American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity Research
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VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue03 2025
PAGE NO.
22-27
10.37547/ajsshr/Volume05Issue03-06
Mahalla
—
The Factor of Civil Society
Umarova Gulbahor Berdievna
PhD in Historical Sciences, Assistant Professor, Uzbekistan State University of World Languages. Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Nurullaeva Aziza Ikhtiyorovna
The teacher of the specialised art school of Bukhara, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Received:
23 January 2025;
Accepted:
25 February 2025;
Published:
14 March 2025
Abstract:
Centuries ago, considered to be a self-managing organ of the citizens in Uzbekistan, districts combined
the local population, who organised the social structure, shaped it, and were responsible for composing and
organising the people! Neighbourhoods, until the XXI century, spent a great historical development process until
which continues the creation of citizenship organisation institutes. This article, Neighbourhood as a Short History
of the Development of the Social Management Organ, is talking about. Article: Farabi's "Fazıl İnsanlar Şeh
ri (The
City of Virtue People)," Narşahî's "Buhara'nın Tarihi (History of Bukhara)," Baybaki's "Tarihi Macuduya (A Historical
Macuduya)," A. Nevaï's "Hayratul Abrar," Vakfiy of Kaşifi'n "Fütuvvatname
-i Sultani," O. A. of Suhareva's
"Kvartalnaya Obşina pozdnefeodalnogo goroda Buhari," N. T. Mallitski's "Taşkent Mahaalle ve Mevzileri
(Neighbourhood and Emplacement of Tashkent)," F. Azadayev's "Tashkent to palev Vtoroy von XXI. Veka," and
Rampel's "Dalyokoye i blizkoye" named book is also an analysis of his works. In the mid-century neighbourhood
relation, people living in the community organised neighbourhood manners, relations between neighbours, the
location of neighbourhood life, the headman's and his assistant's importance, and tasks and roles were identified.
As well as their article, the Soviet-era neighbourhood in the activities exert pressure on policy is applied, a certain
limit to the social, economic, and educational problems in solving free decisions, not the Soviet system ideology,
the ideas of people in digesting utilised, which then adopted political decisions that are described. In the article:
After independence, first as citizens of the neighbourhood, self-government methods are given authority by the
Constitution, powers, and what developed properties are. At the end of the article, the representatives of the
local domination weaken their financial control, which is implemented by the protection of their current
importance of topics to get to the bottom, etc. The first stages of the development of the activities of the
neighbourhood are accepted.
Keywords:
Neighbourhood social management organ, organ of self-government, social structure, society.
Introduction:
Mahallas were organised based on the
historical traditions and spirit of people. The
circumstance of the important social establishment of
self-management was at a very high level. Mahalla
plays the main role in bringing up good neighbourhood
respect and humanism among people's attitudes. It
protects citizens' social advantages. Mahalla has a long
history; its roots turn on the Bronze Period. The Brom
Period, with its historical meaning, is considered the
time of making changes in people's social and economic
lives, especially producing specialisation in some
spheres. This process paved the way for increasing the
production of material things through uniting. After
that, the process of the population's compound dene
place began. At that time, the family composed of
patriarchal regime extended families increased with
close relatives; communities joined by neighbourliness
appeared as a new territorial organisation of society.
The first facts about these kinds of communities were
given in the Zardushtis' religious book "Avesto.".
According to the facts in Avesto, an extended family
community
—
vis-à-vis a kin community or zantu-tribe
community
—
was considered. Avesto gave the
information about the running strategies of these
communities. As it is informed, the word "pati" was
used for the meaning of public leader. "Nmanapati"
—
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American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity Research (ISSN: 2771-2141)
extended" family leader, vispati"
—
community leader,
"zantupati"
—
tribe leader.
METHODS. As the sources giving testimony, which was
founded in Sopolitepa, one of the memorials in the
Bronze Period, there were eight family halting places.
This family, consisting of more than a hundred families
based on a patriarchal regime, gathered. Each
managing deal of an external family community was up
to the selected village elder among them.
The village elders found the solutions to all the issues
connected with people's lives through meetings of
village elders. The found sources in Kuchuktepa and
Kiziltepa memorials could be a good example for it.
In Kangh, Davon countries, which were founded in III
BC, all important problems were solved by the Council
of Village Leaders. For example, he is mobilising public
works, charging taxes, declaring war, and making
peace.
In the Kushan period, the communities that came from
the public as an occupation were established. The
found sources in Dalvarzintepa and Kampirtepa
memorials give evidence of the existence of the streets,
which were united by rich people in the centre of the
city and craftsmen in the southern part.
While learning the existing process of living together as
a community, Ato Raykhon Beruni came to the
conclusion... The plurality of human necessities, lack of
refraining, not possessing protective weapons,
enemies 'plurality, and need of protection of each
other doing the provision of himself and others
required to unite with his relatives in society.
As Abu Nasr Forobi said, “Every person was born with
such a nature that he needs a lot of things for living and
achieving first standard maturity; he can't handle these
things himself; the people community is in need of
obtaining these.
For this reason, the necessity of living through people
making sufficient connections with each other and
uniting the people in the community who support each
other is that a person can achieve his maturity. This
kind of community members’ activity leads to the
necessary things for living and achieving maturity in
each sphere as a complete state. That was why people
thought his increased place was the territory people
could live in; as a result, people in the community came
into existence."
The neighbouring communities based patriarchal
system changed into mahallas in the Middle Ages. It
was the demonstration of the first buds of a public self-
management system.
Mahallas have a long history, as historical literature
informed us in the Middle Ages. The term "Mahalla
"was used for the first time in "History of Bukhara" by
Abu Baker Muhammad ibn Jafar Narshahi. This term
came from the Arab language, and after the Arab
Conquest, it dispersed, especially in the territories of
the Tashkent and Kokand khanates.
Three terms were used in Bukhara for mahalla (Arabic),
"ku, "and "guzar" (Persian-Tajik). From the first Middle
Ages to the XVI "Ku," till the beginning of the XX
century, the term "guzar" in the city, the term
"mahalla," was used for territorial communities in and
around the city.
Narshah wrote in his book "History of Bukhara that
1100 years ago in Bukhara, there were more than ten
mahallas, such as Kui Alo, Kui Bekor, Kui Rindon,
Samarkand Darvoza, Faghodara, Darvoza, Kardun
Kashon, Darvoza Mansur, Kui Dehkan, Kui Mugon, and
Kui Koh.
Baikhaqi, in his book "History Ma'sudia," informed that
mahallas functions also included organising holidays,
keeping control of the cleanliness of the city, and sports
competitions.
Amir Temur, in his "Tuzuks," stopped living as a
community way of stirring management. "I order that
in wartime, the managing government's decision be 15
up to the yuzboshi; the yuzboshi's decision is up to the
o'nboshi; his decision depends on his servants. If
someone shows resistance to this system, he will be
served a sentence."
In Alisher Navois political philosophical views, the ideas
about the position of "mahalla "were pushed forward.
He described mahalla very well in his book "Hayratul-
abror," calling it the town in the city.
In "Vaqfiya, "we will get information about his good
marks and about the medrasah gardens that he built in
his mahalla.
Through Khusan Voiz Koshifi in "Futuvvatnomai sultoni,
"we will gather information about how to behave in
communities and how to communicate with
neighbours.
There are many works about how important mahallas
position in society was during 3 khan's empires: Such"
as
O.A.
Gukhareva's
"Kvartalnaya
obshina
pozdnefeodalnogo goroda Bukhari,”
Mahallas were named on the basis of factors such as
the profession and occupation of the permanent
population, the climate of that place, geographic
position, etc. At the beginning of the XX century, there
were more than 250 positions in Tashkent, more than
200 in Bukhara, nearly 100 in Samarkand, 52 in
Shakhrisabz, and 42 mahallas in Kitab. The head of the
mahalla and his assistants were elected by the people.
The head of the mahalla was the official representative
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American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity Research (ISSN: 2771-2141)
for the city government, and they had to be confirmed
to this position. After the election, an appointment was
confirmed with the document and certificate. Also on
the basis of Islamic views, the head of the mahalla
divided inherited dwellings and properties. He could
participate directly in the buying and selling of the
private properties of the people. The head solved
disputable conflicts of the people, and he tried not to
bring the case to the court. If the government accused
somediv, the head had to guarantee him as possible
as he could. Besides that, the head watched the
cleanliness of the territory. The role of the head and his
assistants was seen clearly, especially at the
ceremonies and the feast for the dead. He was the main
adviser at organising them, and he ran all the work of
the community. The opinion of the head and the
community was significant in adopting the resolution.
The social structure of the people of Mahalla was not
the same. But they joined the public by participating in
common matters through personal relations.
It is known that in this period, there was not the
lawfulness system like now. But the right and order
adapted to its period were at the law status. And it was
one of the elements of the legal and democratic state.
Mahallas worked actively till the Soviet period, and
they were a social organisation, association, and union
of local people. In the former Soviet period, the policy
of putting pressure was executed. In the first years of
the former Soviet's reign, city councils strengthened
control over the mahallas. The background of the head
of the mahallas was verified. If among them somediv
was religious or a merchant, he was considered
perilous for that regime.
In order to fortify the gains of them, they used
"chaykhana" (tea shops), which were the ancient social
organisation of Uzbek people. Chaykhanas became
political propaganda centres. In 1927, the "Statute
about red chaykhanas" was adopted. Appealing
mottos, visual propaganda aids, and parties that were
held in chaykhanas absorbed faster to the people.
Communist ideology was promoted with compelling. In
the Soviets reign were adopted several statutes about
the functions . of mahallas, including the following:.
In 1926, the UzSSR Central Executive Committee's
"About the activity of the Commission of mahallas in
the old cities of the UzSSR";
In 1932, 17 April, according to the UzSSR Central
Executive Committee's resolution of N° 42 "About
mahalla committees in the cities of UzSSR";
In 1941, on 19 January, the UzSSR People Commissary
Soviet's "About Block mahalla committees in the
mahallas of UzSSR";
In 1953, 3 April, according to the UzSSR Soviet of
Ministers' Resolution of №462 "About Block mahalla
committees in the cities of Uzbekistan SSR,"
In 1961, 30 August, according to Resolution №25 of the
UzSSR Supreme Soviet Praesidium "About Block
mahalla committees in the cities, settlements, villages,
and hamlets of UzSSR";
In 1983, 4 July, according to decree N°3460 of the
UzSSR Soviet Praesidium about the Block mahalla
committees in the cities, settlements, and villages of
the USSR",
In all of this, statutes are seen restricting the right and
authority of the mahallas. For example:
"In spite of mahalla (block) committees being an
initiative of public organisations of people, they have
no right to make orders and decrees, to appoint any
kind of punishment, to fine, or to give certificates or
licenses.
Mahalla committees have no juridical person right.
Mahalla committees are not allowed to deal with any
kind of financial-economical activities (eating houses,
red chaykhanas, barbers saloon), to organise and use
them, as well as in buying or renting them.
In that period, mahallas dealt only with giving
information papers to citizens, single women with
many children, to take substance money and registered
moving and leaving of citizens.
The representative of the mahalla had no right or
authority. At resolving social, economic, and
educational matters, mahallas could not adopt
resolutions independently.
In the Former Soviet Union's reign, mahallas were used
in supporting organisations of communistic parties and
absorbing ideas of that regime ideology.
Despite the hurdles and obstacles to the activities of
society, self-governing organisations of Uzbek people,
like mahalla, preserved their prestige.
Mahallas have possessed a rich and long historical way,
and it is the valuable social organisation, association,
and union of Uzbek people regardless of their
nationality, background, and religious view (which is
developed during the centuries), and it doesn't lose its
significance to this day.
In the long history of Uzbek people, the term mahalla
was submitted for the first time in the constitution after
the independence of Uzbekistan.
The mahalla is given constitutional status, a typical
form of self-governing of the population, and the legal
bases of the mahalla were created. On the basis of the
constitution in 1993, on September 2, the law about
"citizens' self-governing institutions" was adopted in
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American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity Research (ISSN: 2771-2141)
the XIII session of the Supreme Council of the Republic
of Uzbekistan.
In the aim of developing activities of mahallas in 1999,
on 14 April, the law “Citizens’ self
-governing
institutions" was adopted, and in the XIV session of Oliy
Majlis, a new edition was introduced. In this version,
the authority and power of the head and
representatives of the mahalla were boosted.
Citizens' self-governing institutions are divided into the
following types:
- Traditional mahalla consisting of private apartments
that have their own lands;
- Local mahallas joined with several many storeyed
apartments;
- Village mahallas divided with several mahallas of one
village;
- Typical features in the activities of these mahallas;
Citizens' self-governing institutions don't belong to the
state local government system;
They have independence in resolving local matters;
●
Mutual help on the basis of public works';
Citizens self-governing institutions (mahalla, small
cities, villages, assemblies of citizens) firstly execute
some functions of the state governing organisations in
the local territories; secondly, they create conditions to
exceed the social and economic activeness of citizens
and to execute their capability.
Mahalla is a healthy social environment, considered a
strong factor in family life, strengthening peace and
togetherness. Social opinion control over the behaviour
of mahalla members, mutual relationships, and loyal
and spiritual norms.
RESULTS
Citizens' control over themselves can be a practical
sample of "Firm Family" in the mahalla system.
Actually, this precious social system is worth being
called "Mahalla is the heart of the country.". Especially
protecting the young family from different sides,
helping it to be a firm family, supporting them, and the
importance and the role of mahalla are very crucial in
establishing a good family. According to the social
investigation of "Social Opinion" on Mahalla and
community relationships, 70% of the people who live in
mahallas play a great role in their personal and family
lives; 60% of people showed that they took an active
part in activities organised by mahallas. Close
relationships of the family with mahalla, participating
in various ceremonies like funerals, weddings, Navruz,
Ruza, and Kurbon Hayits, and events help them to
develop a sense of living with the team.
To enhance the active role of women in social life,
creating opportunities, fulfilling their priorities, and
supporting them are of great importance in our lives.
This is fulfilled by making them rule the lives of
mahallas. The Mahalla citizens' committee works with
the rights of women and girls, upbringing the youth.
Small companies in mahallas, developing family
businesses, are the main reason for the improvement
in the women's social-economical activities. This helps
them to decrease the economic need in the family,
keep the people busy, create new jobs, and become
more involved in depending democratic reforms.
Nowadays in the republic there are 9942 citizens' self-
governing organisations. From that number, the
woman
representatives
of
the
self-governing
institutions are 1043. According to the decree in 2000,
May 25, the President, LA.Karimov A. Karimov,
established the positions of advisers on the matters of
religion, education, ethics, spirituality, and corrective
training in the presence of mahallas; 8167 women are
working in this position. Along with that, the heads of
the Commission working with women and the
Commission of Reconciling of mahallas are women. The
number of women leading these commissions and
advisers is nearly 30000 in the entire republic.
In 1999, the Reconciling Commission of mahallas was
organised. These commissions are contributing to
bringing up the strong generation, supplying citizens
with a comfortable life in cooperation with family and
in mahalla, solving the family discord in a peaceful way,
and propagandising the healthy life.
In 1999, in the presence of citizens' self-governing
institutions, "The Guardian Mahalla" community
organisations were organised on social aid to find jobs
for people excused from the jails. The Guardian of
Mahalla and Social Adaptation Centres carry out in
togetherness the projects on preventing criminality
and providing social labour to the people excused from
jails. They organise commissions consisting of honorary
people, women, youth, and representatives of art and
religion to impact people who have been sentenced
before and the people who have a tendency to commit
a crime. They take measures to avert the activity of
unregistered religious organisations, to supply
adherence to the freedom of citizens' religious faith,
and to prevent the absorption of religious outlook by
force.
DISCUSSIONS
Bringing up the youth and their spiritual perfection is
one of the essential problems in all the stages of
humanity's development. The important wealth of a
nation is its spiritual moral outlook. Happiness, peace,
and pleasure of each nation are up to the upbringing of
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American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity Research (ISSN: 2771-2141)
the youth. The example of the youth shows the
strength that demonstrates the uniqueness and virtue
of the nation and carries out its goal and aspiration.
These peculiarities develop in the family and in the
community, including the environment of mahalla.
Upbringing the youth is implemented on two sides by
family and community in mahalla. Family education is a
main factor in raising a person who has healthy ideas,
good behaviour, and is a socially active person. Now,
the period of increasing globalism and ideological
conflicts in every family is required to bring up the
children seriously and to teach them what's going on
on the earth and help them how to choose the right
way.
Because of the necessity of resolving complicated
problems with consulting, sharing experience, and
mutual cooperation on the upbringing matters of
families in the Mahalla "Family, School, and Mahalla
Cooperation in the Upbringing of the Uzbek Youth
Generation" Program of the "Mahalla" charity found,
Tashkent City Public Management of Higher Education
and Teaching Excellence Assembly is working with
success. This program helps to strengthen the mutual
relations between family and mahalla, to promote
political, moral, and social judicial issues, and it became
the most effective means based on the people's rich
national, cultural, and historical customs and traditions
in moral-ethical upbringing and in boosting the social
activeness of the youth.
Despite the reformations, reforming the local self-
governing system is demonstrating its departures.
These consist of developing local self-governing and
declining the control by the representatives of local
government. It is very significant to develop
organisational bases of the activities of significant
institutes
—
mahallas
—
to boost the quantity of their
functions and to support interactions with the state
government and governing organisations. To carry on
this task should be:
-
consolidated financial foundation of self-
governing institutions,
-
Reorganised mahalla as the centre of social
support for people and private and marital
business.
-
Boosted the tasks of the control of citizens'
self-governing institutes in the public works
system
over
the
state
government
organisations.
-
Worked over the new juridical documents and
political platforms, which serve to exceed the
role of mahalla at reinforcing the social
activeness of people and to supply the
representatives, their assistants, and advisers
from the best-suitable citizens in order to
develop the election system of the heads of
citizens' self-governing institutes.
With the adoption of the new edition of the law “On
Measures for Citizens’ Self
-
Government Bodies,”
issued on April 22, 2013, the organisational
foundations of the activities of citizens’ self
-
government bodies have been improved, the scope of
their functions has been expanded, and close ties with
state authorities and administration have been
ensured.
Local government organisations were given the
authority to serve as guarantors for loans from
regionally based business entities, including family
business entities, in order to promote the expansion of
entrepreneurial
activity,
especially
family
entrepreneurship and handicrafts. Additionally, they
began providing young people from low-income
households with extra financial support, especially for
arranging marriages and weddings.
The following presidential orders and decisions show
that since 2017 the citizens’ self
-government bodies
have been levelled up by extending their activities.
Issued on February 3, 2017. “On the measures to
further improve the community institutions”
Issued on April 2, 2019: “On measures to radically
improve the position of the community institution in
solving issues o
f citizens.”
Issued on February 18, 2020: “On measures to improve
the socio-spiritual environment in society, further
support for community institutions, and bringing the
system of work with family and women to a new level.”
Issued on December 3, 2021: “On
measures to organise
the activities of the governor’s assistants on the
development of entrepreneurship in the community,
ensuring employment of the population and reducing
poverty.”
Issued on January 19, 2022: “On measures to radically
improve the system of work with youth in
communities.”
Issued on March 1, 2022, “On measures to create the
organisation of activities for the State Committee for
Family and Women's Affairs.”
Issued on December 26, 2022: “On measures to expand
the financial opportunities of the communities through
establishing a ‘community budget” system.”
Issued December 21, 2023. “On measures aimed at
radically increasing the role of the community
institution in society and ensuring its work as the first
day in solving the problems of the p
opulation”
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American Journal Of Social Sciences And Humanity Research (ISSN: 2771-2141)
CONCLUSION
As a result of these political decisions and reforms,
citizens' self-government bodies have been further
strengthened, their position has been improved, their
financial foundations have been increased, and their
composition has been
renewed. The “Community
Seven” was established, consisting of the district
chairman, assistant mayor, youth leader, women’s
activist, prevention inspector, social worker, and tax
inspector.
Community Seven has the following rights:
-
Requesting and getting necessary information
from government bodies and organisations for their
working process
-
Conveying evidence to law enforcement
organisations when it is established that the rights and
legitimate interests of the population in need of social
protection have been violated.
-
Making decisions on the provision of types of
social assistance and the allocation of subsidies to
people in need of social protection
-
Involving in the activities of the community:
seven representatives of government bodies and
organisations directly related to the field of social
services and assistance to citizens.
Besides the above-mentioned, Community Seven has
several rights according to the law.
Community Seven has the following responsibilities:
-
Strictly comply with the regulatory documents
and requirements of this Model Regulation in its
activities.
-
Prevent insults to the honour and dignity of
citizens and interference in their private lives.
-
Not to disclose to others personal information
known to members of the Community Seven.
The following government structures in the system of
citizens’ self
-government bodies were also completed:
-
Conciliation commission
-
Commission on Enlightenment and Spirituality
-
Social Supporting Committee
-
Commission on Minors, Youth, and Sports
Affairs
-
Commission on Entrepreneurship and Family
Business Development
-
Commission of public supervision and
protection of consumer rights
-
“Community Inspector” organisation
To tell the conclusion in the process of decentralisation,
developing a local self-governing system is a typical
phenomenal process.
To appoint their rights and powers depends on each
country's historical traditions and features. Also, the
effectiveness of their activity depends on the political
doctrine that is adopted in the new phases of social
development.
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Sagdullayev A., Mavlonov O'. "O'zbekistonda davlat
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