Muslims in the Ferghana Valley, Uzbekistan

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For centuries the Ferghana Valley was an important link on the trade route called the “Silk Road”, used by merchants traveling between Europe and the Middle East to and from China. Presently the Ferghana Valley, with a population of over 10 million, is split between Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tadjikistan, although it is now seen as an Uzbek “heartland.” It is the most densely populated area in all of Central Asia, and it influences the whole region. “As goes the Valley, so goes the rest of Uzbekistan” is a commonly accepted idea.

Center of Silk Production

The Ferghana Valley is 300 kilometers long. It contains thousands of cotton fields and is the center of silk production in Central Asia. Millions of agricultural workers, including some as young as 8 years of age, “volunteer” to plant, chop, and pick cotton for small wages while large profits go to officials and middlemen. Corruption is rampant, and laws are restrictive, resulting in very few opportunities for legitimate businesses.

Rich in history and culture, the Ferghana Valley prides itself in being the cradle of everything Uzbek; the Uzbeks in the Valley consider themselves the most pure. This pride has been a hindrance to the Gospel, because the notion “to be Uzbek is to be Muslim,” is very much accepted in the valley. The city of Kokand, a major religious center (pop. 200,000), boasts of having 300 mosques (including one which can hold 10,000 worshippers). In reality, knowing the true God would only make them more “Uzbek”, as they understand who they can become through Christ!

Uprising and Violence

Historically the Valley has been a seedbed of conservative Islam and anti-government opposition. Some Muslims in the Valley have become involved in radical movements and, in efforts to establish an Islamic society, have resorted to violence. Recently there have been large protests about political and economic issues in some of the major cities of the valley. An uprising in the city of Andijon in May 2005 was by far the most violent, leaving hundreds dead after Uzbek troops shot demonstrators. Very few Muslims in the valley have found the real peace that comes from knowing God.

Prayer guide for the Ferghana Valley:

* Pray for the national believers in the Ferghana Valley to be bold in their witness and loving in their relationships with non-believers. The vast majority of Muslims in the Valley have not been evangelized.

* May the Holy Spirit show people in the Valley that being a follower of Jesus will in no way make them less Uzbek, Tadjik or Kyrgyz. It will only help them to discover their real identity.

* Muslims in the Valley need to experience the Kingdom of God. Only God’s new society is able to meet their most profound aspirations for peace and justice. Pray for God’s righteous ways to rule in the business realm.

Testimony from the Ferghana Valley

I am 38 years old, was born in Kokand, a small city in the Ferghana Valley, and I am married and have small children. I am an ex-criminal, and was in prison for many years. Previously my life was awful and I had no one to rely on except for myself. Before coming to Jesus I was very aggressive, rough and dishonest. People were afraid of me because of my reputation.

God is doing many miracles in the Ferghana Valley - healing people, setting them free, and changing lives. Now the kingdom of God is spreading to many villages and small cities in the Ferghana Valley.