The manuscript of the Uthmanic Mushaf preserved at the Library of the Muslim Board of Uzbekistan is currently undergoing codicological examination.
This research involves a team of scholars including Shaykh Alijon Qori Fayzullah, Head of the “Qur’an and Tajwid Education” Department; Kamoliddin Mahkamov, Head of the Library Department; and Jahongir Qori Nematov, Head of the “Qur’anic Studies” Department at Tashkent Islamic Institute.
Shaykh Alijon Qori Fayzullah emphasized the importance of observing accuracy and trustworthiness when studying and reproducing the script of the Mushaf. He highlighted significant rules of orthography and recitation (qira’at) related to the original handwriting of the Uthmanic Mushaf currently kept at the “Muhi Muborak” Madrasa Museum.
The digital copy of the original Uthmanic Mushaf serves as the main object of the study. In preparing the critical text, researchers also refer to other ancient copies of the Mushaf preserved in Turkey and the United Kingdom.
Each line of the manuscript is being carefully rewritten, with verse and line numbers marked in red. Any textual discrepancies found in the 19th-century copied version are noted in the margins and explained through scholarly commentary.
With the support of the Fund for the Development of Culture and Art of Uzbekistan, both local and international experts — including Dr. Christine Rose from the University of Cambridge, French restorers Achel Delaeau and Coralie Barbe, and Nil Baydar, Head of the Istanbul Manuscripts Workshop and Archive Department — have developed a phased restoration plan to ensure the long-term preservation of the sacred manuscript.
Press Service of the Muslim Board of Uzbekistan
The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) has presented a new landmark scholarly publication titled “Al-Jami‘ al-Musnad al-Sahih of Imam al-Bukhari: The Book of the Ummah. A Scientific Representation of the Civilization of Isnād and Hadith Authentication,” reports Dunyo IA.
Leading scholars and researchers from 16 countries contributed to the preparation of the publication.
The book is the result of the International Scientific Conference “Imam al-Bukhari’s Work ‘Al-Jami‘ al-Sahih’ – The Book of the Ummah,” held on July 9–10, 2026, in Samarkand. The international scientific and practical conference was organized by the Center of Islamic Civilization of Uzbekistan, the Imam al-Bukhari International Research Center, and ICESCO.
The new publication, comprising nearly 800 pages, represents one of the most extensive modern studies dedicated to the scholarly legacy of the great Islamic scholar Imam al-Bukhari. It includes academic articles covering contemporary research in hadith studies, the history of Islamic scholarship, and methods of verifying the authenticity of hadiths.
The book focuses on five major thematic areas: the historical and scholarly environment in which Imam al-Bukhari lived and worked; his unique methodology for selecting and classifying hadiths; rare manuscripts of Sahih al-Bukhari preserved in libraries around the world; the contributions of scholars from different eras to the study and dissemination of this significant work; and modern academic discussions surrounding Sahih al-Bukhari, including well-founded responses to existing critiques.
The publication marks an important contribution to international cooperation in the field of Islamic studies and highlights Uzbekistan’s growing role as one of the world’s leading centers for research into the rich spiritual and scholarly heritage of Imam al-Bukhari.
The book also contributes to the preservation and promotion of Islamic scientific heritage among researchers, students, and a wide global audience.