Constitutional Secularism and Islamic Traditions in Uzbekistan:

Compatibility, Tensions, and Cultural Accommodation

Rakhmanov Abdumukhtor Rejjabbayevich

Toyirov Azizbek Tolibovich

 

Abstract: This article critically examines the relationship between the secular constitutional framework of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the continuing influence of Islamic traditions within society, with particular attention to areas of compatibility and potential tension. While the Constitution of Uzbekistan firmly establishes a secular legal order grounded in sovereignty, democracy, and human rights, it operates within a social context in which Islamic traditions continue to shape cultural practices and normative expectations. The article distinguishes between Islamic law (Shari’ah) as a formal legal system and the indirect cultural and normative influence of Islamic traditions on social and legal life. Using a comparative legal approach, the study compares constitutional principles, particularly freedom of conscience, equality, and religious liberty, with selected concepts derived from Islamic jurisprudence in order to identify areas of convergence, adaptation, and divergence. Particular attention is given to family law, inheritance, social ethics, gender equality, criminal justice, and religious expression. The analysis demonstrates that, although Shari’ah is not recognised as a formal source of law in Uzbekistan, Islamic traditions continue to exert an indirect influence on social behaviour and certain legal understandings. The article concludes that Uzbekistan represents a distinctive model of state-managed constitutional secularism in which Islamic traditions continue to shape legal culture and social norms without acquiring formal legal authority within the state’s legal system.