Qur’an of Uthman. Photo: Fergana
One of the oldest Islamic religious relics, the Qur’an of Uthman, has been moved to the Qur’an Hall of the Center of Islamic Civilization (CIC) of Uzbekistan in Tashkent.
The manuscript was transferred from the Muyi Mubarak Madrasah, part of the Hazrati Imam ensemble, where it had previously been kept. It is now housed in the Qur’an Hall of the Center of Islamic Civilization. The relic has been placed at the center of the hall on a large pedestal. The ancient manuscript is protected by armored glass, with strict controls over temperature and humidity. Along the walls of the hall, more than one hundred additional Qur’ans are also displayed.
Today, November 14, the hall opened its doors to participants of the International Congress “Central Asia and Azerbaijan: Shared Spiritual and Educational Heritage — Shared Future.”
The forum, held from November 13 to 15, was initiated by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The CIC organized it in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, the International Institute of Central Asia, and the World Society for the Study, Preservation, and Popularization of the Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan (WOSCU).
ℹ️ The Qur’an of Uthman, also known as the Samarkand Kufic Qur’an, is one of the oldest surviving Qur’anic manuscripts, traditionally believed to have been stained with the blood of the third caliph, Uthman. The manuscript dates to the 7th century. In 1997, UNESCO included it in the Memory of the World Register.
ℹ️ The Center of Islamic Civilization (CIC) was built in the Uzbek capital next to the Hast-Imam complex. Designed in the style of medieval architectural monuments, the building features four portals, each 34 meters high, and a central dome rising 65 meters. It includes a Qur’an Hall, a 460-seat conference hall, and a museum whose exhibitions span the entire history of Uzbekistan—from pre-Islamic times to the present. The CIC is intended as a platform for the study and contemporary interpretation of historical heritage in cooperation with the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan and scholarly centers around the world.
