Travels of Ibn Baṭṭūṭa
Bukhara (Bukhārā)
Title
Hospitality at a zāwiya in Bukhārā
Short description
Hospitality at a zāwiya in Bukhārā where qurʿānic cantillation and singing are performed. Zāwiya is a common name used throughout the entire Islamic world to refer to places where Sufis gather.
Text on source
ونزلنا من بخارى بربضها المعروف بفتح أباد حيث قبر الشيخ العالم العابد الزاهد سيف الدين الباخرزي وكان من كبار الأولياء، وهذه الزاوية المنسوبة لهذا الشيخ حيث نزلنا عظيمة لها أوقاف ضخمة يطعم منها الوارد والصادر وشيخها من ذريته وهو الحاج السياح يحيى الباخرزي، وأضافني هذا الشيخ بداره وجمع وجوه أهل المدينة وقرأ القراء بالأصوات الحسان ووعظ الواعظ وغنى بالتركي والفارسي على طريقته حسنة، ومرت لنا هنالك ليلة بديعة من أعجب الليالي [ص. ٢٦١]
English translation
We lodged in Bukhārā in its suburb called Fatḥ Abād, where there is the tomb of the learned shaykh and pious ascetic Sayf al-Dīn al-Bākharzī. He was one of the great saints. This hospice [zāwiya] where we lodged, to which the name of this shaykh has been given, is a large institution with vast endowments from which food is supplied to all comers, and its superior is a descendant of the shaykh's, namely the much travelled pilgrim Yahyā al-Bākharzī. This shaykh hospitably entertained me in his residence, and invited all the leading men of the city. The Qurʾān-readers recited with beautiful modulations, the homiletic preacher delivered an address, they then sang [ġannā] melodiously in Turkish and Persian, and [altogether] we passed there an exquisite and most delightful night.
Folios/Pages
554
Date
1333
Observations on the events description
Ibn Baṭṭūṭa was a guest at zāwiyas several times during his journey over multiple countries and the practice of qurʿānic cantillation is regularly reported (see e.g. Events 3, 15, 17, etc. in this Travel).
The dots on the map indicate the places where sound and music events were described. They don't represent travel stages.
Participants
No other participants in this event description.
How to quote
Pintimalli A., "Hospitality at a zāwiya in Bukhārā" (Event description), Echos. Sound Ecosystems in Travelogues. Published 2024 07 25.doi: 10.25430/echos.travels.130
This work is licensed under CC-BY-SA 4.0 
