FOUNDING ELEMENTS OF THE RELIGIOUS IMAGE OF THE TURKIC PEOPLES: HANAFI-MATURIDISM

Abstract

From the earliest days of their conversion to Islam, the Turkic peoples generally followed the Hanafi school in worship and legal relations and the Maturidi school in faith. The Hanafi-Maturidi teachings developed by them pay special attention to the notions that the reason is the source of religious knowledge, traditions pass as evidence, love for humanity, man has free will, religion and politics are separate, and deeds are not part of faith. This article describes the process of Turkic peoples’ conversion to Islam, the role of Abu Hanifa’s students in the spread of the Hanafi school in Central Asia, the development of Hanafi teachings during the Karakhanid and Seljuk periods, the formation of the Maturidi school, and its peculiarities, the views put forward by Imam Maturidi on doctrinal issues, and the transformation of Maturidiyya into a doctrinal sect for the Turkic peoples. The importance of following and propagating the Ahl al-Sunnah creed based on moderation had been highlighted to find a solution to the religious problems of Muslims and the whole of humanity today and to fight against the fanatical Salafi-radicalists.