Kamoliddin Rabbimov, an Uzbek political scientist living in France, analyzed the attitude of the first and current president of Uzbekistan towards Islam. He noted that President Mirziyoyev feels the religious needs of society and is looking for opportunities to satisfy them at the level of state policy.
“I saw a report about the Center for Islamic Civilization being built in Tashkent. President Mirziyoyev visited this center several times, expressed his opinion, shared his views. There is a big difference between Mirziyoyev and Karimov regarding Islam and Muslims. Karimov fought against the religiosity of society, seeing Islam as an ideology of backwardness and resistance to power.
Mirziyoyev views Islam as a means of inspiration and liberalization of society. The main thing is that he is not afraid of Islam and traditions. He does not agree with the view that religion impedes the development of society. In this sense, Mirziyoyev is not inclined to fight Islam and Muslims. He is against radical interpretations, as in all free Muslim states that have embarked on the path of development,” the political scientist writes on his Facebook page.
Rabbimov also noted that, unlike the first President of Uzbekistan, Mirziyoyev’s goal is not control and suppression, but the development of real Islamic enlightenment, science and identity.
“Karimov’s worldview was formed in the atheistic USSR, while Mirziyoyev’s views were formed during the period of “perestroika” and “Karimov’s” contradictions. The main thing is that President Mirziyoyev feels the religious needs of society, seeks opportunities to satisfy them at the level of state policy. Recently, he appointed the minister of higher education a person who advocates the wearing of headscarves by girls in educational institutions (Abdukodir Toshkulov), and this is also one of the elements of politics.
According to the views of President Mirziyoyev, the luxurious center of Islamic civilization should become the only such institution in Central Asia.
Karimov founded the Tashkent Islamic University. Then he invited Russian President Putin and boasted of the technology of controlling religion. But the goal of Mirziyoyev is, and this can be seen, not in control and suppression, but in the development of real Islamic enlightenment, science and originality,” the political scientist said.
