Samarkand Hosts Prestigious International Conference

On April 29-30, Samarkand hosted an international conference dedicated to the 1155th anniversary of the birth of Abu Mansur al-Maturidi. The forum, titled "Maturidi: The Doctrine of Tolerance, Moderation, and Enlightenment," was the result of careful preparation and high organizational standards. The aim of the conference was to thoroughly and deeply explore the life and rich scientific heritage of Imam Maturidi, as well as to widely promote the principles of moderation and tolerance embedded in his teachings. Alongside Uzbek scholars, researchers from dozens of countries participated in the forum, including Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Turkey, Morocco, Jordan, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, India, Azerbaijan, and others.
 

The conference was held in the following sections:
• "The Scientific Legacy of Imam Maturidi and His Followers in the Development of Islamic Sciences"
• "Interpretation of Universal Human Values in the Teachings of Maturidism"
• "The Relevance of Imam Maturidi's Teachings in the 21st Century"

For reference: Imam Abu Mansur al-Maturidi was born in 870 in the village of Maturid near Samarkand. For his outstanding contribution to the spiritual guidance of Muslims, he received titles such as "Imam al-Huda" (Imam of Guidance), "Head of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah," "Imam of the Mutakallimun," and others. He is considered the founder of the Maturidi school. Today, Maturidism, alongside Asharism, is one of the two main doctrinal schools of Sunni Islam. His theological ideas played a key role in countering various deviant movements in the Islamic thought of his time. Currently, more than 750 million out of 1.9 billion Muslims follow the Maturidi direction. Imam Maturidi left a rich spiritual legacy in the fields of Aqidah, Tafsir, Fiqh, and Usul al-Fiqh. Among his approximately 20 works, the "Kitab al-Tawhid" and "Ta'wilat al-Quran" have survived to this day. He passed away in 944. His teachings were developed by his followers, among whom Abu Mu'in al-Nasafi and Abu Hafs al-Nasafi stand out.

The President of Uzbekistan places great importance on studying Imam Maturidi's heritage. For example, on March 3-4, 2020, an international conference was held in Samarkand, and on August 11, the International Research Center named after Imam Maturidi was established. Currently, two key works of the scholar have been translated into Uzbek and published by the Center's efforts.