Little antiquity survives in Tashkent — the 1966 earthquake erased the old town. That makes the Hazrati Imam ensemble all the more precious: it's the spiritual heart of the capital and one of the few places where the city's history can be read directly. But people come here above all for a single exhibit — a manuscript called the oldest surviving Quran on earth. Let's unpack what this complex is and why the book inside it matters more than the walls.
What is the Hazrati Imam complex?
The ensemble is also valuable because it's surrounded by surviving mud-brick houses and the mahallas of the old town — the very ones that withstood 1966. A walk through Hazrati Imam is a rare chance in Tashkent to pass through several historical layers at once, from the medieval to the modern, without leaving a single square.
Who is the complex named after?
After the imam's death his grave quickly became a place of pilgrimage, and in the 16th century a mausoleum was raised over it. The whole ensemble grew up around this point. The figure of Kaffal al-Shashi matters for understanding Tashkent: he reminds us that the city was not only a trading hub but a centre of Islamic learning, linked to the intellectual capitals of the whole Muslim world.
What Quran is kept at Hazrati Imam?
A dramatic legend surrounds the manuscript: drops of the blood of Caliph Uthman, murdered in 656, are said to survive on some of its pages — he is said to have been reading this very copy at the moment of his death. In 2000 UNESCO issued the complex a certificate recognising the Tashkent copy as a genuine ancient manuscript. That said, the precise dating and origin of the Uthman Quran remain matters of scholarly debate: experts assign the surviving "Uthmanic" copies to different decades, and it's honest to say Tashkent holds one of the oldest, rather than indisputably the oldest, manuscript.
The book is older than most of the world's states. And yet what matters most about it is not its age, but how many hands, cities and empires passed it on.
How did the Quran reach Tashkent?
The versions differ: by one, the Quran was brought to Central Asia as early as the 10th century by Kaffal al-Shashi himself, from Baghdad; by another, it was delivered to Samarkand by Tamerlane as spoils of war. One thing is beyond dispute: over its history the manuscript passed through the hands of caliphs, conquerors and Russian emperors. Today the Quran lies in a special sarcophagus under glass — photographing it is usually not allowed, but the sheer fact of standing a metre from a book of this age makes a strong impression.
Which buildings make up the ensemble?
The 2007 Friday mosque is the newest and most prominent structure in the complex: built in a neo-traditional style, it's its blue domes and minarets that most often end up in photographs. But the historical core of the ensemble is the Barak-khan Madrasah and the 16th-century mausoleum. Together they show how the shrine grew around the imam's grave over nearly five centuries.
What is there to see at Hazrati Imam today?
- The main thing: the hall with the Uthman Quran — head here first; it's what people come for.
- Atmosphere: best in the evening, when the lighting is on and the square is quiet with almost no tour groups.
- Respect: this is a living shrine and place of pilgrimage — be discreet and check where photography is allowed.
For how to fit Hazrati Imam into a route through the capital, see our guide to Tashkent; nearby, in the old town, are Chorsu Bazaar and the Kukeldash Madrasah.
Frequently asked questions about Hazrati Imam
Is it true the world's oldest Quran is kept here?
Hazrati Imam holds the Uthman Quran — one of the oldest surviving Quran manuscripts, traditionally dated to the mid-7th century. In 2000 UNESCO issued a certificate recognising its authenticity. The precise dating is debated, so "one of the oldest" is more accurate, though in Uzbekistan it is traditionally called the oldest.
Why is there said to be blood on the Quran?
By tradition, drops of the blood of the third caliph Uthman ibn Affan, murdered in 656, survive on some pages: he is said to have been reading this very copy at the moment of his death. It's part of the oral tradition surrounding the manuscript.
Who is Hazrati Imam?
He is Abu Bakr Muhammad Kaffal al-Shashi (d. c. 976) — one of the first and most revered imams of Tashkent, a scholar of the Quran, a jurist and a poet. The complex grew around his grave, hence the name.
Can you photograph the Quran?
The Uthman Quran itself is kept in a special sarcophagus, and photographing it is usually prohibited. Photographing the ensemble's buildings is generally allowed. Check the rules on site — this is a living shrine.
How much time do you need?
Usually 40–60 minutes are enough for the whole ensemble: the Quran, the mausoleum, the Barak-khan Madrasah, the mosques and the square. It's easy to combine with a walk through the old town and Chorsu Bazaar.
Want to see in the manuscript not "an exhibit under glass" but fourteen centuries of other people's hands, cities and empires?
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