MAHMUDKHOJA BEHBUDI: LEADER OF THE JADID MOVEMENT

Abstract

This article presents an in-depth analysis of Mahmudkhoja Behbudi’s role as a leading figure in Central Asia’s Jadid movement, a groundbreaking reformist and educational enterprise that sought the modernization of Muslim societies in the Russian Empire during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The work explores the social, cultural, and intellectual context of Jadidism, focusing on Behbudi’s life, philosophy, literary output, and his efforts to reform the educational system. It examines Behbudi's advocacy for new-method schools, his commitment to the spread of enlightenment values among Turkic Muslims, and his literary contributions that fostered national identity, critical thinking, and engagement with the wider world. The article delves into Behbudi’s role as a publicist, playwright, and social activist, analyzing the far-reaching consequences of his ideas for the future of Uzbek and Central Asian societies. The research assesses Behbudi’s enduring legacy in the context of modern Uzbekistan’s intellectual, educational, and cultural landscape.