On Wednesday, 27 March 2024, the National leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Khalk Maslahaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov took part in the opening ceremony of a new mosque in Anau, the administrative center of the Akhal province.
The total area of the mosque is 6 hectares, and it can accommodate 500 worshipers simultaneously. The height of each of the four minarets is 50 meters, the dome is 30 meters.
The participants of the International Scientific Conference “Ancient Anau culture”, the media forum “Turkmen Land – the center of ancient civilizations” and the International Conference “Main directions and potential of tourism development in Turkmenistan” became the guests of honor of the celebration.
The ceremony welcomed distinguished guests, including participants from the International Scientific Conference on “Ancient Anau Culture,” the media forum “Turkmen Land – the Center of Ancient Civilizations,” and the International Conference on “Main Directions and Potential of Tourism Development in Turkmenistan.”
Speech by the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Khalk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov on the occasion of the opening of a new mosque in the city of Anau
Hello, dear friends! Dear compatriots! Honored guests!
We are in the new mosque of the city of Anau, where sadaka-iftar takes place on the blessed days of the holy month of Oraza [Ramadan].
Building roads, bridges and mosques is considered a good thing by the Turkmen. And today we are in a modern religious building, the construction of which was laid in the early days of Arkadagly Serdar’s accession to the post of head of state.
As Magtymguly Fragi wrote: «Remezan diýerler aýyň ýagşysyn». (Ramadan is best of the months) Therefore, it is very symbolic that the opening of the new mosque fell on the month of Oraz this year, marked by celebrations on the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the poet and thinker. The event itself demonstrates the continuity of the traditions of our wise ancestors – to do good deeds on blessed days and to honor the shrines.
The city of Anau has been attracting the attention of the world scientific community for many centuries. It was declared the cultural capital of the Turkic world in 2024, and a launch ceremony of thematic events was organized on the occasion of this glorious event. Numerous guests arrived to participate in it. And the opening of a new modern mosque on the sacred land of Anau in these eventful days, combining in its appearance both ancient traditions and modern trends in the field of architecture, clearly demonstrates commitment to sacred duties.
The total area of the religious building is 6 hectares, and 500 people can pray here at the same time. The height of each of the four minarets is 50 meters, the dome is 30 meters, which symbolizes the duration of the month by day, and the 24 windows located at the base of the dome are the duration of the day.
The lamps installed in the mosque and the 500-seat sadaka [ritual meal] room are made in the form of wheat ears, as are the patterns under the dome and on the walls of the structure. This indicates that Anau is the birthplace of “ak bugdaý” wheat [white wheat] and the birthplace of agricultural culture. As for the color scheme of the ornaments inside the mosque and the premises attached to it, it is identical to the colors of the images on the mosque of Seyit Djemaletdin. On the walls of the new mosque there are octagrams – the symbol of the ancestor of Oguzkhan, and in the upper part of its mihrab there is a large illuminated green inscription in Arabic “Allah”. The symbolism of the time of Oguzkhan also served as a prototype for the ornaments on the carpets in the mosque and the sadaka room.
Dear friends!
Turkmens are a people who protect and preserve their national traditions and customs, cultural values, of which the Islamic religion is an integral part. Its role is significant in the matter of education in the spirit of honesty, humanism and nobility, it urges to be virtuous.
Dear friends!
In the coming days, on the occasion of Gadyr Gidjesi, the holy month of Oraza, the new mosques will open in the regions of the country, where prayers will be offered. The government also provides great support to those who intend to perform Hajj. Every year, thousands of our compatriots go on pilgrimage to holy places, as well as observe fasting, give iftar and recite prayers in the month of Oraza. The holy holidays of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha are celebrated at the state level in Turkmenistan.
Dear compatriots!
May Almighty Allah realize your good thoughts and intentions and help you in good deeds in the interests of the state and society!
Dear friends!
And now, over a cup of tea, we will discuss a number of important issues. As I have already said, in ancient times Anau was considered a prosperous region. Now this sacred land, where agricultural culture was first born, is flourishing again.
The ruins of the structure, popularly called the Seyit Djemaletdin Mosque, are known to be located in the south of Anau. The inscription on the portal of the mosque pointed to the name of the ruler of Khorasan (1446-1457) – Sultan Abul-Qasim Babur and read: “This building happened during the reign of Sultan the great, the ruler of his peoples, the refuge of countries and centuries of Abul-Qasim Babur Bahadur Khan, may the Almighty perpetuate his power and his kingdom.” Other inscriptions provided information that the “House of Beauty” was built at his own expense by the vizier of the ruler of Khorasan, Muhammad, in 1455-1456 in memory of his father, Jemal al-dunya va-d-din.
Historians confirm that Seyit Djemaletdin was an outstanding Islamic scholar and theologian, awarded the title “jewel of peace and religion”.
There are various legends among the people about the Anau Mosque, built of magnificent baked bricks. This building, which had an excellent polychrome ceramic decoration, overlooked a spacious front yard. The square hall with a span of 10.5 meters was covered by a dome. In the thickness of the southern wall of the hall there was a mihrab decorated with tiles. On either side of it were narrow niches with exits to the outside.
The decoration of the mosque was of the greatest value and artistic originality: above the arch there are magnificent images of two writhing dragons, whose heads are facing each other. The image of dragons on the facade has no analogue in the decoration of architectural monuments of Central Asia, which is noted by both historians and ethnographers. There is also a legend about those dragons:
…One day, during the reign of a just and wise queen, people heard a loud and alarming bell ringing. When they gathered at the gate, they saw that the bell was being shaken by a huge dragon. At the same time, he seemed to be pointing in the direction of the mountains, then at two craftsmen with axes and saws standing in the crowd. The queen ordered the masters to follow the dragon. The masters saw another dragon, who was in terrible agony: he swallowed a mountain goat, whose horns were stuck in his throat. The brave craftsmen entered the open mouth, sawed through the horns and cut the goat carcass into pieces, freeing the dragon from torment. Then the first dragon led the masters into a cave full of treasures and allowed them to collect as many as they could take. The next day, the residents were woken up again by the ringing of the bell. When they came out, they saw both dragons, who brought gold and many precious stones. Having laid all this at the feet of the queen, they left for the mountains. She ordered a large mosque to be built with these jewels and dragon to be depicted on its portal.
According to legend, dragons were the patrons of Anau people.
Dear friends!
In my book “Turkmenistan – the heart of the Great Silk Road” it is emphasized that the mosque of Seyit Djemaletdin was destroyed by the Ashgabat earthquake in 1948. Fragments of the decoration, which had lain underground for more than half a century, also turned out to be under the ruins. It was only during the years of independence that Turkmen specialists managed to get fragments of a magnificent work of fine art created by our ancestors from under the ruins and restore them bit by bit. Today, the restored decorative elements of the Seyit Djemaletdin Mosque are on display at the Museum of Fine Arts of Turkmenistan.
Scientific analysis of the images on the Seyit Djemaletdin Mosque in Anau confirms that they have similarities with Chinese fine art. A number of scientists suggest that this similarity indicates the existence of active contacts between Turkmen and Chinese masters in the Middle Ages. Of course, at that time this process was facilitated by the Great Silk Road, through which the masters reached China, and the Chinese came to our sunny region to visit the glorious cities on the Turkmen land and exchange experiences.
Dear friends!
Looking back in the past, we can say that the Turkmen-Chinese bonds of friendship and brotherhood are rooted in the depths of history. In 49 BC, the ancestors of the Turkmen signed a treaty with the people of China, called the “Oath Treaty”. Such an agreement testified to the closeness of the two peoples. It stated: “May our sons and grandchildren be faithful to this agreement from generation to generation.”
Dear friends!
The selection of Anau as the 2024 Cultural Capital of the Turkic World holds special significance. This year coincides with the Year of the Fish in the Eastern calendar and the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese zodiac. Notably, images of dragons adorn the portal of the Seyit Djemaletdin Mosque in Anau.
The examples I have given are covered in detail in the recently published book of the Hero Serdar “Anew – müñýllyklardan gözbaş alýan medeniýet” (Anau – the culture originated from the millennia).
The convergence of the Turkmen Year of the Fish and the Chinese Year of the Dragon adds another layer of significance to Anau’s designation as the 2024 Cultural Capital of the Turkic World. At the same time, it demonstrates that our people have maintained close cooperation, especially cultural ties, with the people of China since time immemorial, as well as with other peoples of the planet.
Dear friends!
The mosque of Seyit Djemaletdin, being one of such historical and cultural values of universal scale, is considered inviolable. Since the values next to the mosque are under protection, major reconstruction is impossible, and this is very important in terms of preserving it in its original form for future generations.
Dear compatriots!
If you approve, as a sign of respect for the ancestors and heritage of the past, as well as respect for the personality of those who left a bright mark in history, we will name the new mosque built on this sacred land “Seyit Djemaletdin Mosque”.
Dear friends!
Today, in the new mosque, we participated in sadaka-agyzachar (Iftar), offered prayers and recited verses in the holy month of Oraza. May the Almighty accept our prayers!
Dear compatriots!
May the new mosque of Seyit Djemaletdin serve our people in good endeavors! ///nCa, 28 March 2024