Bersa Sheikh

Bersa-Sheikh (born Ducha; ; 1561 – 1623) was a Chechen sheikh and one of the first Islamic preachers in Chechnya who played a major role in the Islamisation of the Chechens of Nakhch-Mokhk (Ichkeria). Bersa-Sheikh was a friend and associate of Termaol Shaykh, one of the preachers of Islam in Chechnya around 1607 (according to another version in 1590).

The family tree Genealogical tree of the Kurchaloyans from Nashkh came Kushul. Kushul — Kurchalha (12th century) — Khanbilha — Chabalkha — Chaykha — Chergishkha — Begal — Oku — Tovla — Maila (Maig) — Tovbolat — Tembolat — Timirbolat — Bersa (the first preacher of Islam — 1561.) — Turlo — Abbas — Mokhmad-ela — Murtaz-ela — Aidamir — Edalgir — Bulun Botakh (naib in Ichkeria — 1858).

Background

Bersa-Sheikh was born as Duchi into Chechen family of the clan (teip) in the village of Guni (located in present-day Vedensky District, Chechenya) in 1561. His father Timirbulat died before he born while his mother Chill was a Gunoi toastmaster. Until the age of fifteen, Bersa-Sheikh grew up in the home of Orza, his uncle from the mother's side. He was left fatherless early on, brought up by his mother at her in-laws in the village of Guni, where his mother had gone after the death of her husband. When Bersa was fifteen, he returned to his father's home. Bersa was married to a girl from his native aul, but the mother of his sons was a native of the village of Benoy.

Islamization of Chechnya The first aul in Ichkeria to convert to Islam was Kurchali, Bersan's hometown; then little by little other surrounding auls began to follow this doctrine, in which the new sheikh began to teach the people who, like Bersan himself, had been without faith, without law.»

According to military historian И. D. Popko:

Umalat Laudayev, wrote «when Islamism was finally established among the Chechens, a certain Bersa (Bersan) of the Kirchala family stood at the head of the people; he had influence among the people and was called imam and sheikh».

Death He is buried in his native village of Nizhniye Kurchali, on his homestead. His brother's wife and children are buried with him. Not far from his grave are the burial places of Mustap-Sheikh and Zhansari, wife of Kunta-Khadji.

Family His wife was from Benoy, belonging to the Benoy teip. She bore Bersa sons Thurlo and Ärsamak. A street in the town of Kurchaloi In Nozhai-Yurtovsky District, the mountain Bersan-Lam