VZCZCXRO8448
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHIK RUEHLH RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHNEH RUEHPW RUEHROV RUEHSK RUEHSL RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0797/01 1760709
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 250709Z JUN 09
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3038
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 5356
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3084
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 2949
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3600
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1033
RHMCSUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 3652
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000797 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, DRL/IRF 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KIRF PGOV SOCI SCUL TX
SUBJECT:  AVAILABILITY OF QURAN IN TURKMENISTAN 
 
¶1. (U) Sensitive but Unclassified.  Not for Internet 
distribution 
 
¶2. (SBU) SUMMARY:  A survey of bookstores in central 
Ashgabat to check the availability of the Quran, the holy 
book of Muslims, revealed that the book was practically 
unavailable in state stores except for rare cases of 
second-hand copies.  The only other places where the 
Quran could be bought were at an Iranian bookshop and 
from a private bookseller.  During the visit to the 
Iranian store, the clerk explained that to import and 
sell the Quran in Turkmenistan, the store needed approval 
by the Presidential Council on Religious Affairs.  In a 
predominantly Muslim society, the unavailability of the 
Quran for purchase seems to be an anomaly.  The 
authorities' strict control over the availability of 
religious literature, including Islamic literature, 
highlights the state's insecurity about the impact that 
the unrestricted practice of religion could have on the 
current status quo in Turkmen society. END SUMMARY. 
 
UNAVAILABILITY OF QURAN IN STATE BOOKSTORES 
 
¶3. (SBU) On June 19, Embassy Political Assistant visited 
bookstores in central Ashgabat to check the availability 
of the Quran for purchase by the public.  Having visited 
four bookstores, including an Iranian bookshop, the Quran 
was found in only two stores, a relatively large, well- 
stocked state bookstore and the Iranian shop.  The state 
store offered second-hand copies of the Quran in Arabic, 
Russian and Turkish languages in big and small sizes, 
with prices ranging from 400,000 to 600,000 non- 
denominated Turkmen manats, around USD 28-43.  According 
to the saleslady, the books were brought in by a private 
owner.  The Qurans were not openly displayed on the 
counter, but had to be asked for.  Then the saleslady 
brought them from a hard-to-see corner shelf and removed 
them from a cloth covering.  When asked whether those 
copies of the Quran were the only ones available, the 
saleslady nodded and said that they usually do not have 
copies of the Quran for sale. 
 
QURAN IN IRANIAN SHOP 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Iranian shop sells not only the Quran, but 
other items of a religious character such as prayer rugs, 
souvenirs with Arabic inscriptions, and shawls.  It was 
the only store in the city that had the Quran in 
English.  This translation, subtitled "The First American 
English Translation" by T.B. Irving, was printed in 
Tehran and cost 250,000 non-denominated Turkmen manats 
(about USD 18).  The book also included Arabic text on 
each page.  The salesman said the shop previously had 
copies in Arabic, but they had already sold out.  When 
asked whether the store expected a new shipment, the man 
said he did not expect any in the near future because "in 
order to be sold in the store, importation of the Quran 
requires approval by the [Presidential] Council on 
Religious Affairs."  However, he did not know precisely 
who approves or disapproves religious literature coming 
into the country's bookstores, nor did he know based on 
which criteria. 
 
PRIVATE BOOKSELLER 
 
¶5. (SBU) Visiting another state bookstore that did not 
have the Quran, Political Assistant asked the salesperson 
where in the city one could buy a copy.  The saleslady 
provided the telephone number of an individual who might 
have copies for sale.  The person contacted was a Russian 
man living in Turkmenistan who is a private book dealer 
and often travels to Russia to attend book fairs.  He 
said he had several versions of the Quran:  one version in 
 
ASHGABAT 00000797  002 OF 002 
 
 
Russian translation, one version with both Russian and 
Arabic text, and three versions in Arabic in different 
sizes, including a pocket size.  His book prices ranged 
from 150,000 to 1,400,000 non-denominated Turkmen manats 
which is around USD 11-100.  When asked whether there was 
a Turkmen translation of the Quran, the book dealer said 
he did not have any in Turkmen language.  According to 
him, "the Quran in Turkmen translation was published only 
once in the 1990s," however, he noted that people say 
"the translation does not correspond well to the Arabic 
text." 
 
¶6. (SBU) COMMENT:  Officials of the Presidential Council 
on Religious Affairs frequently mention during official 
meetings that the majority of Turkmenistan's population 
is Muslim.  In a country where the majority of people are 
Muslims, it seems to be an anomaly that it is so 
difficult to buy the Quran in Arabic, not to mention its 
Turkmen translation.  The scarcity of the Quran suggests 
that the government is concerned about the effect that 
the holy book's widespread availability could have if 
people were able to read the Quran themselves and compare 
its teachings with current social life and state policy. 
In addition, its unavailability could be related to the 
authorities' policy of equally restricting access to 
religious literature for all religious groups. 
 
¶7. (SBU) COMMENT CONTINUED:  In general, the majority of 
Turkmen have a Quran in Arabic in their homes.  Even if 
they cannot read Arabic, the fact of having the holy book 
is believed to protect a family from evil and misfortune. 
For an explanation of the Quran, most people rely on 
imams, who are appointed by the Council on Religious 
Affairs at national, provincial, city and district 
levels.  The scarcity of the Quran in a familiar language 
leaves people little choice but to turn to the state- 
appointed imams for the "correct" interpretation of the 
book, a further sign of the government's policy of strict 
control over religious life in the country.  END COMMENT. 
 
MILES