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| Source: Center of Islamic Civilization website. Image of the centre. |
Unique in the region, the Center for Islamic Civilization, whose opening
is planned soon, is both a declaration of identity and an invitation to
the world to see how the crossroads of Central Asia contributed to the
formation of world civilisation.
Conceived by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev in 2017, the new cultural landmark of Tashkent has a mission to preserve, study, and share the intellectual and artistic heritage of Islamic civilization. During his most recent visit to the site, President Mirziyoyev reviewed the finishing touches and said: "This centre will serve our people for centuries, and each of its patterns will go down in history."
President Mirziyoyev has also described the project as a cultural and spiritual initiative: "Through the Center for Islamic Civilization, we want to show that our sacred religion is a religion of goodness, humanism, and enlightenment."
Speaking in September 2025 at the UN General Assembly, the president noted that by consistently pursuing a policy of tolerance in society, Uzbekistan will actively continue its efforts to study the ideas of Islamic enlightenment and promote them worldwide. He also announced that the Center for Islamic Civilization will soon open.
The Center for Islamic Civilization is located in the historic heart of Tashkent, next to the iconic Hazrati Imam. The US$200 M three-storey building measures 145 m by 115 m.
The building's centrepiece is the Uthman Quran – one of the world's oldest Quranic manuscripts. The significance of the manuscript is reflected by its inclusion in UNESCO's Memory of the World Register, a global initiative to preserve and promote heritage and artifacts of global significance. Displayed in an octagonal hall beneath the building's 65m high central dome, it will set the tone for the entire museum – as a place of faith, scholarship, and enlightenment.
Four thematic galleries will surround this core:
- Pre-Islamic Heritage: from Khwarezm and Bactria to Sogdiana and Chach (6th century BC), exploring urbanisation, metallurgy, and Zoroastrian traditions.
- The First Renaissance (8th–13th centuries): This space captures the golden age when outstanding and inspiring scholars such as al-Khwarizmi, al-Fergani, Ibn Sina, and al-Biruni transformed mathematics, astronomy, medicine, and philosophy. Their discoveries have helped future generations worldwide.
Artifacts such as Abu Rayhan al-Biruni's globe are being reconstructed at the complex. "We know that Abu Rayhan (al-Biruni) once made a globe, but it has not survived to our time. However, the coordinates of this globe have been preserved in his works. Together with our international partners, we have now reconstructed this globe. In his writings, (he) provided the coordinates of 600 cities of his time and we have managed to include 150 of them in this reconstruction. Thus, we have been able to recreate the globe of Abu Rayhan Beruni, which was previously considered lost," disclosed the VP of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, Professor Bahrom Abduhalimov.
This gallery also reflects the role of hadith studies and Islamic theology in the development of the spiritual and intellectual life of the region. It was during this period that Imam al-Bukhari, Imam at-Tirmidhi, and other outstanding muhaddiths collected and systematised authentic hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad, laying the foundation of Islamic legal and ethical thought.
Theologians and thinkers such as al-Maturidi developed kalam (عِلْمُ الْكَلَامِ), rational theology, harmoniously combining faith and reason. Their works contributed to the formation of a mature theological school that deeply influenced Islamic thought and remains relevant to this day.
- The Second Renaissance (15th century): The subsequent Timurid era comes alive in a gallery recreating Ulugh Beg's observatory. Scholars and philosophers who made great discoveries in the history of civilisations are honoured. Digital projections will emphasise Samarkand's status as the intellectual capital of the Muslim world.
- Modern New Uzbekistan is the foundation of a new Renaissance, combining heritage, the visionary reform programme of President Mirziyoyev, and a new strategic course for Uzbekistan, showcasing education, interfaith dialogue, and sustainable development. Here, history meets innovation, reflecting Uzbekistan's pioneering vision of a human-centred future.
The opening of the Center this autumn (roughly Q3-Q4) will mark the culmination of Uzbekistan's repatriation programme. This summer, fragments of 9th-century Kufic Qurans, Timurid ceramics, and original manuscripts by Ibn Sina and al-Biruni were returned from private European collections. Indian daggers, jade handles, rare Sogdian fabrics—which now form the largest collection of their kind in the world—as well as the largest collection of Central Asian coins globally, were also returned. This includes 21 fragments of fabric in various sizes, four complete caftans, and silver vessels crafted by Sogdian masters.
In May, a lost collection of Seljuk jewelry that was up for auction at Christie's was recovered from London. It included 35 items — rings, earrings, bracelets, chains and clasps. They will be displayed alongside Rumi's "Masnavi" miniatures, as well as personal clothing and weapons of the Baburids. Among them is Babur's own mantle, adorned with calligraphic inscriptions of Quranic verses.
"This step demonstrates the President's commitment to his words and promises, his consistent dedication to investing effort and attention in the development of education, science, and culture, creating new opportunities for international dialogue and cooperation," Firdavs Abdukhalikov, Director-General of the Center said.
"This is a priceless contribution to the preservation and study of Uzbekistan's cultural heritage, which will inspire our people for centuries."
The main museum covers about 15,000 sqm. The Center for Islamic Civilization will further house a research centre, library, restoration laboratories and a digital archive of 25,000 storage units, allowing scholars to conduct new research.
A children's museum — the first in the region — will additionally bring history to life through "living portraits" of great thinkers. The portraits will be interactive, and able to answer visitors' questions.
Firdavs added: "The Center for Islamic Civilization (CIC) places Uzbekistan alongside the world's greatest cultural institutions. Like the Louvre in Paris, it will become a national symbol of pride and identity. Like the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, it will combine a museum and a major research complex. And like the Arab World Institute in Paris, it will present Islamic civilization as a dynamic force of creativity and dialogue.
"But the CIC will be unique: it combines a museum, science, and innovative technologies, a library, and educational centers in a single space created in the heart of the Islamic world. It will inspire a new generation of researchers, scientists, and thinkers."
Sara Noshadi, Head of the UNESCO Office in Uzbekistan shared that she has visited the Center several times, since 2022. "Seeing the tremendous progress and the pace of development over this period has brought me great joy," she said.
"It is truly gratifying to witness the Center entering a new phase of its activity, with new directions being opened. I believe this initiative represents an exceptional effort in Uzbekistan to integrate science, culture, and religious heritage."
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