Tamerlane and the Irascible Holy Man

Zayn al-Din Taybadi (d. 791/1389) is a fascinating mystic (“Sufi”) of Mongol Iran. He was an irascible old man, remembered by historians for his rudeness to Tamerlane (Temür; d. 807/1405). Unlike most people, Taybadi was not afraid of Tamerlane. He in effect told Tamerlane (as New Yorkers like to say), to “take a long walk on a short pier.” When Tamerlane met him, the Turkic adventurer experienced “fear and dread” (ruʿb wa haras). Tamerlane had a spiritual experience, where, he, the conqueror who instilled fear in everyone, had become afraid of a frail old man. This is the story (in brief).

Tamerlane’s march through Khurasan (eastern Iran; what is today called “Afghanistan”) brought him to Turbat-i Jam, Iran, where he paid homage at the tomb of the eminent Sunni saint, Ahmad-i Jam; thence to Taybad via the town of Kusuyi. This is where he met Taybadi. The events transpired in Dhu al-Hijja 782/February or March 1381, around one month before Tamerlane captured the city of Herat, Iran—now Afghanistan—in Muharram 783/April 1381.

The gist of the story: Tamerlane wanted to meet Zayn al-Din Taybadi but he refused. The old Sufi told Tamerlane to come to him. Furious at this act of lèse-majesté, Tamerlane rode to Taybad to meet Zayn al-Din. When he arrived at Zayn al-Din’s home, the old man stepped outside to greet him. Zayn al-Din grasped Tamerlane’s hand gently in greeting, but Tamerlane later told his biographer (Hafiz-i Abru), “when my hand was clasped, I became afraid that I will die.” Tamerlane did say to Zayn al-Din—and historical sources confirm this—“I have met many ascetics and mystics and all were afraid of me, [however,] I was afraid of you.”

Tamerlane was superstitious but not religious (needless to say!); nonetheless, he had had a spiritual experience with Zayn al-Din Taybadi. Tamerlane’s dynasty, the “Timurids” patronized Zayn al-Din’s tomb in Taybad, Khurasan, Iran. It became a Sunni pilgrimage site. Although most of Iran has since shifted to Shiʿism, this part of Iran, and the shrine, remain steadfastly Sunni. The photos below were taken by me in 2011 when I last visited Taybad. It was being renovated by Iran’s Cultural Heritage Organization (Miras-i farhangi). All renovations are complete now.

You can read more about the art and architecture in Bernard O’Kane, “Tāybād, Turbat-i Jām and Timurid Vaulting,” Iran 17 (1979): 87-104.