A video from a wedding in the Turkistan region has sparked widespread public outcry. Erlan Karin, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan, and the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan (DUMK) have reacted, as reported by NUR.KZ... reports the website infohub.kz.
The video was posted on Instagram by singer Roza Alkozha. She noted that the celebration took place in Zhetysai, and the toast was made by a relative of the bride. The man stated that after giving up alcohol at weddings, two more steps are needed.
"Now we have gotten rid of such evil as alcohol. There are still two things left. First, we need to get rid of music. Second, men and women should sit separately. Let singers not take offense at me. If weddings are held without artists, they will cease to be stars and lose their popularity. In Sharia, they are called 'heralds of Shaitan'," the guest said.
According to the singer, such statements may indicate the man's adherence to one of the destructive religious movements. The video drew a response from Erlan Karin, First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan. On his Instagram page, he wrote that discrimination against women, prejudice against singers and musical art are completely alien to Kazakhstan's national values.
According to him, Kazakhstan is a secular state where the main guide remains the Constitution, not religious restrictions. "Contrasting art and culture with religion is also an extreme. The state has chosen a different path: our country prioritizes education and science, art and culture. Publicly dividing people on such a basis and deliberately imposing one's own opinion is unethical. We highly value mutual respect and a culture of communication," Erlan Karin noted.
According to him, society must jointly counteract actions that contradict state principles and national values. The Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan also voiced its position. It noted that heated debates have flared up on social media over the man's statement at the wedding that "music is haram, and singers are heralds of Shaitan." DUMK noted that expressing opinions on religious issues requires great responsibility. The administration emphasized that Islam forbids humiliating people's dignity and insulting women, and condemns rude accusations against representatives of art.
DUMK added that Islamic theologians allow songs that glorify moral values, respect for parents, love for the Motherland, goodness, and national traditions.