For Immediate Release

ISCA Chairman addresses UNESCO Conference in Uzbekistan
Speech follows visit with Uzbek President His Excellency Islam Karimov

(Bukhara, Uzbekistan, 09/20/00) – Earlier today, Islamic Supreme Council Chairman Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani visited the mosque and traditional teaching center of Shah Bahauddin Naqshband, in the village of Qasr al-Arifan, Uzbekistan.

Shaykh Kabbani was invited to the Republic of Uzbekistan to attend the International Conference on Interreligious Dialogue, co-sponsored by UNESCO and the government of Uzbekistan and held in Tashkent from September 14 to 16. The shaykh addressed over 40 religious leaders, scholars, policymakers and media specialists from around the world in the conference’s main plenary session. On the 18th of September, the shaykh then addressed a workshop on "Sufism and Interreligious Dialogue," held in Bukhara, where Sufis from eastern and western spiritual schools gathered together in Uzbekistan for the first time.

The visit follows a meeting earlier this month between Uzbek President His Excellency Islam Karimov, ISCA Honorary Chair Shaykh Muhammad Nazim Adil al-Haqqani, World Leader of the Naqshbandi-Haqqani Sufi Order, Shaykh Kabbani, and Dr. Hedieh Mirahmadi, during the UN World Leader's Summit held in New York City.

At the September 8th meeting, the delegations discussed a number of issues including human rights, and denounced radicalism in any form – ideological, cultural or political. The two delegations agreed to coordinate and cooperate on future education endeavors, such as sponsoring joint conferences, publishing traditional, scholarly literature, and facilitating dialogue with other Islamic groups and world leaders. The meeting was concluded when President Karimov presented both Shaykh Adil and Shaykh Kabbani with honorary Bukhari robes, traditionally worn the by Naqshbandi shaykhs and top religious scholars of his nation.

Last week’s conference and workshop coincide with a strong effort by the Uzbek government to promote the beliefs of traditional Sunni Islam, in which the Sufi orders play a major role. In particular, they are promoting the Naqshbandi Sufi order, whose founder Shah Naqshband was born and educated in Bukhara, and whose resting site is venerated by Muslims even today.

Najmiddin Kamilov, a senior Uzbek official who has written widely about Sufism, was quoted by Radio Free Europe last week saying that promoting the Naqshbandi Sufi order would make "our people and our army … stronger and better able to defend the homeland," indirectly referring to the growing influence of religious radicals, who frequently resort to violent means in attempts to destabilize governments in the region.

Shaykh Kabbani closed his talk at the Bukhara Sufism Workshop saying, "Extremists seek to exploit the religious commitment of Muslims, misleading them down the path towards radicalism, militancy and violence. Only the spiritual teachings of Islam, as brought by Prophet Muhammad, and exemplified in teachers like Shah Naqshband and Ismail al-Bukhari, can provide guidance to the new generation, nourishing them with the wholesome milk of spirituality, love, compassion and tolerance needed to raise a righteous nation and a perfect society."

For more information, please visit the ISCA Web site at http://www.islamicsupremecouncil.org and UNESCO http://www.unesco.org/culture/dialogue/religion/html_eng/meeting.htm

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