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Primarily based on anecdotal proof, Islam’s reputation has been rising in Turkmen society within the final decade. What explains this obvious rise in religiosity in Turkmenistan?
Islam was launched to the territories of recent Turkmenistan throughout the ninth and tenth centuries following the Islamic conquests of Central Asia. In line with U.S. authorities estimates, 89 p.c of the nation’s inhabitants is Muslim (principally Sunni) as of 2021, whereas 9 p.c of the inhabitants is Jap Orthodox, and the remaining 2 p.c establish as “different.” Primarily based on the structure of the nation, Turkmenistan is a secular state, which ensures a separation of faith from the state and its politics. The structure additionally gives freedom of faith and the correct of people to decide on their faith, categorical their non secular beliefs, and take part in non secular observances and ceremonies.
Throughout Turkmenistan’s historical past underneath the Soviet Union (1925-1991), working towards Islam was closely restricted for the Turkmen inhabitants. Most mosques and non secular colleges have been closed. Soviet officers burned Arabic books and didn’t permit Muslims to carry political workplaces. Consequently, Islam was largely faraway from public life. By the Nineteen Seventies, most restrictions on non secular practices have been considerably relaxed, but boundaries have been nonetheless felt and visual. For example, the holy month of Ramadan and different non secular holidays have been allowed to be celebrated publicly. Whereas some mosques have been reopened, non secular colleges, a lot of mosques, and non secular organizations have been nonetheless restricted.
Within the years following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the primary president of Turkmenistan, Saparmurat Niyazov, changed Soviet propaganda with a nationalistic Turkmen id, which had some frequent values with Islam. Spiritual celebrations and rituals have been allowed to happen and have been made public holidays within the nation. Mosques have been additionally reopened. However, faith was nonetheless tightly managed by the state and restrictions have grown tremendously once more since independence. Rising a beard for males, which is inspired in Islam, was forbidden in Turkmenistan in 2004 and that restriction solely loosened lately.
In line with the 1991 Regulation of Turkmenistan on Freedom of Conscience and Spiritual Organizations, all non secular teams are required to register with the Ministry of Justice. The registration course of is lengthy and tedious. Unregistered non secular exercise turned an offense underneath Article 205 of the Code of Administrative Offenses. Furthermore, solely registered non secular organizations may carry non secular books from overseas, virtually banning the import of any non secular books by a personal citizen. Muftis, Islamic clerics, are appointed by the federal government, which successfully permits Ashgabat to manage the non secular narrative.
Turkmenistan has repeatedly been designated as a Nation of Specific Concern (CPC) by the U.S. State Division since 2014 for having engaged in or tolerated significantly extreme violations of non secular freedoms. On November 15, 2021, the U.S. Secretary of State once more designated Turkmenistan as a CPC, but in addition as soon as once more waived sanctions on account of an unspecified “essential nationwide curiosity of the USA.”
Elites Embrace Islam
Serdar Berdimuhamedov was inaugurated as Turkmenistan’s new president on March 19, 2022, throughout continued pandemic-related lockdowns (regardless of Turkmenistan not formally registering any circumstances of COVID-19). Quickly after, on March 29, Berdimuhamedov issued an order easing the lockdown within the nation, together with the reopening of mosques that had been closed for the reason that spring of 2020. The brand new president signed a decree on April 23, with the purpose of pardoning 514 prisoners in honor of the sacred Gadyr gijesi (generally known as Laylatul Qadr in Islam). On Might 3, Serdar permitted proposals from the heads of the nation’s 5 areas for the development of latest mosques. After which Berdimuhamedov made his first international journey overseas as president, touring to Saudi Arabia with the purpose of performing a small pilgrimage to Mecca on June 1.
All of those gestures have been made inside the first 74 days of his presidency. Nephews of the president’s father, former President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov, equivalent to Shamyrat Rejepov, and others (who management massive industries within the nation) began sharing non secular posts on their public Instagram accounts frequently after Serdar took energy. Some individuals declare that the rising inclusion of faith by the political class stems from the rising reputation of Islam among the many wider Turkmen society and Serdar is utilizing that to his benefit by utilizing faith as a software to extend his personal reputation.
Though Turkmen have recognized with Islam for hundreds of years, the observe and public shows of faith weren’t that obvious, as Turkmen tradition was all the time prioritized over Islamic practices (regardless of many similarities). Victoria Clement notes that Turkmen created intensive and wealthy non secular practices, however these have been typically combined with pre-Islamic practices or honed to swimsuit the nomadic way of life. Nevertheless, Islam has turn out to be more and more widespread amongst extraordinary and elite Turkmen within the final decade. Naming newborns with Arabic and Islamic names have turn out to be widespread amongst Turkmen dad and mom. Furthermore, not solely extraordinary Turkmen but in addition elites, pop stars, artists, and well-known bloggers have began selling Islam, sharing Quranic quotes frequently. Fasting throughout the month of Ramadan has additionally turn out to be extra widespread, too. Such a fast and decentralized rise of Islam among the many inhabitants has not been seen for the reason that Soviet period.
What Explains the Rising Recognition of Islam Amongst Atypical Turkmen?
We will look again to the institution of Turkish non-public colleges run by the Gulen motion, the primary of which opened in Turkmenistan again in 1993, as producing larger basic curiosity in Islam. In complete, the group opened and ran 17 colleges, 10 schooling facilities (instructing international languages, math, and know-how), and one college in Turkmenistan. These colleges have been considered as among the many greatest within the nation; they have been widespread colleges of high quality for the kids of elites. They taught primarily science and know-how, but in addition launched and inspired their college students to observe the essential tenets and preachings of Islam. The Gulen colleges produced tens of hundreds of graduates within the almost 20 years of their existence earlier than their closure in 2011. Those that realized on the establishments invariably influenced their household, buddies, and neighbors.
Turkey additionally turned the most important receiver of Turkmen migrant staff during the last decade and these migrants introduced again what they’ve realized about Islam to their social networks. Lastly, Turkish TV channels and TV reveals have additionally turn out to be extra widespread amongst Turkmen, which additionally taught Turkish tradition to the Turkmen viewers, together with Turkish understandings of Islam.
Though Islam has been part of Turkmen tradition for hundreds of years, public observe of Islam was largely suppressed throughout the Soviet Union and within the early independence period, too. Regardless of that historical past, one can observe a revival and rising reputation of Islam amongst each the extraordinary and elite lessons of Turkmen society, arguably partly due to deepening connections to Turkish society and Turkish understandings and observe of Islam. Consequently, the nation’s new president noticed it might be advantageous to faucet into that reputation and maybe improve his personal.
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