The uprising was led by a certain Magomed Ali Khalif Muhammad-Sabir Ogly - the ishan from the village of Min-Tyube. The nickname Dukchi, under which he entered history, suggests a probable profession of this person. To fully reveal and objectively assess the reasons for the Andijan uprising of 1898, it is necessary to investigate the personality of the immediate leader. To determine whether the Andijan uprising can be interpreted as a religious Sufi, anti-colonial, or national liberation movement, it is simpler and more logical to refer to the ideas of Dukchi Ishan himself.
Did the organizers of the uprising hope for external assistance? Most likely, yes, as evidenced by a preserved letter from the ishan to the Turkish sultan. It details how the waqf institutions were deprived of income and pilgrimage to Mecca was banned. The author of the letter asked the sultan to "intercede before our Sovereign to take measures to restore life according to Sharia, fearing that deviations from Sharia would provoke God's wrath upon the Russian authorities."
Now, a little about the appearance and habits of the ishan. Restoring this information is not difficult, based on the report of General Korolkov regarding the investigation of the circumstances of the uprising of the natives of the Fergana region in May 1898 and some other materials. According to their data, Dukchi was 45 years old, but he appeared younger. His ancestors were from Kashgar, and he himself was born in the village of Min-Tyube in the Margilan district, where he constantly resided. Eleven years ago, he made a pilgrimage to Mecca, after which his influence on the people became particularly strong, although it had already been significant for some time, according to certain reports. As his fame grew, so did the wealth of the ishan, which, through voluntary offerings from his admirers, became so substantial that he could host and feed a large number of people, both those who lived with him permanently and those who visited him temporarily. The number of both could sometimes reach a thousand, with several hundred gathering daily. In the extensive estate of the ishan, there were huge cauldrons for cooking food, the capacity of which was quite sufficient for the indicated number of visitors. The ishan was constantly accompanied by up to 30 Sufis, 40 students, and several individuals who had taken various vows, apparently something akin to ascetics.
Close associates and students attracted people to him with their stories about the ishan's holiness, among whom there was a firm belief in the miracles he performed; for example, it was said that he cooked pilaf without fire. How people became followers of the ishan can be seen from the testimony of one Kyrgyz given during the investigation. He stated that three years ago, having heard about the holiness and miracles of the ishan, he went with several acquaintances to Min-Tyube and "offered his hand" (joined the number of students) to the ishan, donating five tilas in his favor, and received a black tubeteika and a blessing in return. After that, this Kyrgyz began to visit the ishan every year two or three times, staying for about six days, and eventually settled permanently in his estate. The significance of the ishan was so great that three years ago he began appointing rais (local leaders) in the areas closest to Min-Tyube. These moral censors he revived were armed, as in the khan's times, with whips and beat the people for failing to comply with Sharia requirements. Thus, alongside our authority, the ishan's appointees lived and acted.
Here, as we see, it is stated that people became followers of the ishan due to their belief in his ability to perform miracles. This is very characteristic of Sufi followers as a mystical-ascetic branch of Islam. It was assumed that Dukchi Ishan possessed supernatural abilities and, in addition, led an ascetic lifestyle.
The Andijan Uprising of 1898. Roots of Popular Anger
