International conference on "Uzbekistan's contribution to the development of Islamic civilization" will be held in Tashkent and Samarkand on 14-15 August

International conference on "Uzbekistan's contribution to the development of Islamic civilization" will be held in Tashkent and Samarkand on 14-15 August. On this occasion experts and scholars from different countries of the world shared their views on the subject.

Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri, Director-General of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO)

The Republic of Uzbekistan, which has a great place in the development of Islamic civilization, has symbolized the universal and Islamic values. The reconstruction of cultural and architectural monuments in such historical cities as Tashkent, Bukhara, Samarkand and Khiva is a shining example of it. At the same time Uzbekistan is famous for its great scholars who left rich legacy in Islamic enlightment. They, with their knowledge and legacy, are widely known as great scholars of science. The author of “Jome’ as-Sahih” (“Sahih Bukhari”) Imam Muhammad ibn Ismoil Bukhari, the creator of “Al-Kashshaf” – the commentaries on the Koran - Umar az-Zamakhshari, physician, physicist, philosopher and the author of valuable treatises such as “The Rules of Diagnosis”, “Disease treatment and rare plants”, “On India” Abu Rayhan Beruni and many other scholars are considered as prominent ancestors of this great nation.

Yoshiaki Sasaki, Senior academician in Tokyo Foundation, expert on the issues of Islam and the Middle East:

In the 1990s I visited Uzbekistan and I developed an idea about the greatness of the masterworks of Uzbek architecture and historical monuments and witnessed the beauty and grandiosity of Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and Tashkent. I was deeply impressed by the fact that despite facing different challenges in their history, the Uzbek people have been able to fully preserve their history, culture, architectural monuments and scientific legacy.
In the times when different organizations and forces are trying to undermine the Islamic values based on humanitarian spirit and to use its holy symbol to achieve their self-seeking goals, the efforts of the government of Uzbekistan to restore the peace-loving and tolerant nature of Islam requires special attention.

Islam, by its nature, is a very peace-loving and tolerant religion. However, it is unfortunate to see Islam being linked to violence and terror by the western world. One of the main reasons for this is that most people lack sufficient knowledge about Islam. This serves the interests of some forces.

On this occasion, I would like to express my trust in the capacity of Tashkent Conference to contribute to the spreading of the genuine essence and aims of Islam, to come up with and present to the world community new ideas, in the example of Uzbekistan, on the civil society regarding Islam as a peace-loving, tolerant, enlightening and progressive religion.

Sheikh-ul-Islam Allahshukur Pasha-Zade, Chairman of Muslims Department of Caucasus:

Today independent Uzbekistan headed by outstanding political leader - President Islam Karimov, demonstrates fine example of magnificent prospects opened before the country that promptly develops and at the same time carefully preserves richest spiritual heritage.
I speak about it with pride because I consider this blessed ground as my second fatherland. I am happy that exactly here lived and created great Muslim scientists and thinkers Ismail al-Bukhari, at-Termizi, al-Khorezmi, al-Farabi, al-Beruni, Avicenna. I comprehended Islamic sciences, have received high religious education. Under the recommendation of my great master Ziyouddinkhan Ibn Ishan Babakhan I have been chosen 27 years ago as Chairman of Muslims Department of Caucasus.

The contribution of Uzbekistan to history of the Islamic civilization, formation and development of Muslim culture is so great that any, even the most representative conference could not reveal it in all wholeness.

Islam came to present territory of Uzbekistan with will of the Allah in second half of VII century. New religion has met here not cultural backward region, but on the contrary - one of most ancient centers of world culture. Islam has ability to extend its ideology quickly and become promptly consolidated in this territory only with continuity of cultures.
Through cultural synthesis Maverannahr has brought the incomparable contribution to treasury of Muslim culture in areas of science, poetry, architecture, public and political thoughts. The first significant name both in Mathematics and Astronomy was the name - al-Khorezmi that is known to the European scientists as Algorithmus. From his name became the term "Algorithm".
Today Uzbeks have the full right to be proud that their soil has given the world outstanding scientists and theologians such as Abu Rayhon al-Beruni, Said Sharif Dzhurdzhani, Muhammad Ibn Ismail al-Bukhari, Abu Ali Ibn Sino (Avicenna) and others. The brilliant representative of medieval Central Asian science Avicenna has been recognized not only in the Muslim East, but also in Europe as greatest philosopher and outstanding physician that nicknamed by the coreligionists as «Emir of all sciences».

Hai Shuying, associate professor of the China National University:
While looking at development of the history of Islam in China, we can come to the conclusion that: the motherland of the science about Islam and place for its preserving generation by generation is Transacsonia - the current territory of Uzbekistan. And the cradle of theological education was Bukhara. Bukhara Muslims made a big contribution to dissemination and development of Islam in China. Uzbekistan is important in the history of Islam civilization in China.

Hee-Soo Lee, professor of Korean Hanyang University:
Having important cultural and geographic position in Great Silk Road Uzbekistan became pivotal centre humankind civilization and history. Since ancient times, high level science and technology together with rich cultural heritage and methods of commerce came from Central Asia to Korean Peninsula. The history of relations between Maverannahr Muslims and Koreans of Korean Peninsula were well reflected in 20 Muslims books wrote in IX-XVI centuries A.D. by famous historians and geographers like Ibn Hurdabiy, Suleyman at-Tajir, Masudiy. In particular, Ibn Hurdabiy was the first among Muslims scientists who wrote the information about living of Muslims population in United Kingdom of Silla.
Tashkent, Bukhara and Samarkand were mentioned a lot of times in the history of Korean by historical facts. For instance, Samarkand was recognized as the country where high quality emerald had been produced.
Islam astronomy, medicine, architecture, weaponry and other spheres foundations were widely used in Korean Peninsula. Most of the scientific and cultural achievements of Korean Peninsula of the medieval times were possible because of inventions and studies of Uzbek scientist- encyclopaedists.

Shirin Akiner, professor of Oriental and African studies at the London University:
Central Asian scientists were traveling all around Moslem world. They’ve studied and had given lectures in the leading educational centers like Baghdad, Damascus, Nishapur, Basra and Kufa. Many of them contributed enormously to Islamic philosophy and law, as well as to the development of applied and theoretical sciences (mathematics, astronomy, medicine). They are well known in history with their Arabic like names. The place of their birth is a good evidence of their Central Asian origin. Among them such prominent persons like Al-Beruniy, Al-Bukhariy, Al-Fargoniy, Al-Horezmiy, Al-Maturidiy. At-Termiziy, Shamsuddin As-Samarkandiy and Najibuddin As-Samarkandiy.
During centuries, notwithstanding all difficulties of political and economic overturns, that major tradition of art and learning has survived and continued to develop. Today the government and people of preserved that rich heritage, which is a source of pride. For a young state it was not easy to find resources for the projects on restoration the ancient monuments. Many historical monuments that in different times of the past were despised or even deliberately destroyed, which were almost on the edge of disappearance, now again exist in its magnificence. That process of reopening and restoration is a gesture of respect towards great heritage.

In the beginning of the 21 Century we see in Uzbekistan a bright, multisided, interdisciplinary rebirth of historical Islamic heritage of the region. We are the witnesses of repeated reunion of people with their cultural roots. Achievements of the past serve as an inspiration similarly as a source of pride for the present generation. It is important not only to Uzbekistan but also for the entire Muslim world because Islamic heritage of that country is an integral part of our common spiritual, cultural and scientific traditions that cover entire Muslim world. Therefore, the fact that the Islamic Organization for Education, Science and Culture have announced Tashkent as a capital of Islamic culture in 2007 that in accord with ongoing process in Uzbekistan of spiritual and cultural renaissance.

Sheikh Ahmad Tamim, Chairman of the Muslims Committee of Ukraine:
In Muslim world Uzbekistan is famous for its ancient history, rich and unique culture, as well as contribution to the development of world civilization. Tashkent could be named not only as a capital of Muslim world, but also a center of enlightenment. We highly asses measures taken by the leadership of the Republic of Uzbekistan in person of the President of Islam Karimov, aimed at preserving that invaluable spiritual heritage.
Tashkent Islamic Institute which’s aim is to teach religious and secular sciences is an important part in wide popularization and preserving knowledge about Islam.
Enlightenment activity, preserving of the ancestors’ heritage, deep learning, enriching disseminating Islamic culture and spiritual values are the guarantee of preserving and passing invaluable spiritual heritage of Uzbekistan to the future generation on the basis of deep knowledge that have become a contribution to the Islamic civilization. That is why a rare and the only copy of Koran Osman, which had been rewritten in 7 Century A.D., is kept in Tashkent.
We highly asses the role of Uzbekistan in the development of Islamic culture, and would like to extend our support to the initiative of the Leadership of Uzbekistan aimed at enhancing the comprehensive relations with Islamic world. We hope that the international conference will serve to the improvement idea of the international community of Islam. One of the main purpose of that project is to deliver to the international community the view that Islam is a religion of a high culture and morality, which has nothing to do with such concepts as “abhorrence” and “violence”

Dr.Kenneth L.Honerkamp, professor of University of Georgia, USA:
For 14 Centuries the ethic norms make the basis of Islamic world’s religious thinking. That thinking was not originated in a separate region or specific period time, but throughout several centuries being developed and supplemented common heritage of peoples and cultures comprising Muslim world.
Sufism has an important place in religious and historical heritage of Uzbekistan. That teaching is considered as a system of religious ethics and knowledge related to the development of internal world of a human being and his spiritual purification. During several centuries Sufism played an important contribution in forming and developing ethnic norms in Islamic society.
Sufism has become the result of the evolution of notions of famous Islamic scholars Imam Al-Buhari and Abu Mansur Al-Maturidi. Later on, by the effects of spiritual teachers like Bahouddin Nakshibandi, Khodja Ubaydulla Ahror and Alisher Navoi, it had eventually transformed into the religious moral teaching.
Tashkent, where that conference will take place, is the hometown of Khodja Ubaydullo Ahror (1404-1490), one of the outstanding scholars of Sufism. He posses significant place not only in the history of history of preaching, but also in the history of Islamic religion at all.
From the very outset, Islam has set as its final destination - building society, which would strive for goodness and exterminate the evil. Principles of spiritual education and clearance of spirit and body had played and are playing a very key role in this process by being a core that inspires followers the Islamic religion and strengthens their believe. Sufism with its great scholars, who on their example having demonstrated the way spiritual power of human being is suppose to be, created in the Islamic society the axis that rolled the process of spiritual orientation based on specific principles of religious attitude and serving for the sake of exciting inner human power and strengthen his faith.