Akim of Atyrau oblast Bakytkozha Ismukhambetov. Photo courtesy of azh.kz
Akim (Governor) of Atyrau oblast Bakytkozha Ismukhambetov went all emotional about women dressed in black hijabs at the recent meeting of the Public Youth Council, Ak Zhaiyk writes. “They are dressed like someone has died. What do they want to show by that? They have possess no knowledge or education. What is their future? Same applies to young people growing beards and shortening their trousers. This way is better than women exposing themselves too much, they tell the critics. But let’s not go to extremes. Let’s follow the example of civilized countries,” the Akim said. The Spiritual Management of Muslims of Kazakhstan earlier issued a fetwa (legal judgment or learned interpretation that a mufti can give on issues pertaining to the Islamic law) explaining the rights to wear hijab in Kazakhstan. In one of the recent speeches Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev expressed his opinion about wearing hijabs by Kazakhstan women: “We shouldn’t let Kazakhstan’s people move backwards. We [the Kazakhs] are Sunni Muslims and we have a path of our own. Wearing Arabic hijabs and sending our women back to the Middle Ages is not our path. (…) Elderly ladies have their own well-established preferences in terms of clothes and head covers. Let them decide for themselves what to wear. However, young people wouldn’t turn to wearing hijabs out of their own choice if they weren’t instructed to.” "Our ancestors did not have a tradition of covering the face of a young girl, and it is important that the current generation respects the national tradition when observing Islamic canons. Outside forces are recruiting young people drawing them away from the path of the true Islam and into corrupt teachings. They preach that we are not only supposed to make our sisters and daughters hide their faces, but also stop eating at the same table with them. Their teachings forbid women to drive, move around freely and get an eduction. What would our children be like if we raise them along these guidelines? We are aware of the consequences that policies like that will have. I am leading the young people into the 21st century, into the 22nd century, while these problems would continue drawing you back into the Middle Ages."
Akim (Governor) of Atyrau oblast Bakytkozha Ismukhambetov went all emotional about women dressed in black hijabs at the recent meeting of the Public Youth Council, Ak Zhaiyk writes.
“They are dressed like someone has died. What do they want to show by that? They have possess no knowledge or education. What is their future? Same applies to young people growing beards and shortening their trousers. This way is better than women exposing themselves too much, they tell the critics. But let’s not go to extremes. Let’s follow the example of civilized countries,” the Akim said.
The Spiritual Management of Muslims of Kazakhstan earlier issued a fetwa (legal judgment or learned interpretation that a mufti can give on issues pertaining to the Islamic law) explaining the rights to wear hijab in Kazakhstan.
In one of the recent speeches Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev expressed his opinion about wearing hijabs by Kazakhstan women: “We shouldn’t let Kazakhstan’s people move backwards. We [the Kazakhs] are Sunni Muslims and we have a path of our own. Wearing Arabic hijabs and sending our women back to the Middle Ages is not our path. (…) Elderly ladies have their own well-established preferences in terms of clothes and head covers. Let them decide for themselves what to wear. However, young people wouldn’t turn to wearing hijabs out of their own choice if they weren’t instructed to.”
"Our ancestors did not have a tradition of covering the face of a young girl, and it is important that the current generation respects the national tradition when observing Islamic canons. Outside forces are recruiting young people drawing them away from the path of the true Islam and into corrupt teachings. They preach that we are not only supposed to make our sisters and daughters hide their faces, but also stop eating at the same table with them. Their teachings forbid women to drive, move around freely and get an eduction. What would our children be like if we raise them along these guidelines? We are aware of the consequences that policies like that will have. I am leading the young people into the 21st century, into the 22nd century, while these problems would continue drawing you back into the Middle Ages."