The state religion of Turkmenistan is Islam. What is the religion of the Turkmens in Turkmenistan?

The development of Islam in the country, the construction of mosques and their demolition, training, as well as the appointment of clergy, are under the control of the state. Society in Turkmenistan is historically passive, and the narrow stratum that could influence political life, was trampled down during the time of Saparmurat Niyazov. Even in the most religious areas of Turkmenistan there are no Islamic political structures.

As a result, the country turned into a dead sea politically. Political Islam did not spread either. Unlike its neighbors, Turkmenistan avoided the appearance of “Wahhabi” groups and their agents of influence on its territory. However, there is a proliferation of a specific form of the Naqshbandi order on the border with Uzbekistan.

Turkmens have never gravitated towards radical Islamic teachings, but poverty and an ideological vacuum can give rise to such a craving.

Turkmenistan belongs to the Hanafi madhhab of Sunni Islam. Turkmens, as a nomadic people, are not characterized by active ritual religiosity, as, for example, by Tajiks and Uzbeks. To perform religious rituals, they only need privacy.

Islam is it

In the early 1990s, when Niyazov was just beginning to transform from a party leader into a leader of the nation, Islam was useful to him in building a new national idea. He used Islam as a means at hand, but only in forms defined and regulated by the state. Back in 1993, he stated that Turkmenistan was returning to Islam not so much as a religion with dogmatic postulates, but as part of the national culture.

In order to control religious activities, the Gengeshi (Council) for Religious Affairs was created in 1994, completely subordinate to the president of the country.

As he consolidated his power, Niyazov tried to usurp Islamic symbolism and convey to the people the idea that Islam was him, demanding that his work, the Rukhnama, be listed along with the Koran. Mosques received official orders to keep at least 2 copies of the Ruhnama, and quotes from it were carved on the walls of many mosques. For some time, those close to Niyazov thought about declaring him a prophet, but they changed their minds in time.

In 1997, more than half of the mosques operating in the country did not undergo re-registration. However, they continued to act with the tacit consent of local authorities. At the same time, many imams silently ignored the official instruction to take an oath of allegiance to the homeland and the president after each prayer. This state of affairs did not suit the authorities, which led to purges in the ranks of disloyal imams.

In 2000, under the banner of the fight against extremism, the authorities began a campaign against dissidents. As a result, 40 thousand copies of the Koran, translated into Turkmen by the disgraced Hadjaakhmet Orazklychev, were burned.

In 2003, a high-profile trial was held against the Mufti of Turkmenistan Nasrullah ibn Abadullah, who reacted sharply negatively to the order to paint mosques along with texts from the Koran with quotes from the Ruhnama. In addition, he refused to recognize Niyazov as God's vicegerent. The former mufti was sentenced to 22 years. Subsequently, religious figures of the level of Nasrullah ibn Abadullah did not lead the muftiate. Preference was given to candidates who were less educated in religious terms, but more loyal in political terms. Moreover, all imams are actually civil servants receiving salaries from the state, and therefore are very vulnerable.

In the spring of 2006, Niyazov said that anyone who reads his book “Rukhnama” three times will become smart, understand nature, laws and human values. And then he will go straight to heaven. He claimed that he himself asked Allah for this method of identifying the righteous.

Rukhnamization of the entire country has become the most important component secular religion, as well as the main line that determines state policy in relation to religious associations.
In the 1990s. On the territory of Turkmenistan, in some villages, two mosques began to function simultaneously: one was state-owned, the other was a prayer house, where local residents gathered to not only perform religious rituals, but also discuss pressing problems. State religious oppression caused discontent among ordinary Muslims.

During the Niyazov era, luxurious mosques were built. But the majority of the population reacted coolly to these masterpieces, so they were not popular.

Training of religious personnel

Religious education has been under strict government control since the reign of Niyazov. Since the 1990s Almost no religious literature entered the country. For some time, it was possible to maintain the purity of teaching in Turkish schools, but in 2000 Niyazov declared that all madrassas and religious schools should be closed. According to him, it was enough to have one madrasah operating under the control of the muftiate. Thus, he expressed distrust of Islamic structures after the discovery of underground structures of Islamic radicals in the north of Turkmenistan, which were used by the Uzbek opposition as transit bases.

In addition, 300 foreign (mostly Iranian) preachers were deported.

In 2005, the only Faculty of Theology in the entire country was closed in Turkmenistan (now it is the theology department of the Faculty of History), and contracts with Turkish theologians, who mainly taught there, were terminated, and the number of students sharply decreased.

Atageldy Nuryev, Ashgabat

David Stanley/flickr.com

About the country

Turkmenistan is the most interesting country in Central Asia. This country is the ancestor of many cultures and traditions. The Great Silk Road passed through it. The culture of Turkmenistan is simply saturated with ancient monuments. The country's population is original and carefully preserves its centuries-old culture. The colorful nature has given this corner unique landscapes and a variety of natural complexes. Lifeless deserts alternate with beautiful mountain landscapes. Green oases flow into the endless landscape of the sea coast.

Geography of Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan is a state in Central Asia. Turkmenistan's neighbors in the south: Afghanistan and Iran. In the north: Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The west of the country is washed by the Caspian Sea. The Karakum Desert occupies most of the country. The Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay is located off the coast of the Caspian Sea. Its unique feature is that it is 35 meters below sea level. Turkmenistan is a mountainous country. In the south and southwest of the country there are the Kopetdag and Paropamisa mountains. So there is one of the largest salt lakes - Sarykamysh. The main river of Turkmenistan is the Amu Darya. From natural resources The country has non-ferrous metals, rare earth metals, oil, gas, rock salts. Vegetation in deserts consists mainly of saxaul, kandym and various other shrubs. The hot dunes of the desert are sometimes covered with greenery after the autumn rains. The most interesting thing for a traveler is the vegetation of the mountains. Tugai forests grow along the rivers. Trees: turagni, silver sucker. The fauna of Turkmenistan is also diverse. More than 90 mammals live in the mountains and deserts of the country - these are rare animals - kulan, leopard, snow leopard, saiga, argali. Pelicans and flamingos can be found among the 300 species of birds. A unique natural area is the Er-0ylan-Duz basin, the bottom of which is filled with a salt lake and salt marshes. The entire landscape is complemented by long-extinct ancient volcanoes.

The country's area is 491,200 km²

Population

About 4,884,887 people live on the territory of Turkmenistan.

The official currency is Manat (TMT).

Official language - Turkmen

Needed. Obtained at the consulate

Climate

Turkmenistan has a very arid climate. In January, temperatures reach + 4 degrees in the south of the country and – 5 in the northeast. There were cases of frosts down to -22. In the desert, the temperature dropped to 20 - 32 degrees Celsius. In the summer months, temperatures remain around + 28 C in the northeast and near the Caspian Sea. In the south the heat reaches +34C. If you want to visit the mountains, then the temperature there rarely reaches +17 C. In the center of the country, in desert areas, the temperature rises to +50 in the sun. But when the sun sets, the heat drops to + 15 – 17C. Frosts are common in desert areas in spring and autumn. The rainfall season in Turkmenistan falls on winter period, when up to 77 mm of rain falls. In summer, precipitation is rare, and in the Karakum Desert there is none at all in summer. In winter, air humidity is no more than 60%. The sharply continental climate of Turkmenistan is characterized by strong climates - cold from Kazakhstan (in winter), and hot from the mountain slopes (in summer). The most favorable time for travel is spring and autumn. April – June. September – November.

Sights of Turkmenistan

For a tourist traveling around Turkmenistan, it is best to begin his acquaintance with this country from the “city of love”. This is how the capital of the country, Ashgabat, is translated. The city is located in the southwest of the country, in a large oasis near the Kopetdag mountains. The city itself is young. Formed around a Russian fortress in 1881. In 1885, a branch of the Caspian Railway began to run through the city. This gave a strong impetus to the development of Ashgabat. In 1948, on October 6, Ashgabat was razed to the ground. powerful earthquake. More than 110 thousand people died on that terrible day. But the city was built from scratch in less than 20 years. In Ashgabat, I recommend visiting the Tolkuchka bazaar, where you can buy traditional Turkmen carpets, which are brought here from all over the country. Instead of the market, you can go to the capital's Carpet Museum. This is the only building of its kind in the world. The museum contains carpets dating back to the 17th century. Not far from Ashgabat you can visit the site of Anau-Depe (IV-III thousand years BC). Archaeological excavations are currently underway there. Scientists claim that these foothill oases were home to many civilizations in ancient times. It is worth visiting the Anau fortress (III century BC - III century AD) and the ruins of the city of Anau with a mosque to see this. Near Ashgabat remains silent ancient monument architecture - the ruins of the capital of the Parthian state - Nisa. A huge number of clay tablets, remains of neighborhoods, houses, document archives and works of art were discovered on the territory of Nisa. Be sure to take a walk along the hiking trail in the Serdaor-Ely mountains. Her path lies through the most beautiful places Kopetgad. Traces of ancient civilizations lead to the most ancient region of Central Asia - to the oasis of Merv. It was here that the first traces of irrigation in these parts were discovered. The find dates back to the Bronze Age. The very origin of the city of Mevre is shrouded in mystery. It was here that Omar Khayyam, al-Samani and Imamad din-Isfahani lived and created their works. The city of Mary is the third largest in Turkmenistan. Located in the middle of the Karakum in a large oasis. Founded in 1884 by Russians as an administrative center near ancient Merv. In the city you can visit the History Museum. There you will see a huge collection of Turkmen carpets from different times, national clothes, sets of silver and gold. Be sure to visit the local history and ethnographic exhibition. Turkmenbashi (formerly Krasnovodsk) is the only port city in the country. All communication with Europe and Russia goes through it. From the east the city is surrounded by low mountains. In the west it is washed by the waves of the Caspian Sea. You can have a good rest on the coast of the Caspian Sea. Clean beaches, warm clear water, rich flora and fauna. All available sports will be open to you.

Kitchen

Turkmen cuisine is close to many Asian cuisines - especially Uzbek and Tajik. Milk and meat became the main products for Turkmens in desert conditions. In this country you need to try lamb meat. He is always praised. Mountain goat meat is also often consumed. True Turkmen cuisine is characterized by pure meat dishes, without admixture of other products. Heat-treated meat is served without side dishes.

Transport

Roads in Turkmenistan are poorly developed, it’s all about the features geographical location states. It is impossible to lay highways through the desert. So far the government cannot solve this problem. Turkmenistan has a railway, but not an electrified one. The trains are mostly old Soviet or old Chinese. All this infrastructure needs investment and is poorly developed. Air transport is the best developed in Turkmenistan. International airport allows you to fly in and out of the country to almost anywhere in the world. In Ashgabat there is an airport in a modern building. On the board you will always see information about current flights. The quality of air transportation in the country is at a good level. Only one state-owned company is engaged in air transportation. As for the capital of Turkmenistan, in order for a tourist to quickly explore the city, it is best to take a taxi. The whole city is swarming with taxi drivers. Any person who has a car is already starting to taxi. This is now the only inexpensive and good opportunity to get around the city. Public transport is poorly developed, and therefore all residents of Ashgabat use the services of taxi drivers. The fare is not expensive. Finding a free car is quite easy - you just need to go to the side of the road and vote. The required car will arrive immediately.

Currency exchange

The local currency is Manat. It is equal to 100 tenge. The exchange rate for June 2011 is 1 RUB = 0.1 TMT. There are banknotes in denominations of 5, 50, 100, 500, 1000, 5000, 10000 manats in the country. And also 1 manat. Change (tenge) in coins - 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 tenge. Despite the fact that the manat is the only legal means of purchase and sale, it is often possible to purchase rare or precious goods for another currency. Bank opening hours. Monday – Friday. From 10-30 to 17-30. If you want to change currency, I recommend changing only at banks and exchange offices. I do not recommend using the services of private money changers, due to their frequent fraud. You can pay with a credit card only in very large stores in Ashgabat.

Electricity

220V/50Hz (C/E standard sockets)

Religion

The main religion of Turkmenistan is Islam. This is the first state in Asia that began to officially profess this religion. But the faith in this region is slightly different and has distinct differences. Many centuries before Islam, tribal relations developed in the country, and these relations sometimes strongly contradict religious scriptures. In cities and in remote areas, all Turkmen are clearly divided into different tribal groups. Each group has its own dialect, embroidery style, and decoration. All groups are easily distinguished by clothing, but also have a huge number of other characteristics that are less noticeable to the eye.

Safety

Among the Asian countries, Turkmenistan is the safest country for tourists. Even Ashgabat, Turkmenistan's largest city, has a low crime rate. And crimes against citizens of other states are generally rare. There are frequent cases of theft among crowds of people. Pickpockets don't sleep. Do not leave your belongings, documents, or money unattended. This country is quite poor, and therefore crime is mainly theft. It is better not to visit remote areas at night. Some of them are generally closed to foreigners. There is practically no theft in the provinces. You can only stumble upon beggars or beggars. If you do not know the area, it is better to travel around it with the help of a guide. The Turkmen police are most often friendly. She does her job well. But to communicate with her, it is best to provide a passport.

Health

National culture of Turkmenistan Like a sponge, it absorbed the peculiarities of the beliefs of Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Christianity, but the dominant religious customs with the advent of Islam are the traditions and rituals of Sharia. No less important than religious dogmas are the tribal relations of the Turkmens that have developed over the centuries. The revered and wise elders – aksakals – enjoy unsurpassed authority. Each tribal group has its own distinct cultural characteristics, distinctive elements national clothes, embroidery and jewelry.

Religion of Turkmenistan

Today, the dominant one is Islam, which belongs to the vast majority of the country's population. 89% of residents are Sunni Muslims, 9% of believers adhere to the customs of Orthodox Christianity.

Economy of Turkmenistan

In terms of GDP, it is the ninety-fourth largest economy in the world. Turkmenistan has developed textile, food and chemical industry. Foreign trade is dominated by the export of petroleum products and gas.

Science of Turkmenistan

State Turkmenistan The population is almost completely literate. Modern is different developed system primary and secondary education, which, along with scientific research is supervised by the Academy of Sciences. The Academy is in charge of scientific institutes, among which not the least is the world-famous Desert Institute.

Art of Turkmenistan

The diversity of the ethnogenesis of the Turkmen people had a significant impact on, in which the motives of the Turkic and Iranian peoples can be traced. The most ancient tradition of the country and a symbol of the Turkmen people is the unsurpassed art of carpet weaving. According to ancient legends, it was in this amazing country that the world's first carpet was woven. Carpets of Turkmenistan are distinguished by the special subtlety and purity of traditional “gel” patterns. The skill of carpet weaving is passed down from generation to generation and is the national pride of the country.

Cuisine of Turkmenistan

Culture The country is strong with its culinary traditions. Diverse and amazing - aromatic soups umpach-zashi and gaynatma, the splendor of traditional main courses, beshmarbek and of course Turkmen pilaf - will not leave true gourmets indifferent. Only in Turkmenistan can you taste the most unusual pilaf in Asia, in which fish is used instead of traditional lamb. Coastal geography of Turkmenistan led to a fairly wide use of seafood in national cuisine.

Customs and traditions of Turkmenistan

Original traditions and customs of Turkmenistan roots go back to the ancient culture of the Turkic Oguz people and the Islamic religion. Most traditions and customs accompany local residents all their lives and largely determine their life. One of the most striking and beautiful customs is the tradition of marriage, preparation for which is a real event in the life of a family. The wedding ritual is reproduced most colorfully and in detail in rural settlements.

Sports of Turkmenistan

The Turkmen people are traditionally considered a sports nation - sport Turkmenistan goes back to the ancient traditions of the past. Among the national sports there are various styles and types of wrestling; football is no less favorite among modern Turkmens.

And recognizes it as an integral part of its culture. State religion in Turkmenistan there is no, and the country’s constitution provides for freedom of religion. Although Islam is widespread, there is low adherence to religion compared to other countries. Muslims in Turkmenistan do not strictly attend services, but recognize the need to restore the importance of language as an important element in the country's revival.

Religious demographics

Looking at the religion of Turkmenistan in percentage, it is worth noting that Islam has the widest share of the country's population - 89%. Sunni Islam is the most practiced branch among Muslims in the country. The minority religion in Turkmenistan is Christianity with 9%. Other faiths in the country make up only 2% of the population.

The emergence of many beliefs can be correlated with 20th century European immigration to Turkmenistan. A significant number of immigrants are Russians, Armenians, Poles and Germans. Most of these immigrants consider themselves Orthodox Christians, Catholics or Lutherans. Smaller Christian communities are Jehovah's Witnesses, Baptists and Pentecostals.

History of Islam in Turkmenistan

Before the emergence of Islam in the religions of Turkmenistan, it, like many of its Central Asian neighbors, had Buddhism, Zoroastrianism and Christianity as its dominant faiths. Sufi sheikhs were entrusted with the spread of Islam and its introduction into the country. They were accepted as the "founders" of certain ethnic groups or clans, which subsequently laid the foundation for highly localized changes in the religion of Turkmenistan for some time. Part of the Turkmen tribal structure is a holy tribe called övlat. Six of the holy tribes are active, and each is believed to trace its origins to the Prophet Muhammad through one of the caliphs. Members of the övlat retain a certain level of spiritual authority today.

Islam in Turkmenistan was greatly suppressed in Soviet era with atheistic doctrines. Mosques across the country were closed and authorities banned various Islamic practices. Only in 1990 did they begin to revive religion in independent Turkmenistan. Islam was studied in educational institutions, and throughout the country the construction of mosques and religious schools took place.

Religion in Turkmenistan has evolved over time into a mixture of Sunni Islam, Sufi mysticism and Zoroastrianism, as well as shamanic traditions. Such shamanic practices include widespread beliefs in divination, the evil eye, and amulets. Shia Islam is mainly practiced by immigrants such as Iranians and Kurds.

Modern Islam

The current government controls official Islam through a structure inherited from Soviet period. The Muslim Religious Council of Turkmenistan, together with Uzbekistan, constitutes the Muslim Religious Administration of Mawarannahr. It was founded in Tashkent and has significant influence on the appointment of religious leaders in the country. The governing body of Islamic judges (Kaziat) is registered with the Ministry of Justice of Turkmenistan, and the Council for Religious Affairs under the Cabinet of Ministers monitors the activities of the clergy. Persons wishing to become members of the official clergy must attend official religious institutions; however, some can prove their qualifications simply by passing an exam.

Since 1990, efforts have been made to restore part of cultural heritage, lost under Soviet rule. President Niyazov ordered that basic Islamic principles be taught in public schools. More schools and mosques have appeared, many of which were created with the support of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Turkey. Religious classes are conducted with the teaching of the Quran and Hadith, as well as Islamic history in Arabic.

Some government leaders and teachers working outside the official structure have vowed to raise public awareness of Islam, expand the religion's role in society and strengthen commitment to its principles. Alarmed that such intensification could worsen tensions between Sunnis and Shiites and especially alienate Orthodox Slavs, the government developed plans to elevate the Council of Religious Affairs to ministry status in order to more strictly regulate religious activities

Freedom of religion in the country

Turkmenistan is a peaceful state and provides freedom of religion for its citizens. But unregistered religious activities are illegal, including establishing places of worship (altars), holding services, and distributing religious materials. All religious activities in the country are reviewed and controlled by the Council of Religious Affairs (CRA).

Minority religious groups do not have representation on the Council, which hinders and makes it difficult for them to operate and obtain approval from the CRA. Media reported that unregistered religious groups were subject to harassment, fines, imprisonment, and deportation. Ethnic Turkmens who convert to other religions face the most high level social problems. Turkmenistan's religious landscape is relatively unfavorable for minorities.

Religion and law

Criminal and administrative codes prohibit persecution of registered religious groups, but the prohibition does not apply to unregistered ones. Authorities generally do not enforce it due to a lack of reports from registered religious groups that have expressed concerns that authorities have increased harassment or monitoring of their activities. The Administrative Code provides for a penalty of 200-500 manats (70-176 US dollars) for officials violating the human right to freedom of worship or abstaining from it, as well as fines of up to 10,000 manats ($3,521) for religious groups receiving unauthorized donations from outside the country.

Mysticism and the power of amulets

Turkmens believe in spells and amulets, which they consider endowed with special magical powers. It is believed that beads, bird feathers, ram horns and other objects are capable of driving away evil spirits, summoning good ones and protecting their owners from various troubles and misfortunes. These things can be in the shape of an eye, a heart, a snake's head, small shells or scarab beetles. Amulets and talismans, and images associated with them, are found in carpets, embroidery and clothing, as well as jewelry.

Magic powers have been attributed to certain types of fruits, seeds and grains for hundreds of years. One of the earliest amulets was a necklace made from jida seeds, pomegranate seeds, pistachio seeds and cloves. According to ancient beliefs, the strong smell of these plants could protect the owner from the evil eye, and a woman wearing such a necklace could quickly become pregnant.