Moslem Religion in Central Asia
Islam meaning in Arabic "giving oneself up to Allah, submissiveness", is one of the three world religions, along with Christianity and Buddhism. Islam started at the beginning of the 7thc. AD in Western Arabia during the period of formation of Arabian state of classes. Islam was influenced by Christianity and Judaism, and partly by Maniheism and Zoroasterianism. A Moslem must admit "five pillars of faith". The first of them is utterance of the symbol of faith: "There is no God besides Allah, and Mohammed is his prophet". The Moslems are also committed to pray everyday, keep the fasts, give alms (zakat), and to make a pilgrimage to Mecca (hadj). Other religious ceremonies and rituals of Islam, Moslim holidays (Kurban-bairam, Uraza-bairam, Mavlud) as well as the "pillars of faith" are of great importance for keeping and increasing influence of the religion over its believers. The affairs of Moslem communities in Central Asia are managed by Religious Administration of Moslems of Maverounahr having its head office in Tashkent.

Suphism
Suphism spread over the countries of Near East, northern India, Indonesia, South-West China. In Maverounahr, particularly on the territory of Uzbekistan, Suphism became widely practiced during the period of the ifeudal wars in the second half of the 9th -beginning of the 10thc. centuries. The first Suphist pir chief in Maverounahr was Yusuf Khamadaniy (the 12thc.). Later came such highly respected Suphists as Abdulkhalik Gizhduvaniy and Akhmad Yassaviy. In the 13thc. - 14thc. centuries the variety of Suphism called "Nakshbandia" was founded by Bahovutdin Nukshbandiy. There are some well preserved monuments to the saint Suphists in Uzbekistan. Moslims -Suphists make pilgrimages to those places.

Buddhism
During the Kushan period different religious systems were widely spread in Central Asia. Those were the local cult of Mitra and Anahit, Zoroastrian pantheon (Ormuzd, Veretzanga, etc.) the Greek pantheon (Jupiter, Heliosis, Celen, etc.) the cult of local heroes (Siyavush in Khorezm and Sogd). The followers of Buddhism had been banished from Iran in the 2nd - 3rd and found support in Central Asia, where Buddhism became widely practiced. According to Chinese chronicles Buddhism came to China in 147 from the country of "big yuedzhi", thanks to the Kushan missionaries Buddhism was adopted as official religion at the court of the Chinese emperor Khuan-Di (147-167). During the archeological excavations in Khorezm (Bazaar-Kala, Gyaur-Kala, Gyaz-Kala) and Sogd (tali-barzu, Zohak-i-Maron castle, Er-Kurgan and others) it was found out that many settlements and castles dated back to Kushan period. But the largest number of traces of Buddhist culture during Kushan period was found in Tolharistan. Architectural fragments dating back to Kushan period were found in "Old Termez". Some Buddhist monuments date back to the period of Great Kushans.

Zoroastrianism
Zoroasterianism is a system of religious beliefs spread on the territory of ancient Iran and Central Asia in the 7thc.-6thc. BC. Zoroaster, or Zardusht, Zaraustra, Zardust, is the prophet of Zoroasterianism. Zoroaster lived approximately in the 1st half of the 6th c BC. He wrote the most ancient part of the holy book of Zoroasterianism "Avesta" It is assumed that Zoroaster began preaching in Eastern Iran and Central Asia. He opposed worshiping chiefs of the tribes, priesthood, and old gods. Uzbekistan and holy places of Zoroasterianism are inseparable: in Samarkand we find the ancient settlement called Afrosiab which is the name of the hero from "Avesta"; Bukhara is one of the most ancient Uzbek towns. It was founded on the sacred hill of spring offerings put by ancient Zoroasterians on the tomb of the saint Siyavush.