Hazrati Imam Complex

Home of the world's oldest Quran

In Tashkent's old city stands the Hazrati Imam complex — mosques, madrasas and mausoleums. Its library holds the oldest Quran in the world — the Uthman Quran, written 1,400 years ago on deer skin and brought to Samarkand by Amir Temur. The complex grew around the grave of Tashkent's first imam, Kaffal Shashi. The new mosque's minarets are 54 metres tall.

The Hazrati Imam (Hastimom) complex in Tashkent's old city grew around the mausoleum (1541) of Kaffal Shashi (903–976, jurist and imam of Shash): the Barak-Khan madrasa (16th century, Shaybanids), the Tillya Sheikh mosque (1857), the Muyi Muborak madrasa (16th century, library — named for a relic hair of Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him), the Namazgoh mosque and the Islamic Institute. In 2007 the new Hazrati Imam Friday mosque was built (54 m minarets, 20 tiled domes). Muyi Muborak holds the 'Uthman Quran' — 7th century (644–656), Kufic script, 353 leaves of deer parchment, a third surviving; tradition says Caliph Uthman was killed while reading it (blood stains). Temur brought it from Basra; taken to St Petersburg in 1869 and returned to Tashkent in 1924. UNESCO 'Memory of the World' register since 2000. Over 30,000 manuscripts.

Fun facts

• The Uthman Quran is 1,400 years old and written on deer skin.
• Amir Temur brought the Quran from Basra; it returned to Tashkent in 1924.
• The new mosque's minarets are 54 m — like an 18-storey building.