August 18 — The Day the Uthman Qur’an returned to Tashkent

The Uthman Qur’an (one of the oldest copies of the Qur’an), considered one of the most precious treasures of the Muslim world, has witnessed various historical events over the centuries. Its return to Turkestan and survival to this day is an important reality that testifies to the continuity of our religious and cultural heritage.

In 1924, exactly 101 years ago, the Uthman Qur’an was brought from Ufa to Tashkent by a special train under the protection of an honorable guard consisting of scholars from Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, and Turkestan. For a time, it was kept in a mosque, and later, for security reasons, it was transferred to the Museum of the History of the Peoples of Uzbekistan (now the State Museum of History of Uzbekistan).

In 1868 (according to some sources, in 1869), the manuscript was taken from Samarkand to St. Petersburg, first entrusted to the Ministry of Public Education of Russia, and later to the Saltykov-Shchedrin Library. In 1905, 50 copies were made from it. After the October Revolution, at the request of Muslim scholars, the government of the RSFSR decided to return it to the Muslims, and it was kept in Ufa. Thus, in 1924 it returned again to Turkestan.

On March 14, 1989, at the Fourth Congress of Muslims held in Tashkent, it was announced that the Uthman Qur’an had once again been handed over to the Muslims.

There are different theories about how the Uthman Qur’an came to Turkestan. Some scholars believe that Amir Temur brought it from Basra. Other historians suggest that it was taken during Temur’s campaign against the Golden Horde, after his victory over Tokhtamish.

Although other views exist in history, the belief that the Qur’an was brought to Samarkand during the Timurid era is more widely supported.

At the Center of Islamic Civilization in Uzbekistan, the Uthman Qur’an will be displayed as the main exhibit in the Qur’an Hall. In addition, Qur’an copies created during the periods of the Samanids, Qarakhanids, Khwarazmshahs, and Timurids are also expected to be exhibited. Furthermore, the Center plans to publish a scholarly-popular book titled The History of the Uthman Qur’an, covering its origin, paleographic features, and religious-spiritual significance.