New Page 1

	April 8, 2001
	Immediately after Salat al-Fajr the delegation packed their bags and headed for the Tashkent Airport, where they boarded the flight to Samarqand.
	Upon arrival in Samarqand, Mawlana Shaykh Nazim, accompanied by the Minister of Religious Affairs Faisal Qari, and by Shaykh Hisham Kabbani, is greeted by the Imam of Bukhara.
	His Royal Highness Raja Ashman bin Azlan Shah, of Malaysia, Omar Kabbani and Bahauddin Adil walking from the plane to the waiting busses.
	After a quick bus ride, the delegates arrived at the beautiful Afrisiyob Hotel, in "downtown" Samarqand - literally a walk across the street to the tomb of Timur, the man who conquered more than half the "known" world in his time.

	The delegates were hosted to a delicious Uzbek lunch in the modern styled restaurant.
	Shaykh Nazim at his table.

	Views of the famous Registan Square, mosque and madrasa, a short walk from the hotel in which the delegation was hosted.


	The entire group proceeded to the madrasa and mosque of Khawaja Ubaydullah al-Ahrar, one of the shaykhs in the Naqshbandi Golden chain.
	Salat al-Dhuhr was followed by tasbih and du`a.
	...then recitation of Quran.
	Uzbekistan's Minister of Religious Affairs Faizal Qari, then introduced Shaykh Nazim, Shaykh Hisham and ISCA to the gathered crowd.
	Mawlana Shaykh Nazim then spoke in Turkish, which most of the attendees were able to understand.
	He spoke of the Wahabi attempts to infiltrate the traditional Muslim bastion of Central Asia and described their trademark sloganeering: "shirk, kufr, bida`, haram" to the avid audience.

	Following the talk, the Shaykh visited various areas of the Khawaja's madrasa.
	Here men prepare water for ablutions.
	The crowd followed the Shaykh until they arrived at the mazar (maqam, tomb) of Khawaja Ahrar where Shaykh Hisham and another crowd were waiting.
	Mawlana Shaykh poured out his heart in invocation to Allah, asking for the honor and sake of the holy saint buried in the maqam that He Almighty bless the nation of Uzbekistan, and bless all Muslims, and that the rights of the oppressed be restored and that Allah bring forth a Sultan of Islam and Muslims. He particularly prayed for President Karimov, whose attention to building up Islam in the republic is evident in the ample number of maqams, mosques, Islamic schools and religious publications instituted since the advent of freedom from atheist communist rule under the Soviet Union.
Meeting with Governor of Samarqand

Following a brief rest at the hotel, Shaykh Nazim and the official entourage proceeded to a meeting with the governor of Samarqand. As usual, after the limo ride with police sirens blazing, they were greeted at the Governor's Office by the usual Uzbekistan Television camera crews. All such official visits were broadcast daily on Uzbekistan TV News. right: Imam Khwaja Zud Morad, Mufti of Samarqand greets Shaykh Nazim.
	The Shaykh addressed the gathered officials and spoke on the importance of Samarqand in historical times as the center of Islamic learning and spirituality.
	The governor presented the Shaykhs with official scholarly robes (jubbas or chapons). Then the delegation gathered in the offiicial cars and returned to the hotel. Dinner was followed by Salat al-Isha and the entire entourage retired for a night's early much-needed rest.
April 6		April 8

The Naqshbandi Eastern World Tour 2001 is presented by the Islamic Supreme Council of America
and its Chairman, Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani.
1400 Sixteenth Street NW, #B112, Washington DC 20036 USA

Members of the media, public sector, research and interfaith groups are encouraged
to contact our Washington offices for more information.
Please email dilshad@islamicsupremecouncil.org