THE SPREAD OF ISLAM IN THE KAZAKH STEPPE DESPITE RUSSIA’S COLONIAL POLICY

This study examines the historical dynamics of Islam in the Kazakh steppe during Russian colonial rule, focusing on its social, educational, and cultural significance. Through a detailed analysis of archival documents, historical chronicles, travel accounts, and scholarly literature, the research highlights how Islam continued to play a central role in the intellectual, moral, and spiritual life of the Kazakhs despite the pressures of Russification and colonial interventions. The aim of the study is to identify the historical dynamics and specific features of the spread of Islam in the Kazakh steppe during the period of Russian colonial rule and to determine its social, educational, and cultural role in preserving the religious identity, intellectual potential, and cultural cohesion of Kazakh society under colonial influence and Russification policies. Particular attention is paid to the role of Islamic educational institutions, religious leaders, pilgrimage, and the Jadidist movement in the development and transformation of Islamic culture and education among the Kazakhs. Islamic institutions, including madrasas and rural mekteps, offered a comprehensive education encompassing religious instruction, classical Eastern languages, logic, philosophy, and history, thus fostering both spiritual and intellectual development. Prominent Khoja families and mullahs served as key agents in disseminating Islamic knowledge and moral values, while pilgrimage (ḥajj) strengthened religious identity and unity across diverse Kazakh communities. The study also explores the influence of the Jadid movement, which introduced modern European pedagogical approaches into Muslim education, signaling the beginnings of educational reform. Overall, this research demonstrates that Islam remained a resilient and unifying force, preserving cultural cohesion and intellectual growth among the Kazakhs even under colonial conditions.

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