Özbekistanlı Âlim Muhammed Sâdık Muhammed Yusuf’un (1952-2015) Mezhep ve Mezhepsizlik ile İlgili Görüşleri

The issues of sect and non-sectarianism began to be brought up in Central Asian lands at the beginning of the 20th century, but it is seen that they began to be actively discussed in the last periods of the Soviet Union, especially after the Central Asian Turkic Republics gained independence in 1991. In these discussions, the last head-mufti of the Central Asia and Kazakhstan Religious Administration of the Soviet Union (1989-1991), the first head-mufti of the Religious Administration of Muslims of Uzbekistan after independence (1991-1993), a contemporary scholar, Muhammad Sādiq Muhammad Yusuf, has an important place. He stands out as the first Central Asian scholar to examine the issues of sect and non-sectarianism in detail in his works. Therefore, the subject and scope of the research consist of Muhammad Sadiq Muhammad Yusuf’s views and thoughts on sect and non-sectarianism. This research aims to determine and analyze how he interpreted the concepts of sect, taqlid, affiliation to a sect and non-sectarianism, his position against the traditional approach and the perspective he adopted, based on his works. Thus, it will contribute to the holistic understanding and evaluation of Muhammad Sādiq Muhammad Yusuf's ideas on sectarianism and non-sectarianism. It has been seen that Muhammad Sādiq Muhammad Yusuf, who generally carried out his activities on the subject of affiliation to a sect, emphasized that sects played a major role in ensuring unity among Muslims, stated that disagreements that may arise due to the understanding of the meanings of verses and hadiths, and the change of time, place and conditions should be carried out in a scientific environment, and invited people to be a "moderate (mediocre) ummah" by avoiding bigotry and excess and understatement in every matter.