THE SPREAD OF ISLAM AMONG THE KYRGYZ

Abstract

The article provides a brief overview of the spread of Islam in the territory of Kyrgyzstan. The features of the process of Islamization of the Kyrgyz people, which was directly related to the Arab conquest of Central Asia in the 7th-8th centuries, are considered. The Kyrgyz at that time were pagans leading a nomadic lifestyle, which was one of the reasons for their superficial assimilation of Islam. Nevertheless, the Islamic religion penetrated deeper and deeper into the Kyrgyz environment, and Sufi orders played an important role in this process, spreading it through peaceful missionary preaching. But among the Kyrgyz, Islam intertwined and coexisted with ancient pagan beliefs.

The focus of the article is on the development of Islam in the second half of the 19th century. It is noted that during this period, the position of Islam depended on the attitude of the Russian authorities towards it, which did not differ in constancy. If in the first years of colonization, they were loyal to Islam, then at the end of the 19th century. They began to fear the spread of "pan-Islamic" ideas. Accordingly, Russian policy towards Islam has become tough.