BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 7. At the new stage of
our country’s development, on the initiative of the head of our
state, large-scale reforms and updates are being carried out in the
religious and educational spheres. In particular, significant
efforts are being made to restore and develop our national
traditions and values, honor the memory of our ancestors, and
beautify holy places, shrines, and mosques. These initiatives aim
to strengthen the spiritual and cultural fabric of our society,
ensuring that our heritage is preserved and passed down to future
generations.
Since 2017, several new religious educational institutions have
been established, including the Mir Arab Higher Madrasa, the School
of Hadith Science, and the Imam Termizi Madrasa. These institutions
play a crucial role in providing high-quality religious education,
fostering a deeper understanding of Islamic teachings, and
promoting scholarly research. They also contribute to the broader
goals of religious tolerance, intercultural dialogue, and social
cohesion in our diverse society.
By investing in religious education and infrastructure,
Uzbekistan is not only preserving its rich cultural and spiritual
legacy but also positioning itself as a center of Islamic learning
and scholarship in the region. These reforms represent a
forward-looking vision that balances respect for tradition with the
needs of contemporary society.
The prerequisite and basis for carrying out new reforms,
long-term planning and bringing the education system in the
religious and educational sphere to a qualitatively high level was
the decree of the President of Uzbekistan dated April 16, 2018 “On
Measures to Fundamentally Improve the Activities of the
Religious-Educational Sphere”.
According to the decree, efforts are focused on honoring the
great scholars who deeply studied the true essence of the Holy
Qur’an and Hadiths, the scientific and theoretical foundations of
Islamic knowledge, and who made incomparable contributions to world
civilization. These scholars thoroughly mastered the vast
scientific heritage of our compatriots and trained specialists
capable of conducting scientific research in the religious field.
They also imparted the noble universal values of Islam to our
people, especially the younger generation.
To achieve these goals, higher and secondary special religious
educational institutions, religious organizations, and scientific
research centers under the jurisdiction of the Office of Muslims of
Uzbekistan have been restructured. This restructuring aims to train
specialists who are well-versed in both religious and secular
sciences, can resist ideological attacks, and reject foreign ideas
from various currents, based on modern requirements for religious
workers. A new continuous system has been formed, ensuring
continuity and coherence between these institutions.
Taking into account the religious education system in accordance
with the traditional Hanafi madhhab and Maturidi teachings that
have developed in our country over the centuries, and considering
the experience of leading foreign religious higher educational
institutions, the curriculum and science programs of higher and
secondary special Islamic educational institutions in our republic
have been further improved, ensuring the integrity of
education.
In accordance with the Resolution of the President of Uzbekistan
dated August 11, 2020, approving the “Road Map” for Supporting the
Study of Imam Moturidiy and Teaching of Moturidiy in 2020-2024, a
new special course “Teaching of Moturidiy and Modern Dogmatic
Views” was introduced into the curriculum of religious educational
institutions.
According to “The Concept of Development of the Higher Education
System of the Republic of Uzbekistan until 2030”, starting from the
2020-2021 academic year, full-time students of the Tashkent Islamic
Institute have been transferred to a credit-module system, the
curricula have been revised; the volume of repetitive and not
directly related to the specialty subjects was reduced, and the
volume of specialized subjects was increased.
In accordance with the decree of the President of Uzbekistan,
the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan was created on the
basis of the Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan and the Tashkent Islamic
University. In addition to the activities of the Center for
Advanced Training of Religious Workers at the Academy, the creation
of its regional branches in the Republic of Karakalpakstan,
Samarkand, Namangan and Surkhandarya regions is of particular
importance in the field of religious education.
An International Research Center at the International Islamic
Academy has also been created in Uzbekistan. In recent years,
large-scale reforms have been carried out in the religious and
educational sphere in Uzbekistan, and the activities of this center
will undoubtedly play an important role in the in-depth study of
the legacy of the great scientist of the Islamic world Imam
Maturidi, in educating the younger generation in the spirit of
noble human ideals, in the formation of ideological immunity .
In this regard, regular training seminars are organized with the
participation of well-known professors, mature specialists,
scientists, imams, religious leaders, and youth leaders at the
training center of the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan
and its regional departments. Today, the conditions provided for
the quality education of students at the International Islamic
Academy of Uzbekistan are sufficient to prepare them as highly
qualified personnel in various fields including Islamic studies,
religious studies, Islamic history and source studies, psychology
of religion, Islamic economics, international relations, pilgrimage
tourism, and oriental languages. Serious attention is given to the
creation of these conditions.
Currently, the faculties of “Islamic Economy and International
Relations”, “Classical Eastern Philology” and “Islamic Studies” are
operating in the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan.
In addition to these faculties, various specialized departments
have been established at the International Islamic Academy of
Uzbekistan, including: Islamic Economy and Finance, Pilgrimage
Tourism” “International Relations and Social Sciences”, “Modern
Information and Communication Technologies”, “Arabic Language and
Literature al-Azhar”, “Uzbek Language and Classical Oriental
Literature”, “Foreign Languages”, Psychology and Pedagogy of
Religion”, “Islamic Studies and Islamic Civilization Study
(ICESCO)”, “Islamic History and Source Studies (IRCICA)”,
“Religious Studies and Comparative Study of World Religions
(UNESCO)”.
The main workforce of the International Islamic Academy of
Uzbekistan comprises a total of 194 professors and teachers, among
whom there are 28 doctors of science and 97 candidates holding
either a doctorate or a PhD degree, reflecting a scientific
potential of 77.1%.
In 2023, the Academy achieved remarkable success by securing the
1st place in terms of scientific potential and the
2nd place overall in the national ranking of higher
educational institutions within the republic.
The academy offers 6 specialties, including Islamic History and
Source Studies, Quran Studies, Hadith Studies, Fiqh, Word Science,
Theology, Classical Eastern Literature and Source Studies,
Religious Studies, and Psychology of Religion. These
specializations encompass phenomena related to religion in society,
the relationship between religion and society, the national idea,
and mental characteristics in the fight against ideological
attacks. Leveraging the rich scientific and spiritual heritage of
our esteemed ancestors, extensive research is conducted on the
works of scholars from our country to promote it widely.
The Scientific Council established under the International
Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan oversees the defense of more than 20
doctor of science and doctor of philosophy degrees each year within
the specialized fields.
Currently, the Source Treasury of the International Islamic
Academy of Uzbekistan houses a significant collection, including
460 manuscripts, 1,521 lithographs, and over 13,000 modern edition
books, totaling 5,710 titles.
During this period, a 2-volume extended catalog of 300
manuscripts was published. Volume 1 comprises 150 manuscripts with
extended descriptions of 393 works, while Volume 2 contains 150
manuscripts with extended descriptions of 504 works
In recent years, “Historical and comparative analysis of
religious and mystical symbols in Uzbekistan”, “Religious
xenophobia and its manifestations in the era of globalization”,
“The factor of religion in the formation of the social identity of
the information society”, information on the terrorist organization
“ISIS” dedicated to theology and modern issues related to it.
attack and ways to eliminate it”, “Religious-spiritual processes
related to cyberspace and Islam”, “Culture of tolerance is a factor
of prevention of extremism”, “Social and historical content of
missionary work and specific aspects of its manifestation in
Uzbekistan”, “Islamic custom in modern Uzbek families and studies
such as “evolution of traditions” have been carried out.
“Comparative analysis of the history and evolution of ascetic views
in Christianity and Islam”, “Religious and social foundations of
medical issues in Christian and Islamic sources”, “The role of
Jewish communities in social and cultural processes in Central
Asia”, “The harmony of ideas of tolerance in world religions”,
“Goddess in Zoroastrianism” functions and socio-historical essence”
is one of the effective researches carried out in this
direction.
Scientific, practical, and innovative projects play a crucial
role in enhancing the effectiveness of research in various fields.
To this end, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and
Innovation of the Republic of Uzbekistan has funded an innovative
project at the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan titled
“Creation of the ‘Religions of the World’ electronic program and
mobile application based on research of the history, teachings,
sources, and traditions of religions.”
As part of this project, extensive research has been conducted,
resulting in the preparation of separate monographs on 11 world
religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism,
Confucianism, Daoism, Shintoism, Sikhism, Judaism, Christianity,
and Islam. These monographs aim to provide comprehensive insights
into the history, teachings, and traditions of each religion,
contributing to a deeper understanding of global religious
diversity.
This project represents a significant effort to promote
interfaith dialogue, cultural understanding, and knowledge exchange
on a global scale.
Taking into account the increasing interest and demand for the
science of religious studies, in order to bring the field to the
level of modern requirements, to provide and improve it with new
generation literature, study guides and textbooks, “Gnestological
principles in the theological teaching of Ibn Sina”, “The spread of
Islam in East Asia and its regional features”, monographs “History,
religious belief and culture of ancient Afghanistan”, “Comparative
religious studies” and “Islamic philosophy”, textbooks
“Religious-philosophical teachings of Southeast Asia”, “Comparative
study of religious sources”, “Religious processes in cyberspace”,
“History of World Religions”, “Culture of Religious Tolerance”
educational manuals were written.
To showcase the cutting-edge research of young scientific
researchers to the public, the scientific journals “The light of
Islam” (Islam Ziyosi), “Islamic thought” “Islom Tafakkuri” and
“Moturidity” (Moturidiylik) are being published. It’s worth noting
that the journal “The light of Islam ” is recognized as one of the
five most active journals on the unique platform of scientific
journals of republican higher education institutions –
uzjournals.edu.uz.
The International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan is committed to
upholding its status and achieving leading positions at the
international level through a wide range of innovations. In recent
years, the academy has significantly expanded its cooperation with
prestigious foreign higher education institutions, research
centers, and international organizations. Consequently, the
participation of academy professors and young researchers in
international conferences, scientific seminars, and international
grants has become more active. Simultaneously, there has been an
increase in the involvement of foreign professors, students, and
doctoral candidates in the educational process of the academy,
along with their growing interest in conducting scientific research
in our country.
Today, the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan has
signed memorandum agreements with 43 foreign higher education
institutions and research centers.
The academy places significant emphasis on nurturing students’
talents and purposefully organizing their free time. Each student’s
participation in classes, activity level, and mastery of subjects
are thoroughly analyzed. In close cooperation with subject teachers
and group leaders, the quality of students’ education and the
effectiveness of the educational process are established.
Students have ample opportunities to learn professions and
engage in sports. Extracurricular Clubs such as “Linguistics”
(Arabic, English, Russian), “Psychological Training,”
“Calligraphy,” “Computer Literacy,” “Web Designer,” “Dutorchilar,”
(students playing the “dutar”) “Piano,” “Violin,” and “Art” allow
students to acquire modern knowledge and skills while showcasing
their talents. Sports clubs including “Volleyball,” “Table Tennis,”
“Basketball,” “Mini Football,” “Chess and Checkers,” and
“Badminton” promote physical health among young people.
Faculty members and employees of the academy actively
participate in various propaganda activities to ensure social and
spiritual stability and improve the religious situation in the
country. Meetings and lectures on topics such as “Islam as the
Religion of Enlightenment,” “There Is No Salvation Except through
Science,” and “An Enlightened Society Condemns Ignorance” reinforce
concepts of peace, tranquility, loyalty to the Motherland, and
prevention of negative vices like religious extremism, terrorism,
and radicalism among the youth.
In summary, preserving our centuries-old national and religious
values, learning from the invaluable heritage of our ancestors, and
educating young people to be exemplary individuals based on this
heritage are vital for ensuring a stable socio-spiritual
environment in society. Recent establishments such as the Center of
Islamic Civilization, International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan,
Mir Arab Higher Madrasah, and international research centers
dedicated to scholars like Imam Bukhari, Imam Termizi, and Imam
Moturidi serve to study and promote our rich scientific and
historical heritage.
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