RELIGIONS

The town of Jarkent (Kazakhstan) was founded in 1882 on the border of China as a trade settlement, where many ethnicities were merchants: Kazakhs, Uighurs, Russians, Dungans, Chinese. Trade flourished, the town developed, while local merchants invested money not only in their businesses, but also in the town architecture. As a result, a unique wooden mosque built in the form of a Chinese pagoda, a multilayer Buddhist or Taoist temple, has reached our days. (more…)

Jehovah’s Witnesses admit they feel social stigma. CABAR.asia learns about the reasons for stigma and how the Christian organisation tries to change the attitude towards it in the society. (more…)

Jehovah’s Witnesses admit they feel social stigma. CABAR.asia learns about the reasons for stigma and how the Christian organisation tries to change the attitude towards it in the society. (more…)

On April 10, 2024, several thousand people gathered in the central mosque of Almaty, the largest metropolitan city of the republic, to pray at one of the most important holidays of the Muslims, Oraza Ait. (more…)

Fate of the first city stone mosque founded in the 18^th century has long been discussed in Petropavlovsk. An auto repair shop, a hotel, a café and a sauna are now located in the territory of the cult facility. The Muslim community feels indignant about it: how can one take a bath and barbecue at a place that was used for praying before? According to the owner of the land plot, he purchased the land plot legally, and the building is of no architectural merit. CABAR.asia interviewed both parties. (more…)

Kazakhstan should live according to Sharia law, according to Nurtas Adambai, a prominent Kazakh actor and director. How does the republic assess this statement? (more…)

The problem of Kazakhstan, as well as other ex-Soviet countries, is the assurance that religion a priori carries threat, in particular, to the political structure and cultural identity, experts say. Therefore, religion laws contain provisions that discriminate against religious people. (more…)

Since 2011, religious associations in Kazakhstan have been forced to choose: either register or stop existing. Representatives of the authorities believe that registration will stop radical ideas from spreading. But human rights defenders see it as an excessive control by the state over law-abiding citizens. (more…)

Bagatoz Temirbayeva is known as pastor Batagoz to her parish. She has worked as pastor with the Evangelical  Christian Centre “Presviterianstvo” (Presbyterianism) or simply put, the Presbyterian church in Kokshetau, for 15 years already. How the daughter of the Soviet faith fighter has become the preacher, how female pastors are treated, and the difference between men’s and women’s sermons are described in the material by CABAR.asia. (more…)

Usually, Kazakhstanis “inherit” religious beliefs. If parents are Muslim, their children will also practice Islam. If adults are Catholics, their children will follow their path, too. But there are those who choose religion “not by inheritance.” (more…)