THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY OF KYRGYZSTAN IN 1991-2013: GROWING PAINS
Keywords:
Islam, the Muslim community, Kyrgyzstan, the SAMK, Mufti, revival, Kurultai, kazyiat, struggle, confrontation, the State Commission, mosque, madrassah, the Ulema Council.Abstract
The author analyzes the current state of affairs in the Muslim community of Kyrgyzstan and its relations with the state.
Emerging and developing amid never ending conflict, the community has inevitably become relatively radicalized (the faithful -are divided into jamaats) and, at times, destructive.
The author offers his own cures for the old and new problems of relations between the state and the Muslim community, the resolution of which is absolutely indispensable for their future development
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References
See: K. Murzakhalilov, “Transformatsia institutov musulmanskoy obshchiny Kyrgyzstana v Rossii na rubezhe XX-XXI vv.,” Information portal Islam in the CIS, 26 December, 2013.
See: R. Silantiev, Noveyshaia istoria islama v Rossii, Moscow, 1997, 105 pp.
Sadykjan kary Kamalov, born in 1950 in the Kara Suu District of Uzbekistan. Between 1977 and 1986, he was imam of a mosque in Osh; in 1987 the CASAM Presidium appointed him Kazy of Kirghizia; he was also a member of the same presidium and received his religious education at the Mir Arab Madrassah in Bukhara and the Al-Asmariya University in Libya, graduating with a Masters degree in theology. Today he heads the International Center of Islamic Cooperation in Kyr-gyzstan situated in Osh and the Sadykjan kary Kamaluddin Madrassah in Kara Suu.
Central State Archives of the Kyrgyz Republic (TsGA KR), rec. gr. 2597, inv. 2, f. 133, p. 65.
Kimsanbay azhy Abdrakhmanov, born in 1940 in the Batken District of Kirghizia; in Soviet times, he received a primary private religious education (hujra) and continued his education at Al-Asmariya University (the Shari‘a and Laws Faculty); between 1980 and 1990, he taught at Bukhara Mir Arab University; today he is imam of the Makhmud Kashkari mosque in Bishkek.
See: A. Khalid, “Politika antiterrorizma v Tsentralnoy Azii,” Neprikosnovenny zapas, No. 4 (66), 2009.
See: O. Mamayusupov, K. Murzakhalilov, K. Mamataliev, Islam v Kyrgyzstane: tendentsii razvitia, Osh, 2004, 350 pp.
The Spiritual Administration is headed by a mufti, hence the frequently used term Muftiat.
In December 2013, the SAMK had the following structures: (1) Mufti of the Muslims of Kyrgyzstan; (2) Naib-Mufti;
(3) advisor to Mufti; (4) hajj department; (5) fatwa department; (6) da’wah department; (7) halal certification and standards committee; (8) youth and women department; (9) department of Islamic economics; (10) department of construction; (11) law department; (12) department of madrassahs and mosques; (13) information and public relations department; (14) administra-tion; and (15) secretariat, available at [http://muftiyat.kg/].
See: N. Kurbanova, Proiavlenia politicheskogo islama v postsovetskikh tsentralnoaziatskikh gosudarstvakh na ru-bezhe XX-XXI vv, Altyn tamga, Bishkek, 2008, 184 pp.
See: K. Osmonaliev, K. Murzakhalilov, K. Mamataliev, Mezhdunarodnye normy, obespechivaiushchie svobody sovesty i veroispovedania. Zakonodatelnye i normativno-pravovye akty Kyrgyzskoy Respubliki, reguliruiushchie sferu religii,Osh, 2010, 151 pp.
See: “Na kurultae v Bishkeke izbrano rukovodstvo musulman Kirgizii,” Interfax, 26 December, 1996.
See: “Bolshinstvo musulman Kirgizii podderzhvaiut ideiu provedenia kurultaia—Initsiativnaia gruppa,” Interfax,22 December, 1996.
According to the Charter of the kazyiat, the right to elect and reelect the kazy belonged to the conference of the re-gion’s imams; the region’s kazy was elected for 5 years in September 1995.
The Charter of the Kazyiat of the Muslims of the Osh Region was registered at the Osh Regional Administration of Justice on 7 September, 1995.
See: M. Khamidov, “Skandal v blagorodnom semeystve”, Slovo Kyrgyzstana, 3 October, 1996, p. 4.
See: “V blizhaishee vremia v Kirgizii proidet kurultai respubliki,” Interfax-Religia, 4 November, 1996.
See: “Bolshinstvo musulman Kirgizii podderzhvaiut ideiu provedenia kurultaya—Initsiativnaia gruppa.”
See: O. Mamayusupov, Voprosy (problemy) religii na perekhodnom periode, Gos. Kommissia pri Pravitelstve Kyr-
gyzskoy Respuliki po delam religiy, Bishkek, 2003, 353 pp.
See: Ibidem.
See: M. Zulfiya, “Kyrgyzstan: Krizis v otnosheniiakh mezhdu gosudarstvom i dukhovenstvom uglubliaetsia,” Tsen-
tralnaia Azia, No. 7, 1997.
See: Muratali azhy Zhumanov, The Road of Islam in the Country, Bishkek, 2004, 67 pp. (in Kyrgyz).
See: O. Mamayusupov, K. Murzakhalilov, K. Mamataliev, op. cit.
Moldo Abdusatar Majitov (1932-2009), a Kyrgyz who lived in the village of Oruk Zar, Kdamjay District, Batken
Region, which until 1991 belonged to Tajikistan, received a private religious education from many religious figures of Uzbeki-stan and Tajikistan; under Soviet power clandestinely taught fundamentals of the Shari‘a and fiqh; was a respected authority on the Shari‘a. Until his last days, he remained the spiritual teacher at the Khazreti Usman madrassah, which he set up himself.
oday, many of the madrassahs of Kyrgyzstan hire his pupils as heads and mudarices (teachers).
See: O. Moldaliev, “Islamic Extremism in Central Asia,” Central Asia and the Caucasus, No. 5, 2000.
See: M. uulu Taabaldy, “Avoid Temptations and Follow Your Straight Road,” El sozu, 3 May, 2011 (in Kyrgyz).
See: V. Khliupin, “Islam v Tsentralnoy Azii: realnaia ‘hizbutizatsia’ na smenu falshivoy ‘demokratii’?” Izvestia,2 December, 2000.
See: “V Dukhovnom upravlenii musulman Kirgizii proizoshla smena rukovodstva,” RIA Novosti, 13 August, 2002.
See: “V Kirgizii za narushenie zakonov shariata smeshchen s posta mufti,” Interfax-Religiya,” 15 August, 2002.
See: N.N. Shadrova, “Gosudarstvo i religia: put k edinstvu i dialogu,” in: Buddhism i Khristianstvo v kulturnom nasledii Tsentralnoy Azii, Mater. mezhdunar. konf., 3-5 oktyabrya 2002, Bishkek, 2003, pp. 240-248.
Muratali azhy Zhumanov (1 May, 1973-7 July, 2010) was born in the village Yntymak, Nookat District, Osh Region;
graduated from the Khazreti Usman madrassah in Kyzyl-Kyia and Islamic Institute in Ufa (Baskiria, RF). Until 1996, was a mudaris at the madrassah and later imam of the mosque in Kyzyl-Kyia. Between 1996 and 1998, was deputy of the kazy of Osh Region; between 1999 and 2002 was SAMK Executive Secretary, first deputy of the Mufti of the Muslims of Kyrgyzstan.
etween August 2002 and April 2010, served as Mufti of the republic’s Muslims; resigned in the wake of the April 2010 events. On 21 April, 2010, was beaten in his home and abducted by unidentified persons; the abductors demanded $1 million for his freedom; he died under dubious circumstances. His contribution to the development of religious and spiritual values of the Muslims of Kyrgyzstan cannot be underestimated.
See: O. Mamayusupov, K. Murzakhalilov, K. Mamataliev, Kratkiy analiz religioznykh system v Kyrgyzstane, Bishkek,2006, 172 pp.
See: E. Usubaliev, “Perspektivy uchastiia musulman Kyrgyzstana v politike,” Analitika, 27 December, 2008.
See: The Law of the Kyrgyz Republic on the Freedom of Religion and Religious Organizations in the Kyrgyz Republic No. 282, 31 December, 2008.
See: S. Dyushenbiev, “Islam v sovremennom Kyrgyzstane: sostoianie i problemy,” Religiovedenie, No. 3, 2011,pp. 107-126.
On 6 June, 2010, fifteen young men headed by Ruslan azhy Zhumagulov (kazy of the Chu Region) burst into the
SAMK offices where the kazys were holding a meeting and demanded immediate resignation of Suyun azhy Kuluev. The mufti was beaten up, kidnapped, and detained until he did what was wanted of him. A medical examination registered numerous traces of severe beating and concussion; he was placed under a dropper (see: “Pobili muftia, trebuia otstavki,” Delo No., 9 June,2010).
At that time, the author who worked at the State Commission for Religious Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic as Depu-ty Director was involved in the stabilization efforts.
N. Kurbanova, “Chto-to ne tak v ‘sviatom semeystve,’ ili O problemakh gosudarstvenno-islamskikh otnosheniy v Kyrgyzskoy respublike,” Slovo Kyrgyzstana, 8 August, 2012.
See: Z. Baktybaev, “V konflikt vokrug muftia vmeshalas obshchestvennost,” Radio Azattyk, 30 June, 2012.
See: “Ex-verkhovny Mufti Kyrgyzstana Chubak azhy Zhalilov nakhoditsia pod podpiskoy o nevyezde,” K-News Information portal, 14 December, 2012.
See: E. kyzy Beyshenbek, “Mufti stal geroem skandalnogo video,” Radio Azattyk, 1 January, 2014.
Under the draft Charter, the Mufti would be removed from financial and economic issues; his deputy would be ex-pected to deal with money; the authors of the draft charter meant that the Academy would be engaged in teaching and compil-ing curricula, accreditations, and licensing religious educational establishments. The mufti nominated a candidate to the post of the head of the Academy to be endorsed by the Ulema Council. The decision has not been executed.
See: Sh. Turaev, “Predstaviteli muftiata Kyrgyzstana oprovergaiut obvineniia v svoy adres,” Information Agency 24.kg, 15 November, 2013.
See: B. Malikova, “Abdilatif Zhumabaev: ‘Muftiat nuzhdaetsia v reforme,’” Vecherniy Bishkek, 10 January, 2014.
See: A. Yalovkina, “Poyavlenie pornograficheskogo video s muftiem udarilo po islamu,” Vecherny Bishkek, 8 Janu-ary, 2014.
The information that appeared on the Internet about Head of the SAMK R. Egemberdiev damaged not only his family,but also all Muslims (see: SAMK, AKIpress Information Agency, 4 January, 2014).
See: “Mufti R. Egemberdiev nazval imena chinovnikov, kotorykh on podozrevaet v rasprostranenii skandalnogo video,” AKIpress IA, 7 January, 2014.
See: Zh. Akaev, “Mufti: Est pravda, kotoruiu dolzhen znat president,” Radio Azattyk, 7 January, 2014.
See: A. Stenin, “Lider musulman Kirgizii ostavil post posle sex-skandala,” RIA Novosti, 14 January, 2014.
See: “Goskomreligiy: Mufti R. Egemberdiev pytaetsia smestit vnimanie ot skandala vokrug sebia,” AKI press IA,7 January, 2014.
See: “Sovet ulemov naznachil i.o. muftia M. Toktomusheva, vopros utverzhdeniia budet reshatsia na kurultaie,”AKIpress IA, 7 January, 2014.
See: E. kyzy Sagyndyk, “Kurultai musulman Kyrgyzstana utverdil Maksatbeka azhy Toktomusheva verkhovnym muftiem DUMK,” 24.kg IA, 4 March, 2014.
This was done to prevent the mufti’s unilateral decisions on all sorts of applications and complaints addressed to him;the mufti cannot be chairman of the Ulema Council.
See: E. kyzy Sagyndyk, “DUMK: perezagruzka,” 24.kg IA, 5 March, 2014.
See: “Kurultai musulman prinial novy Ustav DUMK,” AKIpress IA, 4 March, 2014.
See: Z. Baktybaev, “Muftiat opredelilsia s kandidatom,” Radio Azattyk, 14 January, 2014.
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