Back in 1943, a group of prominent Islamic scholars led by Sheikh Eshon Boboxon initiated the unification of Muslims across Central Asia and Kazakhstan under a single religious administration. These days, the Uzbekistan Muslims Board is commemorating the 83rd anniversary of its official foundation.

The institution was established during the challenging years of World War II, at a time when the Soviet authorities allegedly felt compelled to ease certain restrictions on religious practices. In the summer of 1943, Tashkent-based theologian Eshon Boboxon ibn Abdulmajidxon appealed to the Soviet leadership, subsequently securing official permission to open a centralized spiritual body.

The inaugural congress took place between October 15 and 20, 1943, at Eshon Boboxon’s private residence on Qorasaroy Street in Tashkent. More than 160 delegates representing five Soviet republics participated in the gathering, unanimously electing Eshon Boboxon as the chairman and grand mufti of the Central Asian and Kazakhstani Muslim spiritual administration.

Throughout its history, the organization has undergone several structural and nominal transformations. During the Soviet era, it functioned under the designation of a religious board, while in the early 1990s it was briefly known as the Mawarannahr Muslims Board before officially adopting its current name in 1996.

Source: kun.uz