Muyi Muborak Madrasah is located near the Gafur Gulom subway station, in one of the oldest places of Tashkent. The Hazrati Imam complex, part of which is the madrasah, is very popular among tourists. Any resident of the capital knows how to get to it. For the first time it is hard to notice the madrasah among the other large buildings of the complex. However, the building is guarded and it is prohibited to take photos. It is always quiet inside the madrasah, and everything is illuminated by a half light. Here is the most important relic of the Islamic world, the famous Uthman Quran. This book is considered to be the oldest in the world and the main copy of Quran, which became the basis for all other duplicates in the world.
The Quran weighs 35 kilograms and contains 300 pages of text. It is stored in a special sarcophagus made of bulletproof glass. In order to protect the Quran, certain temperature and brightness are maintained in the room. The legend says that the wounded caliph Osman, hiding from his pursuers, read this book before he died, and his dried blood remains on the pages of the Quran.
The book faced many trials, lying in the Medina treasury for several hundred years. Information on its location was constantly changing. The book also visited Saint Petersburg, where several full-sized duplicates were made from it, and today they are located in several parts of the world. They are also of great value. After that, the Quran returned to Uzbekistan, where it is kept to this day. It is recognized as UNESCO historical heritage.
Besides the book itself, as the name Muyi Muborak implies, which literally means “the hair of the prophet”, hair from the head of the Prophet Muhammad is stored here. This is an important shrine in the Muslim world, which is safely guarded. Tourists are forbidden to come in here.
The madrasah was built in the 16th century by Kokand ruler Mirza Ahmed Kushbegi, at the site of a small dervish cell. The building is made of bricks and has several floors. Although there is only one floor above the surface.
The attraction was rebuilt several times, and in 1857, the first library of its kind was opened here, which later became one of the largest collections of Islam relics. There are many manuscripts, lithographs and translations of the Quran text into more than 30 languages. In 2008, a new more spacious library was built. And now most of the books are stored there.
Hast Imam Square is one of the most visited sites. Besides the Muyi Muborak Madrasah, there are also artisan yards where you can purchase many amazing things made by hands of local craftsmen. The number of pilgrims remains large even on hot summer days. Unfortunately, there is nowhere to hide from the scorching sun in a huge area, that’s why you can always get free drinking water there.
Canaan Travel will offer you the best route whether you are going to visit Uzbekistan for a holiday or for a historical travel.