Do you want to see the most ancient and priceless manuscripts of Central Asia?

🔴 An opportunity to explore the most mysterious exhibits!

 

🔴 A display of unique treasures from the past!

 

At the Center of Islamic Civilization, the priceless heritage of our great ancestors awaits you. The sacred pages of the Uthman Qur’an, the justice-based principles of the Temur Tuzuklari, the eternal works of Navoi… If books could speak, what lessons would the “Uthman Qur’an” share? Which laws would the “Temur Tuzuklari” remind us of? Every manuscript whispers a mysterious story of the past.

 

In the coming days, the museum of the Center of Islamic Civilization will offer the public a chance to gain a deeper understanding of these historical secrets. Here, not only original manuscripts but also their facsimiles and scholarly restorations are preserved and displayed.

 

Qur’an manuscripts – priceless jewels of the center

 

Among the most valuable treasures of the museum are ancient Qur’an manuscripts, including:

 

 

◾ The Uthman Qur’an – one of the world’s oldest and most sacred Qur’anic copies. According to tradition, it was transcribed during the caliphate of Uthman ibn Affan and distributed as the unified text among Muslims. Historical sources even mention that traces of the caliph’s blood remained on its pages at the time of his martyrdom. This manuscript serves as proof of the preservation of the Qur’anic text and is revered as a symbol of faith and patience of our ancestors.

 

 

◾ Shodmalik Khotun Qur’an – a Qur’an copy handwritten by Shodmalik Khotun, a manuscript of the highest artistic value. Copied in 1467, its delicate calligraphy, gold and multicolor illumination make it a supreme example of Qur’anic art, reflecting the Timurid era’s devotion to religious bookmaking. Perfectly preserved, this unique work has never been exhibited elsewhere.

 

 

“Temur Tuzuklari” and historical manuscripts

 

The exhibition also features original copies of some of the most important sources on the political life and governance of the Timurid state the Temur Tuzuklari — along with works by foreign scholars and writers about them, including:

 

⚫ Temur Tuzuklari in Persian and English,

⚫ Charles Saunders’ The Great Temur written in London in 1681,

⚫ Jean Baptiste Magnot de Tillier’s History of Amir Temur written in Paris in 1739.

 

These works detail governance, military order, and the principles of justice.

 

The Center also showcases numerous manuscripts commissioned by Timurid princes, such as a two-volume collection prepared by Pirmuhammad in 1397–1398, which includes Firdausi’s Shahnameh, as well as Garshaspnameh and Bahmannameh.

 

A modern path to digital manuscripts

 

In the “Second Renaissance” section, visitors can read digital versions of rare masterpieces in multiple languages alongside the originals. Among them:

 

➖ Book of Fixed Stars (Suwar al-Kawākib al-Thābita) by Abd al-Rahman al-Sufi (d. 986), preserved in the National Library of France (Paris),

➖ Jāmiʿ al-Tawārīkh by Rashid al-Din (1247–1318), prepared for the library of Shahrukh Mirza and preserved in the Topkapi Palace Library (Istanbul),

➖ Khamsa by Nizami, copied in 1400 by calligrapher Ali ibn Sultani Tabrizi and preserved at the Freer Art Gallery in New York,

➖ Hayrat ul-Abror by Alisher Navoi, preserved at the Bodleian Library (Oxford),

➖ Original manuscripts of Baburnama from the 16th century, preserved in Baltimore (Walters).

 

Conclusion

 

The Center of Islamic Civilization serves as an important bridge for the scholarly study of our priceless heritage and its presentation to our people and the international community. Through this institution, we gain a deeper appreciation of our ancestors’ thirst for knowledge and love of art.

 

Laylo Abdukakhkharova
P/S: This article may be used by citing the official website of the Center.