Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Turk Kulturu ve Haci Bektas Veli - Arastirma Dergisi, sa.115, ss.277-300, 2025 (Scopus)
Islam has held a guiding role in the life of the Kyrgyz people from the past to the present. The Kyrgyz are a community that lives Islam in all its dimensions and has its own unique interpretations and practices. The Kyrgyz society constitutes an important part of the geography and of the Turkic communities that have embraced the Hanafi-Maturidi-Yesevi tradition. In today’s Kyrgyz society, the rituals performed during religious festivals, the prayers recited, the expressions of celebration, the ways of receiving guests and offering hospitality stand out as important manifestations of Kyrgyz values integrated with Islam and of the Kyrgyz way of interpreting religion. Religious festivals such as Ramadan and Eid al-Adha, which hold a significant place in the religious life of the Kyrgyz, are not only acts of worship but also days of brotherhood, unity, and solidarity. As in the past, these festivals are still celebrated with great enthusiasm and emotional depth. This study focuses on how religious festivals are situated in the life of contemporary Kyrgyz society, the Kyrgyz people’s approach to these festivals, the rituals performed, the prayers recited, and the words, wishes, and greetings expressed. Based on the findings, the study seeks to understand the place, importance, and effects of religious festivals in today’s Kyrgyz society, particularly in relation to the religious festivals experienced in Anatolia. The study presents data aimed at understanding the folkloric dimension of the religious life of contemporary Kyrgyz society. It also seeks to contribute to a better understanding of the historical and contemporary aspects of the religious and cultural relationship between the Turkic communities living in Central Asia/Turkistan and the Turks living in Anatolia. Another objective of this study is to observe the reflections of the Hanafi-Maturidi-Yesevi understanding of religion in today’s Kyrgyz society. This research is based on studies of Kyrgyz history, culture, religious beliefs, language, and literature, as well as interviews with religious leaders and prominent figures of society, along with the observations and experiences of the academics conducting the study. As a result, it has been concluded that the Kyrgyz way of understanding and celebrating religious festivals encompasses both what Islam encourages and what helps preserve their culture: preparing for the festivals in advance, wearing clean and fine clothes on festival days, performing ablution and personal hygiene, applying pleasant fragrances, being cheerful and tolerant towards others, offering hospitality, and giving abundant charity.