Jadidism – History of Educational and Freethinking Movement in Central Asia, Late ХIХ – Early ХХ Centuries

The article is concerned with the history of national forward movement, called “jadidism” in late XIX – early XX centuries, traces its evolution from enlightment to political movement. Jadidism has become an alternate form of intellectual renovation of the Muslim community. Introduction of phonics method, the so-called “усул-и джадид”, in other words the new method of reading and writing instead of alphabetic one to maktab and madrasah set off the movement. Jadidists criticized the religious fanaticism, demanded the replacement of the obsolete religious schools by the national secular ones, called for science and culture development, favored the issue of newspapers in the native language, establishment of cultural and educational institutions, bringing democratic forces close together