Deputy Kamal Burkhanov is against “arabisation” of Kazakhstan. He shared his views on religion during a discussion of the draft law On religious activities and religious institutions by the Public Chamber of Majilis (lower chamber of the Parliament), Tengrinews.kz reports. “One cannot change the ancestors’ culture by chasing an Islamic culture. There is no need to be torn between Kazakh and Arab cultures. Calling young women to wear a hijab, we need to remember that Kazakh women never wore hijabs. How could they have worn these in nomadic conditions? They were wearing bloomers, they were horse-riding. Women were busy with housework and children, sharing all the hardships of nomad life with men,” Burkhanov noted. “Today's young people are the backbone of our society tomorrow. They should not be constrained and brainwashed with ideas and thoughts of retarded parts of the world community, preaching alien traditions to them. For example, elements of traditional Arabic culture are shown as samples of ritual Muslim clothes. "Clothes have to comply with young people way of life. It has to be pretty, modern, comfortable, fashionable and progressive. That is why excessive fanaticism of some of our people over Arabic clothes in everyday life is unacceptable. Arab clothes that we frequently see in the streets nowadays, is actually medieval national clothes of Arab women. These are elements of the national clothes, but not signs of Islamic culture at all. "We have to remember that Arab countries have different mentality, different culture, including the religious one,” Kamal Burkhanov said. According to him, Kazakhstan has to follow the path of its own ancestors, who never wore clothes as religious symbols, and should not create proconditions for a spiritual split of the nation’s society. “This should not happen, and our community should not allow the doctrines that are foreign to us penetrate our minds. Yes, we are on good terms with Arabs, Persians, Uzbeks and other Islamic people. But being an nation, we, Kazakhs, have our own rich culture, that we have to save for our future generations,” the deputy stated.
Deputy Kamal Burkhanov is against “arabisation” of Kazakhstan. He shared his views on religion during a discussion of the draft law On religious activities and religious institutions by the Public Chamber of Majilis (lower chamber of the Parliament), Tengrinews.kz reports.
“One cannot change the ancestors’ culture by chasing an Islamic culture. There is no need to be torn between Kazakh and Arab cultures. Calling young women to wear a hijab, we need to remember that Kazakh women never wore hijabs. How could they have worn these in nomadic conditions? They were wearing bloomers, they were horse-riding. Women were busy with housework and children, sharing all the hardships of nomad life with men,” Burkhanov noted.
“Today's young people are the backbone of our society tomorrow. They should not be constrained and brainwashed with ideas and thoughts of retarded parts of the world community, preaching alien traditions to them. For example, elements of traditional Arabic culture are shown as samples of ritual Muslim clothes.
"Clothes have to comply with young people way of life. It has to be pretty, modern, comfortable, fashionable and progressive. That is why excessive fanaticism of some of our people over Arabic clothes in everyday life is unacceptable. Arab clothes that we frequently see in the streets nowadays, is actually medieval national clothes of Arab women. These are elements of the national clothes, but not signs of Islamic culture at all.
"We have to remember that Arab countries have different mentality, different culture, including the religious one,” Kamal Burkhanov said.
According to him, Kazakhstan has to follow the path of its own ancestors, who never wore clothes as religious symbols, and should not create proconditions for a spiritual split of the nation’s society. “This should not happen, and our community should not allow the doctrines that are foreign to us penetrate our minds. Yes, we are on good terms with Arabs, Persians, Uzbeks and other Islamic people. But being an nation, we, Kazakhs, have our own rich culture, that we have to save for our future generations,” the deputy stated.