Abu'l-Hasan al-Kharaqani (d. 425/1033) was a great Sufi born in Kharaqan near Bistam who followed the path of Bayazid al-Bistami, known for his ecstatic utterances and his influence on Rumi and Attar. According to Evliya Çelebi his remains were found during repairs of Kars Castle. His tomb stands within the Evliya (Hasan al-Kharaqani) Mosque complex in Kaleiçi, Kars, and is still visited. (Sources: TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi 'Harakani'; Kars Directorate of Culture and Tourism.)
Differing Scholarly Views
**Burial site — two traditions:** Two long-standing traditions exist regarding the grave of Abū al-Ḥasan al-Kharaqānī. The Iranian tradition places it in his native village of Kharaqān near Bisṭām (today's Semnan province). The Anatolian tradition, based on the discovery account related by Evliya Çelebi, locates it in Kars, where the Kharaqānī Tomb and Mosque have been a place of visitation for centuries. This platform shows both sites on the map; the etiquette of visitation applies equally to either. *(Sources: TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi, "Harakānî"; Evliya Çelebi, Seyahatnâme.)*
Sources
- TDV İslâm Ansiklopedisi (DİA) · entry “Harakānî”
Every record is sourced (Mandatory Sources).