MPR Speaker Highlights Soekarno's Role During Visit to Imam Bukhari's Tomb

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) Speaker Ahmad Muzani spoke about the role of Indonesia’s first President Soekarno, also known as Bung Karno, during a visit to the tomb of Imam Bukhari in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Friday.

Muzani stated that relations between Indonesia and Uzbekistan have been established for a long time, even before official diplomatic ties were formed. According to him, President Soekarno was the first Indonesian figure to visit the tomb of Imam Bukhari in 1956.

“Since then until now, the tomb of Imam Bukhari has been visited and pilgrimaged by Muslims from all over the world,” Muzani said in a written statement received in Jakarta on Friday.

He also conveyed that the spread of Islam in Java was partly carried out by scholars from the Uzbekistan region in the 15th century.

On this occasion, he expressed gratitude for being able to pilgrimage to the tomb of Imam Bukhari and to see the monumental manuscript of Sahih Bukhari. According to him, Sahih Bukhari is one of the primary hadith references for Muslims, including in Indonesia, and is studied in Islamic boarding schools up to universities.

“In fact, as a form of our respect for Imam Bukhari, we then hold a thanksgiving or selamatan after completing the study of the Imam Bukhari book every year,” he said.

He expressed hope that visits by Indonesian scholars to the tomb of Imam Bukhari could further strengthen the bonds of brotherhood between Muslims in Indonesia and Uzbekistan.

“Hopefully, the brotherhood and friendship between the Muslims of Indonesia and Uzbekistan will continue to be well maintained and grow even closer in the future,” Muzani said.