The legend of the Prophet Ayyub (Job¹) is connected with the mausoleum of Chashma Ayyub. There was a time when desert winds prevailed in Bukhara and the inhabitants suffered from drought. They prayed to Allah for a miracle to save them from drought. The Almighty answered their prayers. At that time, Prophet Ayyub (Job) was travelling in Bukhara. He struck the earth with his stick, whereupon a healing spring appeared and saved the inhabitants of Bukhara from certain death. The grateful inhabitants named the spring Chashma Ayyub – the spring of Saint Ayyub.
The Chashma Ayub Mausoleum, a cult building in the centre of Bukhara, includes a mausoleum and a sacred spring. Today it houses the Water Museum. The mausoleum was commissioned by the Karakhanid rulers in the XII century. Century. It was rebuilt several times between the XIV and XIX centuries. The mausoleum was completed in the time of Tamerlane. The structure consisted of four chambers located on the east-west axis, each crowned by a dome. The westernmost chamber was initially built as a burial tower, the other volumes were added later.
¹Job (Arabic أيوب – Ayyub) was a prophet of Islam and a descendant of the Prophet Abraham (Allah’s peace be upon them). Some scholars believe that his son was Dhu-l-Kifl. Scholars disagree on the exact lineage of Ayyub. Ibn Ishaak said, “He was a Roman. He was Job Ibn Mus Ibn Razah Ibn Al-‘Is (Esau) Ibn Isaac Ibn Ibrahim al-Khalil (Abraham the confidant of Allah).” According to Ibn Kathir, it is true that Ajjub was a descendant of Al-‘Is (Esau) Ibn Ishaak Ibn Ibrahim. Esau was the brother of Jacob, who is also called Israel. Thus, Ayyub was not a descendant of Israel.