The text represents devotional formulas pronounced before and after prayers. It is included in the authoritative collections of Hadithes (under the general title «Sahih /Authentic [Hadithes]») by Imams al-Boukhari, at-Tirmithi and Muslim. A considerable part of the texts had been lost and was restored from sketches by A. Razzoqov during the 2005 renovation. The script is not calligraphic. The restored parts are put in square brackets.
In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Beneficent!
O my Allah, bestow light on our hearts, light up our graves, light up our hearing, light up our eyesight, light up our perceptions, light up our flesh, light us up on the right, light us up on the left, light up ourselves!
O my Allah, light us up on the right, light us up on the left, light us up from behind, light us up from the front, light us up from above, light us up from below!
O my Allah, give us light and magnify light inside us!
O my Allah, forgive us, have mercy upon us, take pity on us, set our feet [on the way of salvation], pardon us and give us the better fate!
O my Allah, grant Your Mercy to all who are under the protection of [the Prophet] Muhammad, o Most Beneficent!
There is one more strip with an inscription with yellow characters above the above cited text. The script is kufic without diacritic. Here are written three devotional formulas and an adage extolling Allah. This is a completely renewed inscription made during the refurbishment in 2005, contrary to the texts which had formerly existed here, only a small fragment of which has been left.
Oh, my Allah, forgive the sins of believing women and men, Muslim men and Muslim women, those who are living and who are dead!
Oh, my Allah, You are the One who answers the prayers, who sublimes the dignity!
Oh, my Allah, help me mention You, render gratitude to You and perform worshipping You in the right way!
Oh, my Allah, oh our Lord! Those who are with You are delivered from all vices and meek. Glory to Allah, praise be unto Allah, There is no god but Allah, Allah is most great! Those who have come to believe,…
The name of the master of mosaic and epigraphy is inscribed in the rectangular cartouche, in the lower part of the left pylon of the portal. The script is thuluth.
Written by Muhammad, the son of Hajji Bandgirani at-Tughrabazi.
You can read more about the inscriptions on the buildings of the memorial ensemble in the book-album “Samarkand. Shakhi-Zinda” series “Architectural epigraphy of Uzbekistan”.
