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School textbooks distort Islam: Tajikistan cleric
by Scott Gilbreath ~ December 17th, 2008
One of Tajikistan’s leading Islamic politicians has publicly criticised the Ministry of Education for authorising schoolbooks that, in his view, misinterpret and misrepresent the history of Islam and the prophet Muhammed.
Hoji Akbar Turajonzoda calls the textbook writers’ attitude to Islam “unprofessional, irrational, and sometimes insulting and offensive”. He accuses education officials of deliberately using misleading books in order to “poison” pupils’ minds.
Mr Turajonzoda is a Muslim cleric, former leader of the Islamic political opposition, and presently sits in Tajikistan’s Senate.
Turajonzoda, who is a member of Tajikistan’s upper house of parliament, said the textbooks portray the Prophet Muhammad as a creator of a new religion — not as the messenger of God — and suggest that Islam and the Koran were no more than “the product of the prophet’s dreams and imagination.”
According to Turajonzoda, some of the textbooks, including “The History of the Middle Ages” for sixth-grade students, distort the very principle of Islam, claiming some of God’s messages and orders were in fact the prophet’s suggestions.
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Turajonzoda says he was “outraged and appalled” that the book alleges that the three issues were some sort of political agreement reached between the prophet and leaders of a tribe in Mecca.
Education officials defend the books, saying the information was “taken from appropriate Arab-language and other religious sources”. Education Minister Abdujabbor Rahmonov says the textbooks will be revised—eventually.
Although Tajikistan’s population is over 90% Muslim, the government has pursued an increasingly oppressive secularist policy. Wearing hijabs (Muslim head scarves) has been forbidden in public schools and government offices. Legislation imposing tight restrictions on religious activities has been sent to the president for comment and is expected to become law within a month.
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