Religion in Tajikistan

Video Transcript

We have seen Islam become much more ingrained in people's belief structures and their daily lives. It's now very common, especially in the remote areas of the country, to see people, men who have grown beards and attend mosques daily, women who have deferred to various modes of modest dress, whether it be the hijab or another conservative form of dress, especially in the remote areas. Younger generations of Tajiks are much more likely to practice their religion than their parents or grandparents were. I've encountered a number of young people, primarily outside the military, who attend mosques regularly, refrain from alcohol, refrain from eating pork, and take on a number of practices that we would associate with other Muslim countries. But by and large Tajikistan can still be considered a very secular country, even though Muslim religion and Islamic cultural influences are definitely there as part of society, and those that do practice Islam are definitely moderate.

In this video, a U.S. Army National Guard major discusses the prevalence of Islam in Tajikistan.