On 6 May, Turkestan (Kazakhstan) hosted the first session of the ‘Collegium of Muftis’ of Turkic States and the ‘Contribution of Turkic Peoples to the Development of Islamic Civilization’ international scientific conference.
Among the main participants of both events there was Secretary General of the Organization of Turkic States Baghdad Amreyev, Minister of Information and Social Development Askar Omarov, Governor of Turkestan Province Umirzak Shukeyev, President of the International Turkic Academy Darkhan Kydyrali, Member of the Council of Elders of the Organization of Turkic States Ikram Adyrbekovich, Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan Nauryzbai Kazhy Taganovich, Head of the Office of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Turkey and Chief Mufti Ali Erbaş and Deputy Chairman of the Caucasus Muslim Board Haji Allahshükür Hummat Pashazade.
The event was also attended by Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kyrgyzstan Zamir Rakiyev, First Deputy Chairman of the Administration of Muslims of Uzbekistan Khamitjan Ishmatbekov, scholars and leading imams of the region.
Photo from the site: muslim.kz
The aim of the ‘Collegium of Muftis’ meeting and the international conference was to promote the common heritage of Turkic-speaking countries. The events talked about the contribution to science and culture by such enlighteners of the Turkic world as Korkyt Ata, Maulana, Navavi, Manasa, Maturidi and Abu Hanifa, considered issues of religious education, implementation of joint projects, increased consolidation of the Muslim Ummah in response to global challenges, discussed the celebration of religious holidays on the same day, adoption of common fatwas and prevention of negative propaganda of destructive religious movements.
At the ‘Contribution of Turkic Peoples to the Development of Islamic Civilization’ conference, speakers noted that Turkic people shared the history, culture and literature, spiritual values of the medieval Islamic civilization and pre-Islamic era.
According to written sources, common history and culture of Turkic peoples sates back to ancient times. Until the VIII century that era was called ‘Turan’, and in the Middle Ages – ‘Turkestan’. Although the Turks were divided into ethnic groups, the name ‘Turkestan’ remained the same until the formation of the Soviet Union and today’s Central Asia.
The involvement of the Turks in the history of Islam began in the VIII century. In the subsequent period, it is impossible to separate the history of the Turks from the history of Islam.
Scientific discoveries and literary works emerged in the Turkic Islamic world in the VIII-XV centuries gave a new impetus to the development of world culture and civilization.
During the event, Muftis of the Turkic States visited the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. Yasawi, a philosopher, Islamic preacher and Sufi poet, made an invaluable contribution to the cultural and political space of the Islamic world, shaping the Islamic worldview of the Turks.
‘The history of the Turkic world lies in the history of Turkestan,’ said Umirzak Shukeyev, Akim of the Turkestan region. He noted: ‘At the informal summit of the Council of Turkic-speaking States on March 31, 2021, the common goals and plans of the brotherly countries were widely discussed. Within the framework of the summit, the Turkestan Declaration was adopted and officially designated as ‘Turkestan – Spiritual Capital of the Turkic World’. Its history and spiritual development should become a reference point for consolidation of the brotherly countries’.
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Photo: kazislam.kz