TEHRAN –A lightening project has recently been completed at the mausoleum of Shaikh Abu al-Hassan al-Kharaqani (963-1033), a renowned Sufi master whose students include the likes of Khwaja Abdullah Ansari (1006–1088).

A budget of 400 million rials ($9,500 at the official rate of 42,000 rials) has been allocated to the Semnan province’s tourism chief Mehdi Jamal announced on Monday.

His mausoleum is located 24 kilometers outside of Shahroud inside a garden. The original mausoleum was a simple brick structure that was replaced by a new one in 1974.

There was once a mosque attached to the mausoleum of Sheikh Abu al-Hassan which had a conical dome with elaborate tilework. Only the Mihrab (prayer niche) of the mosque stands today. This Mihrab has beautiful stucco reliefs and a stucco inscription. Before the 1979 Islamic Revolution of Iran, another mosque was built around this Mihrab.

Today, the mausoleum includes a library, which houses reference books on mysticism, and rooms where pilgrims can stay. The historical monument was inscribed on the National Heritage list in 1967.

ABU/AFM