Historical places in Bukhara, Uzbekistan

1. Amir Kulal Arabic: ‫کالل‬ ‫,}امیر‬ was born 1277 , also known as Shams ud-Dīn (Arabic: ‫الدین‬ ‫;شمس‬ died 1370, born
in Bukhara, Uzbekistan. His father was the scholar Saif ud-Dīn Hamza (‫حمزہ‬ ‫الدین‬ ‫)سیف‬ a descendant of the
Islamic prophet Muhammad. Saif ud-Dīn Hamza (sometimes called Saif ud-Dīn Kulal) was also Amir (chieftain)
of Tribe of Kulal (Amir-i-Kulal), hence the title Amir. After Saif ud-DīnHamza’s death Shams ud-Dīn took up
the role of head of the tribe by which time his reputation as a scholar and religious figure had spread
through Turkistan, and the title Amir-i-Kulal had become synonymous with Shams ud-Dīn, which stays to this
day. He had number of students who later became prominent figures in history including Baha-ud-
Dīn Naqshband and Amir Timur. He is buried at Sokhar (Sukhar), near Bukhara. After rise of the Timurid
Dynasty a symbiotic relationship began between the houses of Amir Timur and Amir Kulal which continued
through the Mughal line in India.
It might be noted here that Amir Kulal’s grandfather (also called Shams ud-Dīn) was the spiritual mentor of
Barlas Tribe and Turghai (Amir Timur’s father) and is buried at Shahrisabz. Sometimes Amir Kulal’s
grandfather is confused with Amir Kulal (both having the same name).
Family lineage and Kulal Tribe
Shams ud-Dīn Amir Kulal’s father,Amir Saif ud-Dīn Hamza (‫حمزہ‬ ‫الدین‬ ‫سیف‬ ‫)امیر‬ was head of the Kulal Tribe and
a direct descendant of Husain ibn Ali, grandson of Muhammad. In fact the entire tribe of Kulal had descended
from Muhammad and settled at Vabkent (Wabkana)–30 kilometers north of Bukhara. Around 1340 the city was
visited by Ibn Battuta(1304–1359) who spent a night there as a guest. Ibn Battuta described the small city of
Vabkent as beautiful with many gardens and rivers.[1]
Kulal Tribe had settled at Vabkent a number of generations
back, near the end of the twelfth century. Their date of settlement can be approximated with the madrasa which
was constructed at Vabkent in 1198 under the patronage of Burhan ud-Din Abdul Aziz II, whose name adorns
madrasa’s minaret, the only surviving segment of the building. It is interesting to note here that the engineers
working on construction of the madrasa were all from the Kulal Tribe and copied the Kalyan Mosque (Po-i-
Kalyan) style, though few upgrades were made in the design and technology. In essence the Vabkent Madrasa
was a more refined form of Kalyan Mosque.
Kulal Tribe quickly established a small industrial base at the central market of Vabkent and number of mills in
the surrounding areas which continued to operate well into the sixteenth century. Minting of coins, steel, pottery
and milling were the main industries. Though, the highly glazed pottery and tiles, unmatched in quality and
quantity were their main export earning them the title of Kulal (potter). Their kiln designs were highly efficient
and were able to produce up to 1500 pots in each batch. Utilizing wind and water resources for milling and
industrial processes coupled with efficient kiln designs resulted in considerably higher returns per capita leading
to a healthy lifestyle for the entire tribe.
Kulal Tribe lived in the surroundings of Burkhara and Bukhara city amidst the most turbulent times but remained
safe and stayed out of the line of fire. Never in their history of few centuries were they attacked or their
stronghold city destroyed. The reason lied in the threefold strategy.
Firstly, they were famous as an entire tribe of descendants of Muhammad, attracting considerable respect from
the neighboring tribes, thus anyone bad-eyeing them had to think twice-the entire region being a Muslim
dominated country. Secondly, the city was surrounded by a terrain of gardens and greenery criss-crossed by
numerous rivers and streams at one side and an endless desert at the other, which was barren and uninhabited.
This coupled with nothing much of material value in the small city was big enough deterrent for any invading
army which would have to travel at least one day to reach the city which lied at the boundary of Kyzyl
Kum (Qyzlqum) desert and no major city to north of the city.

2. Lastly, and most importantly their social system. The social system was devised into three sections, namely:
political system; monetary system; and publicity system. Their political system was simple. The most learned of
the tribe was chosen as the head. Main goal of the head, other than being the qazi and administrator was to
represent the tribe and politically maneuver through times of war. Also the post was not hereditary. No
hereditary claim to the “throne” meant there wasn’t one family in the tribe which would grow up to have
amassed huge portions of tribe wealth in a couple of generations, in case the head turned out to be corrupt. Also,
this avoided any mutual tussles between heirs of any deceased chieftain, as there was nothing to fight for. Their
monetary system was even more advanced (for their time) than the political system. All of the mills and
manufacturing plants were owned in essence by the community. Anyone willing and skilled was allowed to
operate and earn a living as long as he kept the structure maintained and donated for construction of newer
structures. The system worked superbly well and at least at a smaller scale of a couple of thousand individuals
proved could be sustained for a number of centuries. Strict code of intermarriages within the tribe, relatively
small birthrate (compared to the one prevalent at the times), single marriages and continuous outward migration
meant the population stayed nearly constant throughout the time period.
The tribe used an ingenious method of publicity to deter any invaders. Although they were mainly craftsmen
(engineers and scientists) but had strapping and tall builds. They used this to their advantage by encouraging
young members of the tribe to learn the necessary fighting skills and take up wrestling as a sport which by the
time of Shams ud-DīnAmir Kulal had become a tribal trademark sport. The tribe held regular contests both at
Vabkent and Bukhara in which outsiders also competed. Almost always success of Kulal’s youth meant
instillation of the idea of Kulal Tribe as superior and fierce warriors. Thus, without ever going to war for a period
of more than three centuries the tribe held its reputation as fierce warriors and wrestlers.
The full nasb of Amir Kulal is as follows:- hamsudeen=Amir Kulal ibn Hamzah ibn Ibraheem ibn Muhammad
ibn (Muhammad) Hasan ibn Abdullah AlShaheed ibn Jafar ibn Husain ibn Ali ibn Hasan AlQayem ibn
(Muhammad) Husain ibn (Ahmad) Husain ibn (Muhammad) Ali=AlDaynori ibn Moussa=AbuSobha Moussa
AlThani ibn Ibraheem AlMurtdha ibn Moussa AlKadhim ibn Jafar AlSadiq ibn Muhammad AlBaqir ibn Ali
Zainualabdeen ibn AlHusain AlSebit, son of Fatimah ibnt Muhammad, ibn AlImam Ali ibn AbiTalib AlHashemi
AlQurashi.
Early life
Shams ud-Dīn Amir Kulal (‫کالل‬ ‫امیر‬ ‫الدین‬ ‫)شمس‬ was born at Bukhara. His father Saif ud-Dīn Hamza was head of
Kulal Tribe and a renowned scholar of his time. As head of the tribe, Saif ud-Dīn Hamza was titled Amir-i-Kulal
(Leader of Kulal Tribe). Shams ud-Dīn was educated in his childhood and early in his life took the position of
head of the madrasa at Vabkent. At the same time he started gaining fame as a wrestler. By the time he assumed
the position of the head of Kulal Tribe his fame as a scholar and religious figure had spread through the
surrounding region with many noble and powerful families sending their children to study under him, most
notably from the Barlas Tribe.

3. Amir-i-Kulal
Shams ud-Dīn Kulal was elected as tribe’s head after his father’s death. Although all the heads of Kulal were
called Amir-i-Kulal (meaning chief of Kulal tribe), it was Shams ud-Dīn whose name has become synonymous
with the designation Amir Kulal. Today he is mostly remembered through the title Amir Kulal rather than his
real name.
As head of Kulal, his responsibilities increased but Amir Kulal continued to teach at the madrasa. One of Amir
Kulal’s most famous disciples was Baha-ud-Din Naqshband Bukhariwho used to work as an executioner
in Bukhara under the rule of Qazan Khan ibn Yasaur (d. 1346). One day Baha ud-Dīn was ordered to execute a
man who had angered the king. However, right before his execution the accused called upon Amir Kulal,
identifying him as his teacher. Amir Kulal intervened and the accused was set free on his intercession. This
was Baha ud-Dīn’s first encounter with Amir Kulal. Impressed by him, Baha ud-Dīn became his student.
Amir Kulal also had a sizeable following of spiritual protégés (murid). Of these the most prominent was Turghai
(Trush) (d. 1356 AD) who had previously been influenced by Amir Kulal’s grandfather. After Turghai’s death
his son Timur (d. 807/1405) held Amir Kulal in the same esteem holding him as his spiritual guide.
Around the year 1340 Ibn Battuta made a day stop at Vabkent who later described the city as beautiful with
many rivers and gardens. He was Amir’s guest at the city and was guided towards Bukhara, then at a day’s travel
from Vabkent.
In the year 1357 Timur approached Amir Kulal for his advice on strategic maneuvers for attacking Uzbeks. It
was under his advice that Timur changed his attack plan.
Amir Kulal died in 772/1370 and was buried in Sukhar (Sokhar) near Bukhara. Sometimes Amir Kulal’s tomb is
confused with the tomb of his grandfather (also Shams ud-DīnKulal). It is Shams ud-Dīn Kulal (Amir Kulal’s
grandfather) who is buried at Shahrisabz(Kesh); the Green City. Amir Kulal’s grandfather had constructed the
madrasa Dor-i-Tilavat/Dorut Tilavat (House of Mediation) and was buried here after his death. Later, Timur
transferred the body of his father Turghai, to be near the grave of Shams ud-Dīn(Amir Kulal's grandfather). Amir
Kulal's grandfather was Turghai and Barlas Tribe’s spiritual mentor. Majority of Timur’s family is also buried at
the same place. Recently, his tomb had been renovated under the orders of Uzbekistan’s President.[4]
None of the books written by Amir Kulal are extant. However, some excerpts and essays have survived in the
family library. Also, three copies of a biography of Amir Kulal "Maqamat-i-Amir Kulal" written by his great
grandson Shihab ul-Dīn have survived.