Soviet Ideology and Practice in Uzbek Madrasas

Abstract

In 1943, the Soviet government allowed the establishment of the Central Asian Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SADUM, later known as the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Central Asia and Kazakhstan). Under SADUM Mir-i Arab Madrasa (1945) and Barak Khan Madrasa (1956–1961) were reopened to prepare students with specialization for working in spiritual office positions, mosques, and Islamic religious colleges (madrasas) throughout the Soviet Union. The Soviet government controlled the religious life of people. In addition, the Mir-i Arab and Barak Khan Madrasa students’ behavior and studying process were monitored by the directors and SADUM leaders who sent special reports to the Representative Council for Religious Affairs in the Uzbek SSR. Moreover, in 1944, the Soviet government created the Council of Affairs of Religious Cults (CARC) to control all religious groups except for the Orthodox Christian one. This essay is based on materials from research conducted in the Central State Archive of Uzbekistan and the Archive of the Muslim Board of Uzbekistan on the issues of daily life and state control of madrasa students. It argues that officials attempted to systematically control the educational process, daily routines, and even the moods of students. The key point of regulation can be referred to as an example of the “Soviet way of life” or educating “the Soviet man” by involving students in such activities as going to the cinema and theatre, wearing Western style clothes, and studying secular subjects.