Press Release
The Kyrgyz Regime Wants to Use the Religious Administration like a Tissue!
(Translated)

On April 5, President Sadyr Japarov announced that awareness efforts were being carried out targeting Muslim women who wear the niqab and burqa, stressing that Muslim women who wear Islamic dress should not cover their faces. According to him, the inclusion of this provision in the law was based on a decision by the Council of Scholars. Immediately after the president's speech, the press office of the Religious Administration of Muslims of Kyrgyzstan issued a statement saying that wearing the niqab and burqa is not obligatory in Islam, and that a woman is not sinful if she does not wear them. According to the statement from the Religious Administration, religious matters should only be discussed with clear evidence, and using them to achieve various interests is considered a great sin.

The president’s justifications and the mufti's defense of him are linked to the recent raids carried out by the State Committee for National Security under the "Law on Freedom of Religion and Religious Organizations" against our veiled sisters in the city of Jalal-Abad and the Suzak district, after the majority of the public voiced their protest against this campaign. Despite that, the raids are still continuing in the city of Osh. Law enforcement officers are warning our Muslim sisters that wearing the niqab in public places will result in a fine of 20,000 soms.

In reality, the law that imposes fines on Muslim women wearing the niqab will come into effect in May. However, law enforcement agencies have already expressed their stance on Islam by carrying out hasty raids. Or is there another agenda behind these rushed actions?

At the same time, the president tried to make the Religious Administration a target for Muslims by stating that the article banning the niqab was adopted based on a decision by the Council of Scholars. From there, the conflict between Muslims and the Religious Administration escalated, while the regime appeared innocent. However, no one has forgotten the regime’s demands—put forward by state officials to the Council of Scholars—when this law was being passed and its desire to have it approved. Law enforcement officers even arrested and tortured Muslims who revealed the truth about the law. This torture continues in prisons to this day. Thus, from the steps the regime has taken, we can understand that it will use the Religious Administration like a tissue in the future—to fight Islam and Muslims and to issue false fatwas to cover up its filthy actions.

Therefore, We Call Upon the Religious Administration of Muslims of Kyrgyzstan and the Council of Scholars Who Represent the Muslims:

Beware of becoming victims of the dirty games played by the regime! Do not trade the Akhirah for the fleeting life of this world. Instead, strive to attain happiness in the Akhirah and the pleasure of Allah (swt). Indeed, religious matters must only be addressed with clear evidence, as you mentioned in your statement. However, such evidence must never be used to pave the way for the regime’s filthy activities. Rather, it must be a condition that every law in the state is based on Islamic Sharia.

Allah Almighty said:

[وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللهُ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْكَافِرُونَ] “And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the disbelievers.” [Al-Ma'ida:44].

[وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللهُ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الظَّالِمُونَ] “And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the wrongdoers.” [Al-Ma'ida:45].

[وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللهُ فَأُوْلَئِكَ هُمْ الْفَاسِقُونَ] “And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the defiantly disobedient.” [Al-Ma'ida:47].

Therefore, your duty is to enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and hold the regime accountable for oppressing Muslims through its acceptance of man-made laws. Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman reported that the Prophet (saw) said:

«وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَتَأْمُرُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَلَتَنْهَوُنَّ عَنْ الْمُنْكَرِ أَوْ لَيُوشِكَنَّ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عِقَابًا مِنْهُ ثُمَّ تَدْعُونَهُ فَلَا يُسْتَجَابُ لَكُمْ»

“By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! Either you command good and forbid evil, or Allah will soon send upon you a punishment from Him, then you will call upon Him, but He will not respond to you.” [Reported by al-Tirmidhi, and he said: Hasan (good) hadith]

Now is the time to fulfill this responsibility so that you may be counted among the heirs of the Prophets. Otherwise, the regime that today demands fatwas against the niqab and against calling to Islam will tomorrow force you to issue fatwas against Islamic dress, the beard, and even Hajj.

The Kyrgyz regime, following the path of the dictatorial regimes in Central Asia, has taken steps to control Muslims by adopting anti-Islamic laws. If the people do not oppose this regime strongly enough, it will try to exploit this law to its advantage and establish a dictatorship.

Thus, Muslims must not remain silent in the face of the regime’s injustice in such cases. Rather, they must stand up against any action it takes against Islam. Only then will we become aware of the threats facing our religion and recognize the plots of the colonial powers behind them.

We must also deeply learn all the rulings of Islam and teach them to the people with awareness. Only then will we know that Islam is the only system capable of eliminating this oppressive regime.

Allah Almighty said:

[الْيَوْمَ أَكْمَلْتُ لَكُمْ دِينَكُمْ وَأَتْمَمْتُ عَلَيْكُمْ نِعْمَتِي وَرَضِيتُ لَكُمْ الْإِسْلَامَ دِيناً]

“This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion.” [Al-Ma'ida:3].

Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir
in Kyrgyzstan