The place and functions of religion in society

The word din comes from Arabic and means faith or belief. The academic study of religion treats religion as a system of belief in what is regarded as sacred, together with the morality, practices and community life built on that belief. Researchers group the functions of religion in society as follows: shaping a worldview, offering consolation in hardship (the compensatory function), uniting people, regulating behaviour through moral norms, providing communication through rituals and festivals (the communicative function), and spiritual-moral education. In the 17th–19th centuries some European authors predicted that religions would fade away as science and progress advanced; this forecast was not fully borne out, and religion remains an important part of social life in many countries. Uzbekistan is a secular state: the Constitution gives everyone the right to profess any religion or none, does not allow religious views to be imposed by force, and establishes equality before the law regardless of religion.