THE IDEOLOGY AND POLITICAL VISION OF JADID INTELLECTUALS IN CENTRAL ASIA

Аннотация

This article explores the ideological foundations and political perspectives of the Jadid intellectual movement that emerged in Central Asia under Russian colonial rule in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As reformist thinkers, the Jadids sought to modernize society through education, revive Islamic values in a rational framework, and promote national identity. While initially focused on cultural and pedagogical reform, many Jadids eventually adopted political positions calling for autonomy, constitutionalism, and national sovereignty. The article analyzes their evolving thought and its long-term impact on Central Asian identity, modernization,and political aspirations. Keywords: Jadidism, political thought, ideology, reform, nationalism, autonomy, Central Asia, Russiancolonialism. The Jadid movement emerged in the context of Russian imperial expansion into Turkestan, where local Muslim populations were subjected to foreign control, cultural suppression, and educational stagnation. In response, a new generation of reform-minded intellectuals arose, committed to reviving their societies through modern knowledge, critical reasoning, and a renewed sense ofIslamicand national identity. The emergence of the Jadid movement should be understood not only as a cultural phenomenon but also as a reaction to the sociopolitical disintegration faced by the Muslim communities of Central Asia under Russian imperialism. The Tsarist regime’s policies of administrative centralization, linguistic Russification, and economic exploitation weakened traditional power structures and alienated the local population from their religious and cultural institutions. In this context, Jadid intellectuals perceived themselves as moral guardians and civilizational reformers. Their task was not simply to adapt to the modern world but to reshape society from within, bydrawing ontheethical foundations ofIslam and combining them with modern science, literature, and civic ideals. They rejected fatalism and passivity, calling instead for active engagement,social consciousness, and national revival. Moreover, the Jadid project was part of a larger pan-Islamic and pan-Turkic intellectual awakening that stretched from Istanbul to Bukhara, from Cairo to Kazan. While rooted in the local realities of Turkestan, theirthought reflected global currents of Muslimreformism and anti- colonial resistance. The ideological depth of their work—especially in political theory, national consciousness, and educational reform—makes them key architects of modern Central Asian identity. http://www.internationaljournal.co.in/index.php/jasass 787 Volume 15Issue 06, June 2025 Impact factor: 2019: 4.679 2020: 5.015 2021: 5.436, 2022: 5.242, 2023: 6.995, 2024 7.75 The Jadids—figures such as Mahmudkhuja Behbudi, Abdulla Avloniy, Abdurauf Fitrat, and Munavvarqori Abdurashidkhanov—advocated not only educational reforms but also broader sociopolitical change. This paper explores the ideological underpinnings and political outlook of these intellectuals as they moved from cultural reform to demands for national self- determination. Thisstudydraws on:  Textual analysis of Jadid writings: newspapers, plays, essays, schoolbooks, and political manifestos.  Historical contextualization within the frameworks of Russian colonial policy and Muslimreform movements globally.  Comparative approach: placing Jadid thought alongside contemporaneous reform movements inthe Ottoman Empire, Iran, and SouthAsia.  Postcolonial theoretical lens: understanding Jadidism as a form of anti-colonial resistance. Primary sources include Taraqqiy, Shuhrat, Sadoi Turkiston, and published works of Jadid figures. Secondary sources include academic studies by Adeeb Khalid, Edward Allworth, and regional historians. Theideological and political worldview ofJadid intellectuals can be categorized as follows: EducationalModernization as Ideological Core  Jadids believed that ignorance and superstitionwere themain causes ofsocietal decline.  They introduced “usuli jadid” (new method) schools emphasizing critical thinking, science, and thenative language.  Education was seen as thepath toboth spiritual renewaland political awareness. RationalIslamandMoral Reform  While loyal to Islamic traditions, Jadids opposed fanaticism and backward religious practices.  They promoted ijtihad (independent reasoning) and aligned Islamic values with modernity and progress.  Moral education and social ethics were central themes in theircurriculaand literature. RiseofPolitical Consciousness  Initiallynon-political, theJadid movement evolved into anationalawakeningforce.  By the 1910s, many Jadids demanded autonomy within the Russian Empire, http://www.internationaljournal.co.in/index.php/jasass 788 Volume 15Issue 06, June 2025 Impact factor: 2019: 4.679 2020: 5.015 2021: 5.436, 2022: 5.242, 2023: 6.995, 2024 7.75 representationin government,and culturalrights.  The Kokand Autonomy (1917–1918) was the culmination of t