News

PRESS RELEASE

The third day of the First International Islamic Civilization Forum: “The Path of Peace, Tolerance and Enlightenment” continued in the city of Samarkand.

The day’s program began with the international conference “Imam Bukhari’s Al-Jami’ as-Sahih – The Book of the Ummah.”

The conference, bringing together distinguished scholars, representatives of leading international organizations, government and public officials, as well as representatives of cultural and religious communities from more than forty countries, carries profound historical and symbolic significance as it is being held in Uzbekistan for the first time. This major international event reflects the growing global interest in and appreciation of Islamic civilization and its rich spiritual, intellectual, and cultural heritage.

During the international scientific and practical conference, jointly organized by the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan, the Imam Bukhari International Scientific Research Center, and the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), participants emphasized that the Imam Bukhari International Scientific Research Center, established in 2017 at the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, has become an important institution for studying the scholarly legacy of the great muhaddith and researching manuscript copies of his works. The conference was noted as an important step toward strengthening international academic cooperation in this field.

The event was attended by representatives of international organizations and academic institutions, including ICESCO, WOSCU, IRCICA, TURKSOY, the Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies, and the Al-Furqan Islamic Heritage Foundation, as well as representatives of the Committee on Religious Affairs, the Muslim Board of Uzbekistan, the Academy of Sciences, religious institutions from foreign countries, leading Hadith scholars, and international experts.

The conference was organized into five specialized academic sessions. Discussions focused on the intellectual and historical environment that shaped Imam Bukhari’s life and scholarly work, the scientific methodology and classification of Hadith in Sahih Bukhari, rare manuscript copies of Al-Jami’ as-Sahih preserved in libraries around the world, the contributions of scholars from different countries to the study and promotion of the work, as well as contemporary research approaches and other academic issues related to the collection.

The plenary sessions explored Imam Bukhari’s contribution to the development of Islamic civilization and world civilization, the scholarly and spiritual significance of Al-Jami’ as-Sahih for the Muslim Ummah, the traditions of Hadith verification and analysis, contemporary approaches to Hadith studies, and issues related to the preservation and digitization of manuscript heritage.

As part of the event, the Imam Bukhari International Scientific Research Center presented its ongoing research projects, including initiatives focused on the study and digitization of manuscripts. Participants also discussed the prospects of utilizing modern information technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, to advance the study of scholarly heritage and make it more accessible to a wider audience.

At the conclusion of the conference, participants adopted a Final Declaration. Based on the discussions, they put forward important proposals and initiatives to expand international cooperation in the joint study of rare manuscript copies of Al-Jami’ al-Sahih preserved in different countries, prepare their scholarly descriptions and facsimile editions, and strengthen academic collaboration among the world's leading Hadith research centers.

Conference participants also visited the Imam Bukhari Memorial Complex, the Imam Bukhari International Scientific Research Center, and the School of Hadith Studies in Samarkand. They highly praised the important role these institutions play in the study of the scholarly heritage of Islamic civilization and the advancement of international research.

The proposals and initiatives put forward during the conference are expected to strengthen scholarly cooperation among international Hadith research centers and further expand collaboration in the study and digitization of manuscript heritage.

It is worth recalling that, on the second day of the Forum in Tashkent, several key documents were adopted, including the Tashkent Declaration of the First International Islamic Civilization Forum and the Roadmap for the Development of the Islamic Civilization Center in Uzbekistan for 2027–2030.

The Forum participants also addressed a message to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

To commemorate the First International Islamic Civilization Forum, the Central Bank of the Republic of Uzbekistan issued a limited-edition collection of commemorative silver coins. Each coin was presented to Forum participants together with a specially numbered certificate of authenticity.

A group of Forum participants also received special commemorative gifts on behalf of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.