Last updated on .
Veyselkarani, also known as Ziyaret, is a small town in the Siirt province of Turkey. There’s no real reason to visit unless you want to see the tomb of its namesake.
Tomb of Veysel Karani
Veysel Karani, better known as Owais al-Qarani (594-656), was a holy man from Yemen. He lived during the lifetime of Muhammad. The two never physically met, but al-Qarani is still considered a friend and companion of the Prophet. In fact, Muhammad sent him a cloak that’s now kept in the Mosque of the Blessed Mantle (Hırka-ı Şerif Cami) in Istanbul.
There are conflicting reports on when and where al-Qarani died. The majority of sources state he died in the Battle of Siffin, between Ali ibn Abi Talib (c. 600-661), the 4th Rashidun Caliph, and Mu’awiya I (c. 597-680), the founder of the Umayyad Caliphate. Other sources report he died during the Muslim conquest of Azerbaijan in 643.
The tomb, which has sections for men and women, was built in 1901. It collapsed in 1967 and promptly rebuilt. Inside is beautiful woodwork as well as Ottoman-style floral designs painted on the walls and dome.
Devout Muslims from all over Turkey visit the tomb, especially on Fridays and on May 16-17. The funny thing is, nobody knows if al-Qarani is actually buried in the tomb or not. What’s widely regarded as his official tomb is in Raqqa, Syria.
Around the Tomb
Next to the tomb is a mosque and fountain. During our visit the mosque was being completely rebuilt. We were only able to see the concrete shell.
In the buildings across the street, there’s a long line of shops selling mostly sweets. There are a couple restaurants around as well. We didn’t visit the shops or restaurants, but we stopped into a small market. The locals were very friendly and surprised to see foreign visitors.
