The building of the Muyi Muborak madrasah is located near the Gafur Gulyam metro station, in one of the oldest parts of Tashkent. The Hazrati Imam complex, which includes a madrasah, is famous among tourists. Any resident of the capital knows the way to it. Among the large-scale buildings of the complex, the madrasah is not immediately noticeable. However, the building is guarded and photography inside is prohibited. Inside the madrasah is always humbly quiet, everything is lit with dim light. The most important relic of the Islamic world is kept here - the famous Koran of Osman. This book is considered the oldest in the world and the main Koran, from which all duplicates in the world were then copied and reprinted.
The Koran weighs 35 kilograms and contains 300 pages of text. It is stored in a special sarcophagus under bulletproof glass. The room is maintained at a certain temperature and brightness to preserve the Quran. According to legend, just before his death, Caliph Osman, wounded by his pursuers, read it in hiding, and traces of his dried blood remained on the pages of the Koran.
The book survived many trials, lying in the treasury of Medina for several hundred years. Information about her whereabouts was lost and then reappeared. The book also visited St. Petersburg, where several full-size duplicates were made from it, which are now located in several corners of the world. Their value is also high. After this, the Koran was returned to Uzbekistan, where it is kept to this day. It is recognized as a historical heritage by UNESCO.
In addition to the book itself, as can be understood from the name of the madrasah - Muyi Muborak, which literally means “hair of the prophet”, a hair from the head of the Prophet Muhammad is kept within its walls. This is an important shrine in the Muslim world, reliably guarded. Tourists are not allowed into this place.
The madrasah was built by the Kokand ruler Mirza Ahmed Kushbegi in the 16th century, on the site of a small cell of dervishes. The building is made of brick and has several levels. Although there is only one floor above the surface.
The landmark was rebuilt several times, and in 1857, the first library of its kind was established here, which later became one of the largest collections of Islam. Manuscripts, lithographs and translations of the text of the Koran into more than 30 languages of the world are presented here. In 2008, a new library, more spacious, was built. Most of the books are now stored there.
Khast Imam Square is one of the most visited. In addition to the Muyi Muborak madrasah, there are also craft yards where you can buy many amazing things handmade by local craftsmen. On hot summer days the number of pilgrims does not dry out. Unfortunately, there is nowhere to hide from the scorching sun in a huge area, so there is always free drinking water here.
Whether you're heading to Uzbekistan for a holiday or a historical tour, Canaan Travel has the best itinerary for you.