Barakhan Madrasah, ashkent, Uzbekistan
Barakh-khan Madrasah was built in the XVI century by Suyunidzh-khan, an Ulugbek’s grandson. It is a known fact that became a location of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Central Asia. It is also the place where the rich library of oriental manuscripts is found. A special premise of the Barakh-khan Madrasah library is used to keep the world-known Koran of Caliph Osman. It is the primary source of holy Islam book written in the mid-VII century.
The ancient manuscript of very huge size, containing 353 parchment pages with the Koran original text, was kept for centuries in the caliphs’ treasury. From Damascus, during Timur’s ministry, the Osman’s (Ottoman) Koran found its way to Uzbekistan, then it was sent to Saint Petersburg where it was kept before the revolution. After it the Koran was brought to Central Asia via Ufa.
A legend has it that Caliph Osman was killed when he was reading this book, and from that time its pages made of deerskin keep his blood stains, since that the Osman’s Koran became a holy relic, kept at court of the subsequent caliphs first in Medina, then in Damascus and Bagdad.
Different religious movements and sects, originated further inside the caliphate, at best, could deny selected parts in the scripture, claiming that they were distorted by careless scribes by mistake, or even with malicious intent of the caliph, who, for example, has not been honored up to date by the Shias, the supporters of inheritable power of Ali’s family. But they were not able to oppose other holy texts to the Ottoman Koran.
Epic Uzbekistan Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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