Islam

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…)

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…)

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…)

Religious preachers of Kazakhstan use social media actively to expand their audience. (more…)

A lamb sacrificed in memory of those who died during the January events lies in front of President Tokayev wearing a business suit. Imam sits near the president, and officials sit behind them. This photo is probably the most accurate portrayal of what happens to secularism in Kazakhstan. The authorities demonstrate their piousness, at the same time speaking continuously about the secularism of the state and maintaining strict control over the religious sphere. Does the situation need to be changed? (more…)

The percentage of Muslims and Christians in Kazakhstan declines, according to the comparison of two national census of 2009 and 2021. 13 years ago, 70.2 per cent of census participants declared their Islamic identity, and only 69.3 per cent a year ago. (more…)

In Kazakhstan, a group of parents of pupils practising Islam demand that the authorities stop prohibiting wearing headscarf to girls in schools. This year, the activists suggested a compromise – to allow girls wear white hoods instead of headscarfs.

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Murghab. A place where people withstand the most severe climatic conditions to survive. However, even these circumstances do not prevent local residents from following their ancestors’ customs and traditions. (more…)