THE REJUVENATION OF ISLAM: WHY UZBEK MOSQUES ARE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TASHKENT 000809

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR SCA/CEN

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/29/2016
TAGS: KIRF KISL PGOV PHUM UZ
SUBJECT: THE REJUVENATION OF ISLAM: WHY UZBEK MOSQUES ARE
OVERFLOWING

REF: TASHKENT 576

Classified By: AMB. JON R. PURNELL FOR REASONS 1.4 (B, D).


1. (U) This is the first in a series on the state of Islam
in Uzbekistan with future cables addressing a trip to Friday
prayer, the relationship of mosque and state, and the growing
market for Islamic materials and media.


2. (C) SUMMARY: Uzbek men are filling the mosques in search
of solace, enlightenment and community. According to
anecdotal evidence, mosque attendance has increased
dramatically in many parts of the country over the last two
years, as has interest in religion among young people.
Increased mosque attendance provides the government with a
better opportunity to track the emerging faithful, as well as
use state authorized Imams to deliver the message it wants
the populous to hear. With the deterioration of
socio-economic conditions and lack of opportunities to gather
publicly, mosques serve as community rallying points. END
SUMMARY.


3. (C) Over the past ten years, Islam has experienced a
rebirth in Uzbekistan, albeit a state-monitored one. As
would be natural after the break up of the Soviet Union,
interest in religion increased. In the last two years,
mosque attendance has shot up, a phenomena which has been
attributed to the continuing deterioration of the economy, a
decrease in police harassment of practicing Muslims, and the
increase in young adults seeking moral support and religious
instruction. Driving by nearly any mosque in Tashkent on a
Friday afternoon, one can not help but notice the crowds.
This marked increase, especially among the young, has
occurred at a time when the government has cracked down on
any "non-state sanctioned" worship. This youth surge is also
credited to estimates that approximately sixty percent of the
population is under the age of thirty, many of whom have
recently reached the traditional maturity level to attend
Friday prayer.


4. (C) In a conversation with various day laborers and
mechanics in Tashkent, Poloff was told that more and more
young men are seeking support from the community of
worshipers at the mosque. "When you have nothing to do and
your pockets are empty, at least you still have your faith,"
claimed one individual who works sporadically in
construction. Contacts also reported that some worshipers
were not necessarily attending for divine enlightenment, but
used Friday prayers as a means to network, either to find
jobs or simply confide in others with similar, desperate
situations. Many others fall on the opposite end of the
spectrum, proving their devotion to the Islamic faith by
praying five times a day and abstaining from alcohol.


5. (C) Renewed interest in religion is not limited to the
capital. In fact, an Embassy human rights contact reported
that in a survey he conducted in Bukhara after the May 2005
events in Andijon, he found a significant increase in those
attending Friday prayers. Many mosques reported a doubling
or tripling of attendance in the past year (ref A). While
the activist did not ask for reasons behind this increase, he
speculated that lack of jobs and the constant struggle to
survive is taking its toll on the population. He said many
may see Islamic teachings as key to maintaining or restoring
hope.


6. (C) The head Imam from the Kashkadaryo Province
confirmed to Poloff that his congregation has grown
significantly as well. As construction nears completion on a
project to expand the capacity of his mosque from 900
worshipers to 10,000, he stated that currently the
congregation spills out into the courtyard during Friday
prayer. He also noted similarly overcrowded mosques in
Tashkent. He claimed that smaller towns and villages,
however, had significantly smaller congregations due to
logistical constraints and time conflicts with their work in
the fields. When asked if the region was lacking mosques, he
replied that there were fewer than ninety in the entire
country before the collapse of the Soviet Union. Now there
are nearly two hundred in his province alone, and over 2000
country-wide, and "yet they continue to build more." He
attributed the rejuvenation of the Islamic faith to an
increase in religious freedoms and Islamic media outlets,
such as television, radio and print materials available to
the public.


7. (C) The one area outside of this overall trend seems to
be the rural Ferghana Valley, a section of the country
historically known to be more religious. In direct contrast

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to other reports, residents from the farming districts in the
Valley are witnessing a decrease in mosque attendance. They
attribute this not to the communities, disinterest in
religion, but to the decreasing population of men in many of
these towns and villages. They noted that working age men
were migrating to Russia or other neighboring countries in
search of employment, a statement that corroborates Post's
previous reports on labor migration (reftel).


8. (C) COMMENT: In a bizarre twist, it seems that the
rebirth of Islam in Uzbekistan can indirectly be attributed
to the GOU's increased control over Muslim leaders and
religious figures. In fact, some observant Muslims have told
emboffs that they feel less fearful about attending Friday
services now than in the past, because government approval
for mosques and sermons means the state at least tacitly
supports the institutions. If reports are true that the
Imam's sermons are kept in check by the GOU and participants
of Friday prayer are closely watched, then the Karimov regime
may allow the blossoming of congregations at area mosques as
a way to meet the spiritual needs of the population, while at
the same time keeping tabs on the religious. It is possible
that the government has realized that allowing Muslim
communities to flourish under the watchful eye of the
government reduces the need for underground religious groups
or mosques, typically a breeding ground of fundamentalism.
However, the government would be wise to not discount the
underlying economic reasons for the increasing interest in
Islam, especially among youth.
PURNELL