. After spending some time with the relics, he persuaded those responsible to transfer them to Samarkand, where they arrived the next morning in a caravan.
According to another legend, a caravan reached Samarkand when suddenly the camels stopped at a place reminiscent of Suza and stopped moving. Despite all the efforts of the mahouts, the camels did not budge. It was then decided to bury the remains in this place and build a mausoleum in its place.
An alternative version suggests that the mausoleum houses the remains of the Prophet Tabba. This version is mentioned in “Small Qandiya” and comes from Sheikh Hodja Abdu-Darun from Samarkand. He reports: “The Prophet of Allah crossed the river Jeyhun (Amu Darya) and reached Samarkand. He was a skilful soothsayer and enjoyed the respect of the inhabitants. He settled here and died. In Arabic he was called Tabba Nabi (Prophet Tabba). The Prophet said: ‘I, Muhammad, son of Abdullah, have found the perfection of knowledge of the hidden world in his grave. Anyone who wants to hear the revelation must serve in the Prophet’s mazar every Friday after Friday prayers.”
There is another legend that says that the mausoleum houses the remains of Daniel, a companion of Qutham ibn Abbas. This version comes from the Arab historian Abu-Tokhir Hodja, who wrote about it in his work “Samaria” at the end of the 19th century. He explains that many people confuse Daniel with the Arab righteous Hodja Daniel, who came to Samarkand with Qutham ibn Abbas, a cousin of the Prophet Muhammad, to spread Islam. According to this version, Hodja Danyol enjoyed special respect among the inhabitants of Samarkand.