Hazrat Yousuf Grave In Which Country

[Dallas Themshirts]

Fourdays ago, I woke up to a phone call from our respected Shaykh al-Islām Mufti Muhammad Taqi Usmani explaining that he is currently in Moscow with plans to travel to Bukhara (Uzbekistan) on Sunday, adding that I should consider joining him. It was only less than three weeks ago that Mufti Ṣāḥib survived an assassination attempt. Clearly, this had not deterred him from continuing his travels both in Pakistan and beyond. May Allah Almighty keep his shadow over us for long.

Last year, I was fortunate to travel with him in the Balkans and most recently seven weeks ago, I spent some time with him in the blessed city of Madīnah in Saudi Arabia. Spending time in the company of scholars such as Mufti Ṣāḥib provides a unique opportunity to benefit from and tap into an ocean of knowledge and wisdom. This combined with the fact that I had always had a strong desire and intention to visit this region which was once the centre of Islamic knowledge and home to thousands of scholars. Our legacy, tradition and history are entrenched with this region, and there could not be a better opportunity to appreciate this than by travelling with Mufti Ṣāḥib.

Uzbekistan is part of the region known as mā warāʾ al-nahr, which literally translates as what is beyond the river, a reference to Transoxiana, the region beyond the Oxus river. This term is commonly used in fiqh books and many senior ḥanafī jurists lived in this region. Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Southern Kyrgyzstan and southwest Kazakhstan are part of Transoxiana.

Part of this region was conquered by Qutaybah ibn Muslim (d. 96/715) between 706 and 715 CE and loosely held by the Umayyads from 715 to 738. The conquest was consolidated by Naṣr ibn Sayyār (d. 131/748) between 738 and 740 CE, and continued under the control of the Umayyads until 750, when it was replaced by the Abbasids. However, prior to all this, the companion Qutham ibn al-ʿAbbās (d. 57/676-7, may Allah be pleased with him) was among the first group of Muslims to begin the conquest of this region under the leadership of Saʿīd ibn ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān (d.ca. 62/682) in the era of Muʿāwiyah (d. 60/680, may Allah be pleased with him). He was martyred in Samarqand. It is understood that he is the only companion to have passed away in Uzbekistan, which makes him the final companion to have passed away here.

We descend into Tashkent International Airport at 8.35am. Friendly staff greet us at the Airport and the immigration process is swiftly conducted. From 1st Feb 2019, British passport holders do not require visa and there is no entry fee. Within 15-20 minutes, we are on our way out of the Airport.

Our first stop is the Headquarters of Dar al-Hilal (Hilol Nashr) where we arrive shortly after Ẓuhr Ṣalāh. The organisation specialises in printing, publishing and selling Islamic books with a particular emphasis on the Uzbek language as well as Russian, the second official language of the country. The revolutionary work of organisations like Dar al-Hilal must be understood in light of the recent history of the country which was subject to more than seventy years of communism. Religious restrictions continued after Soviet rule ended and the remnants and effects of the dark age continue to date. Since the appointment of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in December 2016, many religious restrictions have been lifted and there is an increase in Islamic activity. Unlike before, there are no restrictions on visiting Masjids for Ṣalāh and the rules pertaining to the headscarf and beards are being relaxed, although some complications remain. Last year, the headscarf was banned in schools and universities, however, today an announcement has been made providing flexibility.

It is in this context that a great scholar by the name of Shaykh Muḥammad al-Ṣādiq ibn Muḥammad Yūsuf (d. 2015/1436) founded Dar al-Hilal in 2011 with a sole focus on spreading Islamic knowledge. The first book published by the Dar was the first volume of the Uzbek translation of Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī.

Shaykh Muḥammad al-Ṣādiq was born in Andijan on 21 Rajab 1371, corresponding to 15 April 1952. He acquired his early education with his father Shaykh Muḥammad Yūsuf and others and later joined the Mir-i-Arab Madrasah in Bukhara. Thereafter, he studied at the Maʿhad al-Imam al-Bukhārī in Tashkent and travelled to Libya to further his Islamic studies. After graduating in 1980, he returned to Uzbekistan. He served in various religious and political roles until 1993 when he was forced to leave the country. After spending a year in Saudi Arabia and several years in Libya, he returned home in 2001. He served in various global Muslim organisations and wrote many books in Uzbek. They include the translation of the Qurʾān with brief commentary, translation of Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, commentary of al-Adab al-Mufrad, al-Kifāyah (a three-volume commentary of the ḥanafī fiqh manual wiqāyah) and a nine-volume collection of his Fatāwā of which seven volumes are published. He authored more than 125 books on a range of topics. Dar al-Hilal has published many of these and is working on publishing the remainder. His books are available online and also on Apps. Train passengers across the country are able to access and read these books for free on their devices and there are ongoing discussions to provide a similar service to the passengers of Uzbekistan Airways. The Tafsīr al-Hilāl authored by Shaykh Muḥammad al-Ṣādiq in six volumes is the first complete tafsīr in modern Uzbek. Similar to Turkey, tafsīrs exist in Uzbek from earlier times, however, they are written in Arabic/Persian script, which is alien to the vast majority of Uzbeks.

The setup at Dar al-Hilal is impressive and very professional. An in-house printing department prints books to a very high standard. There are nine branches in the country that sell the books they print as well as other books, three in Tashkent and the remaining in other provinces. There is also a branch in Moscow, Russia and one in Osh, Kyrgyzstan, and one in Seoul, South Korea. The reason for opening a branch in South Korea is that there are more than 3000 Uzbek nationals studying and working there. Shaykh Muḥammad al-Ṣādiq also succeeded in appointing an Imam for these people and a Masjid was also established in South Korea to serve their needs.

We take leave from Dar al-Hilal and continue our tour of Tashkent. The city is well established with modern infrastructure. The skyline is dominated with Masjids, and under the presidency of the current President, many new Masjids are being built and old ones renovated. Shaykh Fodel explains that the majority of scholars of the country completed their studies in Pakistan, Libya, Syria or Egypt and many Uzbek students are now benefiting from Syrian scholars based in Istanbul. Shaykh Fodel and his colleagues hosted Shaykh Muḥammad ʿAwwāmah (b. 1358/1940) last year. The government also enjoys a good relationship with the current Turkish government, this is positive.

Our next stop is Hadiqotu Yoshullilar (the garden of leaders) where a late afternoon lunch is prepared. Visitors experience Khwarazmi cuisine in a traditional Uzbek setting, as well as a traditional Russian, Chinese and British settings. The Uzbeks are known for their hospitality. Shaykh Fodel explains that the city of Khwarazm has preserved the old infrastructure from the golden era more than any other city. We do not intend to visit this city during this tour. However, this is a city worth visiting as it was once a hub of Islamic knowledge and many scholars are attributed to it.

We perform ʿAṣr Ṣalāh in the Minor (Manār/Minār) Congregational Mosque built by the former President, Islam Karimov. The Masjid can hold 7000 people at any one time. There is also a stream nearby, the timing of the day and the spring weather makes it perfect for a short stroll. Spring and Autumn are the best seasons to visit this region, although rain is predicted after a few days. Yāqūt al-Ḥamawī (d. 622/1225) mentions in Muʿjam al-Buldān (3:308) the greenery of the city, its flat nature (there are no mountains or hills), direct access to water in the homes and how the city is one of the cleanest in Transoxiana. This description is also true today.

The final place we visit is Masjid Shaykh Zayn al-Dīn. Shaykh was a saint from Yemen, who is buried in the graveyard adjacent to the Masjid. The aforementioned Shaykh Muḥammad al-Ṣādiq is also buried here. Many other scholars, Muftis and judges are buried here.

We perform Maghrib Ṣalāh here. Immediately after the Adhan, the post-Adhān supplication is read loudly, and Maghrib Ṣalāh commences immediately. After Ṣalāh, the Imam reads the Allāhumma anta al-Salām supplication loudly and people perform the Sunnah prayer. Thereafter, the Imam recites Subḥanallāh, Al-Ḥamdulillāḥ and Subḥānallah loudly once with pauses in between, prompting the congregation to read the masnūn adhkār. This is followed by the Imam reciting some Qurʾān and a short congregational supplication thereafter.

My respected father earlier recommended to the scholars at Dar al-Hilal that along with recitation of the Qurʾān, Imams should provide some translation and explanation, enabling the congregation to benefit from Islamic knowledge on a daily basis.

Shaykh Raḥmatullāh asked my father regarding some prisoners who were jailed previously and restricted from performing any Ṣalāh. Some would perform via ishārah (gesture) whilst others would perform whilst walking. Is their Ṣalāh valid? My father replied: it is undoubtedly valid. It is worth noting that although the current situation is much better than before, certain restrictions remain. Preaching is restricted. All religious institutes are managed by the state. Private seminaries or supplementary classes (makātib) or durūs (lessons) cannot be established independently. It is for this reason, my respected father comments that wearing a scarf in these countries is also a great sacrifice and that one must avoid judging people.

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