On the 11^th of September 2017, the official TV-station of Uzbekistan aired a program about a woman called Fatima Abdallah Junufah (age 57 years). This woman used to teach the Quran and its meaning (tafsir) to other women, and was banned from doing so. This happened on 19^th of July where her home in Shi Khantahour in the district of Dhafr Abaad was searched and she and a group of 16 women where forbidden from performing their Quran study. The TV-show showed these women while they were sitting, with the holy Quran in front of them, with their heads bowed down as if they were guilty of a major crime!!

After presenting the above the main Imam and preacher in Tashkent, Anwar Qari Tursunuf, explained the laws of Sharia regarding the teaching of women commenting that they met in places to study the holy Quran and that doing so without a permit from the Ulema is a sin. One should first consult the Ulema and then the studying can begin, and in fact even when consulting the Ulema, one may be denied because it is disliked (makruh) to teach women in groups!! The Imam described the Quran teacher, Fatima Abdallah Junufah, as an “ignorant and talkative teacher who worships her own whims”. He accuses her of chasing material profit as she collects money from the women as he claims: “We know this for sure”. In the end of the program the court’s judgement is presented: the women were found guilty as they confessed their crime and each one of them were fined!!

Fatima Abdallah Junufah who is insulted by Anwar Qari, is the daughter of the alim Sulaiman Qari who propagated the science of Islam in the time of the Communist atheist’s dominion. He was a great and distinguished scholar of his time; Fatima is his daughter and student and she sought to spread her knowledge and teaching the Holy Book of Allah (swt). The Prophet (saw) said: «خَيْرُكُمْ مَنْ تَعَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ وَعَلَّمَهُ» “The best of you is the one who learns Quran and teaches it.” (Narrated by Al-Tirmidhi, Al-Nisai and Ibn Maja)

Even though she was convicted in 2015 she was determined to continue her call to teach Quran for the sake of Allah (swt). She is, actually, a devout, faithful and sincere Muslim woman because she did not surrender in this time of injustice and tyranny, rather she continued in spreading the science of Islam – verily she is the sahabiyah of our time and not as they depicted her.

The Government of Uzbekistan continues its war on Islam and Muslims, even though the Muslims of Uzbekistan want to learn the Shariah sciences, the Government only allows few schools and universities and they do not suffice the needs of the Muslims as their number is 31 million. In all Uzbekistan there are only 9 Islamic schools and two universities and the number of admission students does not pass 300 per year, in which a really small number are women and girls. Furthermore these schools and two universities are mostly situated in Tashkent and the larger cities and none are found in the provinces. Regardless of the above the government tightens its grip more and forbids meetings where the Quran and its science is taught!!

O Muslims of Uzbekistan! For how long will this tyranny and oppression continue?!

Do you accept what is done to the Muslim mothers who read and study the Quran?! Which crime have they committed since they are punished for it!?

Verily it is the jahiliya of this era, just as the Muslims then used to read the Blessed Quran in their homes frightened in Makkah, while the polytheists kept an eye on them and tortured them and they where strangers amidst their own families. The Muslims of Uzbekistan are living those days!! Glad tidings to the strangers, indeed glad tidings to them…

Mukhlisah Al-Uzbekiyah