РОЛЬ СУФИЙСКИХ ШЕЙХОВ В РАСПРОСТРАНЕНИИ ИСЛАМСКОЙ РЕЛИГИИ В КЫРГЫЗСТАНЕ

Abstract

Central Asia, which is situated in the core of the Silk Road, served as a bridge of
interchanges not only of the goods, but also of knowledge and spiritual values
between East and West. Actually Central Asia was the cradle of ideas and
spiritual values, and here Buddhism, Christianity and Islam were re-shaped in
interaction with each other. Adoption of Islam was one of the important phases
in the development of the spiritual culture of the Turkic people. Islam played the
role of civilizing mission. Indeed, it introduced high forms of culture and moral
behavior, and it contributed to social integration and discipline. It was Islam
which gave the people the idea of social egalitarian theory and excluded racial
and national discrimination. This was one of the causes of its prevalence in
Central Asia. This article focuses on the role of Islam in the history of Central
Asia and on the process adopting the Islam by the Kyrgyz people. It also gives a
special emphasis to Sufi sheikhs in this process.