Islam is the largest religion practiced in Kazakhstan, with estimates of about 74% of the country's population being Muslim. Ethnic Kazakhs are predominantly Sunni Muslims of the Hanafi school. There are also small numbers of Shias. Geographically speaking, Kazakhstan is the northernmost Muslim-majority country in the world, and the largest in terms of land area. Kazakhs make up over half of the total population, and other ethnic groups of Muslim background include Uzbeks, Uyghurs and Tatars. Islam first arrived on the southern edges of the region in the 8th century from Arabs. According to the Constitution, The Republic of Kazakhstan proclaims itself as a democratic, secular, legal and social state whose highest values are a person, his life, rights, and freedoms.
The Mausoleum of Ahmed Yasawi
Nur-Astana Mosque
Mosque in Semey
Zharkent Mosque
Islam is the majority religion in Azerbaijan, but the country is considered to be the most secular in the Muslim world. Various reports have estimated 97.3% or 99.2% of the population identifying as Muslim; with the majority being adherents of the Shia branch (55-65%), while a significant minority (35-45%) are Sunnis. Traditionally, the differences between these two branches of Islam have not been sharply defined in Azerbaijan.
The Shah Abbas Mosque in Ganja, Azerbaijan
The Bibi-Heybat Mosque in Baku, Azerbaijan
A Mosque in Baku
A stone-age cave converted into a Mosque in Gobustan, Azerbaijan