Al-Khakim At-Termeziy
The peoples of Central Asia have contributed much to the world's scientific and cultural progress. Through the centuries, thousands of great scientists have come from Central Asia.
One of them is Abu Abdallah Mohammed bin Bashir al-Khakim at-Termeziy who lived in the 9-10th centuries, being born in 810 in Termez. From his childhood Termeziy was eager to learn, and was an apt student. Before age 25 he had studied in several institutions of Maverounahr. Along with natural sciences, he willingly studied religion. Having studied everything that was available in his homeland, he went to Baghdad to broaden his knowledge. Bagdad was then a center of science and enlightenment, and many distinguished scientists of the time lived and worked there. Later, Termeziy moved to Basra. He stayed there for 3-4 years, afterward making a hajj to Mecca. After the hajj, he returned to Termez, where he worked as a teacher and scientist.
Between the ages of about 27-30, At-Termeziy turned to Sufism, after reading a book by the famous Sufi, al-Intikomiy. The book, calling for the rejection of material possessions, deeply impressed at-Termeziy. This made him follow a hermit's life, withdrawing from mundane affairs. From then on he met only his students and fellow-scientists, and spent a lot of time reading. At-Termeziy's teacher, Sheikh Ahmad ibn Hizrvaih, played a great role in his formation as a great Sufi. At-Termeziy established a relationship with the Sufis of Baghdad and Egypt. He made an outstanding contribution to the progress of Sufism in Central Asia.
Sheikh Abdulfattoh Bakara At-Termeziy's work yielded more than 400 valuable scientific and religious compositions. Only 57 of them are currently in existence. The contents of these unique works prove that at-Termeziy was a great philosopher and historian, and an expert in Muslim legislation, astrologer, mathematician and linguist of his era.
At-Termeziy was a great scientist and progressive thinker. He was very erudite, and science was his main concern. At-Termeziy was called "the wisest of the wise". Throughout his whole life he worked for the good of the people, which was why people addressed him as "Termez-ata (father)". To the present day, local people consider At-Termeziy to be the founder of their town.
According to Egyptian Sheikh Abdulfattoh Baraka's book on at-Termeziy's works, at-Termeziy lived a long life and died aged 115 in Termez, in 932.