Type of Monument: Sacred Heritage Site
Date: Late 19th – Early 20th Century
Location: Located 2.7 kilometers southwest of the southeastern outskirts of Shubarkuduk Village, Temir District, Aktobe Region, and 1 kilometer southwest of the railway bridge crossing the Shieli River.
Research History:
Doszhan Khazret (1815–1896), a spiritual leader of the Junior Zhuz, educator, and founder of several mosques and religious schools, is mentioned in the poetry collection Kazagym by Abubakir Kerderi. Additional information about his life and activities is presented in Sabit Salkynuly’s book Doszhan Khazret. According to the author, Doszhan successfully completed the path of Islamic scholarship and received an irshad (authorization to teach and guide disciples) from a sheikh named Oldan.
Brief Description:
The mosque measures approximately 28 meters in length, 11 meters in width, and 5 meters in height. Nomadic Kazakhs settled around the mosque, and one of the earliest sedentary settlements in the area emerged there.
The mosque consists of six rooms with exceptionally tall windows that exceed human height. The interior was constructed without supporting columns. The windows were designed in an arched, dome-like form and contain no transverse supports. A crescent once crowned the dome, while the interior was richly decorated with ornamental patterns. Light entering through the dome illuminated the decorative motifs throughout the building. Qur’anic verses and hadith inscriptions inside the mosque were painted in red.
The complex originally included an entrance structure and a minaret from which the call to prayer was delivered. Today, the roof of the mosque has collapsed, and only the walls remain standing.
Many murids (disciples) served at this mosque, while numerous ishans and Sufi scholars studied there before returning to serve their communities. Doszhan Khazret was buried on the eastern side of his mosque, and his gravestone has survived to the present day.
In 2015, the 200th anniversary of Doszhan Khazret’s birth was commemorated on a large scale in Aktobe Region. A street in the city of Aktobe is currently named in his honor.
Historical Background and Legend:
Doszhan Khazret Kashakuly was a distinguished religious leader from the Kongyr branch of the Tabyn tribe of the Junior Zhuz. In oral tradition, he is respectfully referred to as “Doseke Khazret.”
He left a lasting mark on Kazakh history through his religious devotion, educational activities, efforts to unite people through Islamic values, contributions to steppe architecture, and work in preserving Kazakh genealogical traditions. His reputation spread throughout the Kazakh steppe and even reached the court of the Russian Tsar.
Doszhan played a leading role in the construction of numerous mosques. Among the most important were the Kainar Mosque in Karashyn, Donyztau, and the Ishan Ata Mosque in the Oiyl Valley, both built under his direct supervision.
He performed the pilgrimage to Mecca together with Nurfaiys Ishan and Zhumagali Ishan, and according to some sources, he traveled with the group led by Kunanbai, the father of Abai, in 1874. Having memorized the Qur’an and the Mukhtasar, Doszhan returned from Mecca at the age of seventeen and became known as a young khazret. Throughout his life, he is said to have performed the pilgrimage three times.
During one of his pilgrimages, he became acquainted with Kunanbai. Together they sponsored the construction of a takiyya (guesthouse for pilgrims) in Mecca, which was officially registered under Doszhan Ishan’s name.
The Doszhan Ishan Cemetery and Mosque serve as an important reflection of the religious, social, and cultural processes that shaped Kazakh society in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The complex is significant not only as a religious monument but also as evidence of the emergence of some of the earliest sedentary settlements in the Kazakh steppe, the spread of Islamic education, and the growing public interest in learning.
Doszhan Khazret’s role in educating disciples, undertaking pilgrimages to Mecca, and participating in the construction of mosques illustrates the development of spiritual leadership, tribal networks, and religious institutions within Kazakh society during this period. The present condition of the mosque and cemetery provides valuable information for researchers studying the traditional way of life of the Kazakhs, the transition from nomadic to sedentary lifestyles, and broader religious and cultural connections across the region.
References:
- Aktobe Newspaper – https://aqtobegazeti.kz/?p=107434
https://aqtobegazeti.kz/?p=91065
https://aqtobegazeti.kz/?p=60806
https://aqtobegazeti.kz/?p=59096 - Egemen Kazakhstan – https://egemen.kz/article/402864-dosdgan-ishan-meshit-medresesinen-tabylghan-ornekter