MP supported Imam's Statements About Kazakh Traditions

Famous imam Nurlan Baizhigituly has stated that national traditions allegedly not falling into line with religious norms is an unfounded claim, and the custom of covering the face and wearing black clothes is historically foreign to Kazakhs. 

Nurlan Imam, a well-known religious figure, once invited to a dinner party with the US President, spoke out against the hardline interpretation of Islam on the air with Kazakh Radio. He emphasized that the custom of covering one's face, which some proselytizers are now actively promoting to Kazakhstanis, does not align with either Sharia or national traditions.

Covering yourself in all black and covering your face is contrary to our traditions and customs. This has never happened in the history of the Kazakhs and should not occur in the future. Faith is not measured by the fact that a person should wear closed clothes to the point that only the eyes are visible. Proper upbringing of the younger generation, fidelity in marriage, preserving family values, and honest work - this is the righteous path,said Nurlan Imam.

The imam said Kazakhstanis must resist the campaigning of foreign religious ideas, recalling Kazakhs' historical association of black clothing not with religion but with mourning.

Majilis deputy and former vice-minister of education Murat Abenov supported Nurlan Imam. He emphasized that the country needs clergy who would also clarify their position and reflect the mufti's official point of view.

Recently, there have been many who preach that the traditions of the Kazakh people, which have existed since ancient times, are haram and that things and clothing are wrong. There have been many proselytizers who say: 'Do not play the dombra, do not bow while greeting, cover your face, do not cut the string (a reference to Kazakh tradition - Ed.).' But the Kazakh people accepted Islam according to the Abu Hanifa madhhab, that is, the Hanafi madhhab, preserving traditions that do not contradict Islam,noted Murat Abenov.

The deputy recalled that Kazakhs had long ago abandoned historical traditions that contradicted the norms of Islam. For example, they stopped burying the dead with horses and belongings. 

All the traditions of the Kazakh people that still exist are national values that are compliant with religion. There is no need to revise them. For us, the Hanafi madhhab is important because it soundly combines Islamic values with national traditions, Murat Abenovsummed up. 

This is not the first time that religious figures and politicians have spoken out against the advocating of foreign traditions and fundamentalism among Kazakhstanis.

In the fall of 2023, information emerged that wearing hijabs and other religious clothing in public places could be banned in Kazakhstan. In March 2024, President Qasym-Jomart Toqayev openly spoke out against the archaic norms promoted by radical neophytes and called for focusing on the norms of Hanafi madhhab, traditional for Kazakhstani Muslims. 

Original Author: Nikita Drobny 

DISCLAIMER: This is a translated piece. The text has been modified, the content is the same. For accuracy, please refer to the original article posted on 25/07/25 in Russian.