An international academic conference titled “Islam in Central Asia and Kazakhstan: Historical Tradition and Contemporary Perspectives” was organized by the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan (SAMK) and Egyptian University of Islamic Culture Nur Mubarak in Almaty, on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan. IRCICA was one of the collaborating institutions of the conference. Chaired by Prof. Ahmed Hosain Mohammad Ibrahim, Rector of the Egyptian University of Islamic Culture Nur-Mubarak, Vice-chaired and moderated by Dr. Yershat Ongar, Vice-Rector of the University, the conference was opened by the Supreme Mufti Dr. Nauryzbay kazhy Taganuly Haziret, Chairman of the Religious Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan, and Rector Prof. Ahmed Hosain Mohammad Ibrahim, followed by opening words by dignitaries from Kazakhstan, Egypt, Russia, and international organizations; where messages were addressed by Mr. Khatyev Anuar Nurmanuly, Acting Chairman of the Committee for Religious Affairs of the Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Kazakhstan; Prof. Usama al-Azhari, Minister of Awqaf of the Arab Republic of Egypt (read on his behalf); Prof. Mahmud Erol Kılıç, Director General of IRCICA (pre-recorded); Prof. Ali Gomaa, former Supreme Mufti of Arab Republic of Egypt and member of the Council of Senior Scholars of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif (pre-recorded); Dr. Mufti Damir Mukhetdinov, First Deputy Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Russian Federation and Rector of the Moscow Islamic Institute, on the topic of “The Brotherhood of Muslim Peoples of Eurasia Throughout the Centuries, During World War II, and in the Contemporary Period”; Prof. Rafik Mukhametshin, Chairman of the Council for Islamic Education of Russia, Rector of the Russian Islamic Institute, on the topic of “Training Specialists in the Field of Partnership Finance: The Experience of Tatarstan”; Mufti Samagan Azhy Myrzaibraimov, First Deputy Supreme Mufti of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kyrgyzstan; Mr. Gulomjon Kholboev, Deputy Director of the Fatwa Center under the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Uzbekistan; Prof. Syed Abdul Hamid Al-Junid, Head of Programs at INCEIF University in Malaysia; Prof. Nahla Sabry Elseidy, Dean of the Faculty of Islamic Sciences for Foreign Students at Al-Azhar University; Dr. Suat Beylur, Director of Eurasian Research Institute under Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University. The Plenary Session presentations focused on Islamic economic, legal, and educational institutions in practice, where Prof. Ashirbek Muminov, Advisor to IRCICA Director General on International Relations, presented a paper on “Formation and Evolution of Traditional Kazakh Muslim Society: Interaction of Secular and Spiritual” (video recording).
The conference continued in three sections, under the following themes: I. The Classical Period of Islam in Central Asian Countries (10th-12th centuries) – The Period of Islam in Central Asian Countries Following Mongol Rule (13th–18th Centuries), with eight paper presentations; II. The Colonial and Soviet Periods of Islam in Central Asian Countries (1731-1991) – Islam Among Turkic Peoples of Central Asia During the Independence Period (1991-2025), where twenty papers were presented; III. State and Religion: Contemporary Strategies and Approaches – The Role of the Muftiate in Preserving Peace and Spiritual Harmony, where fourteen papers were contributed; each followed by discussions. The conference marked the commemoration with scientific evaluations that highlighted the realization of relations between the state and Islamic institutions in the context of Kazakhstan and at large Central Asia from historical and contemporary perspectives. Its proceedings will make valuable contributions to research in related fields.
