6th Meeting of Religious Affairs and Religious Administration Heads of the Organization of Turkic States Held
6th Meeting of Religious Affairs and Religious Administration Heads of the Organization of Turkic States Held
Hosted by Kyrgyzstan, the 6th Meeting of Religious Affairs and Religious Administration Heads of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) was held.
The meeting, chaired by Kyrgyzstan’s Grand Mufti Abdulaziz Zakirov, took place at the Presidential Congress Center in Bishkek. It was attended by Turkey’s President of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş, Chairman of Kazakhstan’s Spiritual Administration of Muslims Nauruzbay Taganuly, Chairman of Azerbaijan’s Caucasus Muslims Administration Allahshükür Pashazade, and Uzbekistan’s Grand Mufti and Chairman of the Muslim Board Nuriddin Haliknazar.
The meeting began with a recitation from the Qur’an by Anarbay Kurbanov, imam of Imam Serahsi Mosque—the country’s largest mosque, built by Turkey—followed by a prayer from Kyrgyzstan’s Grand Mufti.
“Our Main Agenda is the Unity of Islam and the Ummah”
In his speech, Kyrgyzstan’s Grand Mufti Zakirov stressed that the main agenda of the gathering of Religious Affairs, Religious Administration Heads, and Muftis from OTS member states was “the unity of Islam and the Ummah.”
He noted that families in Muslim-majority societies are facing a series of serious challenges to their religious, traditional, and educational values, and underlined the need for a joint stance on these issues.
Zakirov said: “The change in traditional roles of men and women in society, the declining interest of youth in religious and traditional values, parents spending less time with their children, and the increasing role of technology in child development are leading to divorces, factors harming the parent-child relationship, psychological disorders, and moral deterioration in Muslim societies. We must work on the proposals we will offer to our societies.”
He thanked Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov for his great importance to Turkic unity and his support for all the activities of the Organization of Turkic States.
“The Liberation of Many Islamic Lands Depends on Reviving the Consciousness of the Ummah”
In his speech, Turkey’s President of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş emphasized that almost all the main works regarded as Islamic sources after the Qur’an were written by scholars from the geography of the Turkic republics.
Erbaş said: “Humanity is going through a deep crisis of meaning and values. Seditions caused by racism, sectarianism, and ideological partisanship have surrounded the Islamic world. Geographical fragmentation has brought mental disarray. As a result of this disarray, the Islamic world, which has lost its power and grandeur, struggles to defend itself militarily, politically, and culturally against imperialist interventions and challenges.”
Pointing to the importance of unity in the Muslim world, he said: “We need unity to sustain our existence as an Ummah. We need it to escape the hegemony of global exploitation systems. We need it for the freedom of Palestine, Jerusalem, and Gaza. We must achieve this. The liberation of many Islamic lands turned into homes of blood and tears such as Somalia, Sudan, Libya, Arakan, East Turkistan, and Yemen depends on reviving the consciousness of the Ummah. For this, we need unity, togetherness, and solidarity.”
“The Peoples of the OTS Member States Have Always Been Loyal to Their Sacred Religion and National Values”
Chairman of Azerbaijan’s Caucasus Muslims Administration Pashazade stated in his speech: “The peoples of the OTS member states have always been loyal to our sacred religion, our Turkic identity, and our national values, and have been proud of this.”
He recalled that the Council of Religious Affairs and Religious Administration Heads of the OTS was established with the “prayers” of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, saying: “Under the leadership of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, the Kyrgyz state is embracing its religious and moral values. As religious leaders of the Turkic world, we express our collective support for these initiatives. We pray to Almighty Allah.”
“I Believe Today’s Meeting Will Strengthen the Unity of Countries Sharing Common Roots and History”
Chairman of Kazakhstan’s Spiritual Administration of Muslims Taganuly underlined the importance of the final declaration adopted at the 5th Meeting of the OTS Religious Affairs and Religious Administration Heads held in Astana last year.
“I believe today’s meeting will strengthen the unity of countries sharing common roots and history,” he said.
Taganuly stressed that strengthening the spiritual unity of Turkic peoples is everyone’s common duty. “We need each other. We must always stand by each other. Today’s meeting is proof of that,” he added.
During the meeting, Taganuly presented participants with the book “Fatwas” prepared by Kazakhstan’s Spiritual Administration of Muslims.
“The Organization Is Building a Solid Foundation for Future Generations”
Uzbekistan’s Grand Mufti and Chairman of the Muslim Board Haliknazar said the OTS continuously develops its activities and strengthens its position on the international stage: “The organization is of vital importance not only in terms of regional stability and development but also in creating a solid foundation for future generations.”
Noting the growing friendship and cooperation among the peoples of OTS member states, Haliknazar said: “Thanks to the efforts of our state leaders, the organization is taking bold steps to strengthen the unity of Turkic peoples, protect common interests, and respond to events in the Islamic world.”
In his speech, Haliknazar emphasized the importance of fatwas to address family issues and pointed to climate change, forest fires, water scarcity, desertification, and environmental problems faced by the Turkic world.
The First Meeting Was Held in Istanbul in 2022
OTS Secretary-General Kubanychbek Omuraliev recalled that the first meeting of Religious Affairs and Religious Administration Heads of the OTS Member States was held in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2022, followed by meetings in Turkistan (Kazakhstan), Baku (Azerbaijan), Shusha (Azerbaijan), Tashkent (Uzbekistan), Astana (Kazakhstan), and now Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan). He thanked Kyrgyzstan’s Grand Mufti Zakirov for organizing the event.
Omuraliev stated that at every meeting, common decisions were reaffirmed on protecting and promoting Turkic-Islamic values, combating Islamophobia and radicalism, and strengthening cooperation between religious institutions.
Religious Leaders Call for Solutions to Ecological Problems
At the meeting, where the final declaration of the 6th Meeting of Religious Affairs and Religious Administration Heads of the OTS was adopted, the fatwas approved by the Fatwa Council were also confirmed. With Uzbekistan’s proposal, a call was made to find solutions to climate change, environmental protection, and ecological problems. It was announced that the next meeting will be held in Azerbaijan.
Following the meeting, a conference on “Imam Sirajuddin Al-Osh’s Contribution to Islam” was held, and various books were distributed by Kyrgyzstan’s Muftiate.
President Japarov Received the Religious Leaders of the OTS Member States
According to the Kyrgyz Presidential Press Center, Japarov received the delegation of religious leaders attending the 6th Meeting of Religious Affairs and Religious Administration Heads of the OTS at the Presidential Palace.
The meeting was attended by Kyrgyzstan’s Grand Mufti Abdulaziz Zakirov, Turkey’s President of Religious Affairs Prof. Dr. Ali Erbaş, Chairman of Kazakhstan’s Spiritual Administration of Muslims Nauruzbay Taganuly, Chairman of Azerbaijan’s Caucasus Muslims Administration Allahshükür Pashazade, Uzbekistan’s Grand Mufti and Chairman of the Muslim Board Nuriddin Haliknazar, and OTS Secretary-General Kubanychbek Omuraliev.
In his speech at the meeting, President Japarov stressed the special importance of such gatherings of religious leaders for strengthening spiritual unity among Turkic states and developing relations of brotherhood and friendship.
“We must direct our efforts so that the values of Islam—the religion of faith and morality, unity and solidarity—integrate with the national traditions and cultural heritage of the Turkic world and serve the bright future of our peoples,” Japarov said, emphasizing that one of the most important areas of cooperation within the OTS is interaction in the field of religion.
Recalling that Kyrgyzstan is a multi-religious and multi-ethnic country where 90% of the population is Muslim, Japarov stated:
“In this context, a number of reforms have been carried out in the field of religion in Kyrgyzstan in recent years. This year, the State Commission for Religious Affairs was transformed into the National Agency for Religious Affairs and Interethnic Relations under the President and placed under my personal supervision. In addition, an Islamic Academy will be opened in the city of Tokmok to improve the level of religious literacy in the country.”
During the meeting, President Japarov awarded Kyrgyzstan’s Muftiate the “Ayköl” (Generous/Noble) Order for its significant contribution to strengthening cultural ties among Turkic states and supporting the development of spiritual values.