Religion in Kazakhstan: a look into the past, realities

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Kazakhstan is a country with a very ancient and interesting religious history. Many religions crossed here, some of them very ancient. Religion in Kazakhstan has a deep past and is worth looking into.

Pre-Islamic period

Long before Islam came to Kazakhstan, Tengrianism was widespread here. In this belief, Tengri was considered the supreme god. Other deities were also called by this name, but almost no information about them has been preserved.

The essence of this faith was the division of the world into three spaces: heavenly, earthly and underground. Natural phenomena, the elements had their own interpretation. This religion in Kazakhstan also had regional features. The southern inhabitants believed in the holiness of the caves. In one of them, for example, women went to treat infertility. In the East, the countries of saints were appointed heads of kindred groups.

Shamanism also dominated in Kazakhstan before Islam. The supreme shaman performed rituals, contacting the spirits of ancestors. Such sessions supposedly helped him heal people, find lost livestock, and even control nature.

Arrival of Islam

Muslim infor more than one century penetrated into Kazakhstan. Religion, having first embraced the South of the country, already at the end of the 10th century spread widely in Semirechie and on the coasts of the Syr Darya. However, part of the regions professed Christianity (Nestorianism), which came here in the XII-XIII centuries with the Naimans.

For some period, the development of Islam in Kazakhstan was suspended due to the conquest of territories by the Mongols. The Turkic and Mongolian tribes at that time adhered to traditional religions. This trend was preserved under Khan Berke during the period of the Golden Horde, and Khan Uzbek further strengthened it. Sufi Muslims had to carry their religion to the steppes. But soon the missionaries were favored by the leaders of the nomads.

Every year the Muslim religion in Kazakhstan has strengthened its position. Many mosques appeared, often built at the expense of private investments. The deep introduction of Sharia law into the life of the Kazakhs occurred during the reign of the Sultan of Aryn-Gaza.

The 19th century was marked by the influence of the steppe Tatars, who often became mullahs and performed an educational function, contributed to the development of culture and literacy. Later, a modernist direction appeared among Kazakh Muslims - Jadidism, which promotes teaching secular sciences and education in general.

Current situation

So, what is the religion in Kazakhstan today? At present, this Republic is polyconfissional. There are more than 3,000 religious associations here. 40 confessions are represented by more than 2500 cultfacilities.

The main religion in Kazakhstan is Sunni Islam. There are over 1,600 Muslim associations, and more than 1,500 mosques have been built. The number of Muslims in the country reaches almost 9 million, and this category is multinational.

The second place in terms of the number of believers is occupied by Orthodox Christianity, its share is almost 30%. In addition, more than 300,000 Catholics live in Kazakhstan with a solid infrastructure.

But these are not all religions on the territory of Kazakhstan. There are many Protestants, Jews, Buddhists, etc. among the citizens. After gaining independence, the first Buddhist temple was built here, a large number of new mosques, churches, churches, prayer houses, synagogues were erected.

Famous religious buildings

Magnificent buildings of various religious trends adorn the cities of the republic with their architecture, increasing its tourist attractiveness. Among the most famous:

1. Palace of Peace and Accord

2. Nur-Astana Mosque

3. Beit Rachel Synagogue - Habbad Lubavitch

4. Holy Ascension Cathedral5. Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Nur-Astana is the largest mosque in Central Asia, and the Beit Rachel Synagogue - Habbad Lubavitch, respectively, is the largest synagogue in the region.

Those who have ever been to this exotic country know how multinational Kazakhstan is. Religion and freedom of choice- one of the rights of citizens, which is effectively implemented here. Tolerance and mutual respect in relations between confessions is the best way to the harmonious development of society.