|
|
|
CIAO DATE: 5/5/2007
A Face of Islam: Muhammad-Sodiq Muhammad-Yusuf
Martha Brill Olcott
April 2007
Abstract
Muhammad-Sodiq Muhammad-Yusuf (also known as Mamamsodiq Mamayusupov), the former mufti of the Muslim Spiritual Administration of Central Asia, Uzbekistan’s first mufti after independence, and the most prominent theologian in the country, is a figure worthy of attention by anyone interested in the political role that Islam might play in Uzbekistan.
He is the unofficial spiritual leader for the majority of believers in Uzbekistan and some adjacent regions like southern Kazakhstan. Most Muslims agree with the positions he takes, including most official imams and many politicians. His wide support makes him capable of influencing the broad population and, if necessary, of leading it.
