PROFESSOR ABDSATTAR DERBISALI

Abdsattar Derbisali was a major orientalist-Arabist, the first head of the Department of Oriental Philology of the Kazakh National University named after S.M. Kirov (al-Farabi), organizer and first dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, Vice-Rector for Languages and International Relations of KazNU named after al-Farabi, Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan, Supreme Mufti, Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies was born in 1947 in Tulkubas region, South Kazakhstan.
In 1965, after graduating from the secondary school in Vysokoye village, he entered the philological faculty of the South Kazakhstan State Pedagogical Institute and graduated with honors in 1969. By the decision of the Academic Council of the Institute in the same year he was recommended to the postgraduate degree at the M.Auezov Institute of Literature and Art of the Academy of Sciences of the Kazakh SSR. However due to the lack of specialists in Oriental languages and literature, he was sent to the Institute of Oriental Studies to Moscow, where he learned the peculiarity of Arabic language from famous scientists, experienced experts in Arabic language and literature, doctors of philological sciences, Professors of the Moscow Institute of Oriental Studies of the USSR Academy of Sciences Y.N.Zavadovsky and G.S.Sharbatov.

The field of scientific interests of Abdsattar Derbisali under the guidance of Professor Y.N.Zavadovsky became Moroccan literature, unexplored earlier in the Soviet Union. Scientific research in this area in 1975-1976 led him to the Kingdom of Morocco. In addition to an in-depth study of Arabic language and literature at Muhammad V University, the young researcher in Rabat, led by Professor Muhammad al-Fasi, continued his thesis on Moroccan folklore. In 1976, after returning to Moscow, having completed his research, he defended a thesis for the degree of Candidate of Philological Sciences under the guidance of Professor Y.N.Zavadovsky at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR.

Upon his return to Almaty, he began to work as a researcher at the Institute of Literature and Art named after M.Auezov, Academy of Sciences of KazSSR. In February 1977, he was offered a job as a lecturer at the Faculty of Philology at the Kazakh State National University named after S.M.Kirov (al-Farabi). Having selected 12 students of the Kazakh faculty of philology, the young teacher began to teach them Arabic. This was the first time when teaching “Arabic language” as a specialty was launched in Kazakhstan.

Having worked as the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Philology for academic work in 1980-1985, Abdsattar Derbisali established the Department of Oriental Philology (1984). He strengthened its teaching staff with Arabic language teachers.

During these years, Arabic became a part of the curriculum of secondary schools in the country as a separate discipline and Abdsattar Derbizali had to combine teaching activities with the guidance of the Orientalists' Methodological Council at the Ministry of Education of the Kazakh SSR, the organization of work on developing education programs, textbooks and teaching aids in Arabic language for students of grades 2-11. He continued lecturing on Arabic language and history of Arabic literature at the University and also he was engaged in the supervision of the students’ course and diploma papers.

 
Abdsattar Derbisali completed his doctoral thesis at the University of Az-Zaitun of the Arab Republic of Tunisia in 1985-1986, where he consulted with well-known Arab scholars, deepening his knowledge in Arabic and Arabic literature. Upon his return from Tunisia in 1986-1988, he continued his doctorate studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies in the Academy of Sciences of the USSR (Moscow). Derbisali's thesis on the history of Moroccan literature was highly appreciated by the joint scientific council with the participation of scientists from the Lomonosov Moscow State University, M.Gorky Moscow Institute of International Relations and the Institute of World Literature and his thesis was recommended to defense. The Kazakh scholar proved the misconception that there is no Moroccan literature, since there is a country, there are the people, there is a language – therefore there is literature. The period in the history of Morocco when the country was a colony of France and national schools were banned had been left in the past. 

In 1988 he defended brilliantly his doctorate thesis “The evolution of the Moroccan Arabic-language literature (VIII-XX centuries)”. In 1989 he was awarded the academic title of professor. In 1989, he established the Faculty of Oriental Studies at the Kazakh State University.  A.Derbisali was unanimously elected as the first dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies.

Owing to the steady and diligent work of the scholar, the branches of Hindi, Korean, Persian, Urdu, Chinese and Japanese languages were organized. This made the faculty stronger, as it started training Orientalist specialists, who were extremely necessary for the country. Later the departments of Iranian, Turkish, Chinese, Japanese languages and literature were established too. Depending on the language of instruction, students were sent for annual internships.

A.Derbisali faced difficulties associated with the prosperity of Kazakh Oriental studies, however his students succeeded in their careers not only in our country or in the republics of the former Soviet Union, but in also many of our Foreign Offices.  

A.Derbisali went a long way from an assistant to an academician, from the head of the department to the vice-rector. As the vice-rector of the University for Languages and International Relations since 1991, A.Derbisali concluded Cooperation Agreements with the universities of Japan, Korea, China, Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, England, France, Spain, Germany and USA. Academic mobility programs for teachers and students became crucial at that time. At the initiative of A.Derbisali, the “Miras” (Heritage) National University was founded under KazNU, which promoted Kazakh language and literature, culture and history. The scholar himself often held lectures on topical issues of Arabic language and literature.

During his studies in Moscow, in the graduate school of the Institute of Oriental Studies, the young scholar was engaged not only in basic research activities, but also in translating discovered written medieval monuments about Abu Nasr al-Farabi who was the great scholar of his land (870-950). At that time, the researchers did not have enough written biographical information about the great thinker.

 For this reason, there were difficulties in sharing the fiction and truth about the life and work of Abu Nasr.

A.Derbisali translated into his native language the written records of medieval Arab chroniclers of Ibn Said al-Kifti, Ibn Hallikan, Ibn Abi Usibiyah, who lived one or two centuries after our compatriot and who left an immortal heritage. He discovered the treatise of Abu Nasr “On the canons of the art of poetry” which he published in the newspaper “Leninshil Zhas” in 1973. Later, based on the found sources, he published the first book “Al-Farabidyn Estetikasy” (“Aesthetics of al-Farabi”) (1980), two years later he introduced the new work “Shynyrau Bulaktar” (“Deep Rills”) (1982), including literary studies, reflections and essays. His goal was to convey the importance of contributing to the flourishing of the literature and culture of the Arab and Iranian peoples from the Kazakh lands, taking into account the specific features of the era in which they lived. This was the initial step in the gradual presentation of Kazakh-Arab literary and cultural ties in studying the ancient literature of our people, rooted in the depths of centuries.

The formation of A.Derbisali as a mentor, scholar and public figure took place in the second half of the 1970s. A wide range of readership became familiar with his significant and informative publications since 1970. Gradually, the scholar began working with larger, significant and diverse projects.

The researches of A.Derbisali were devoted to the literature and culture of the Arab countries of the whole Maghreb, including the history of Morocco literature, Kazakh-Arabic literary connections, and the most complicated period of Kazakh literature of the ancient era. His scientific works are characterized by deep theoretical approaches, peculiar complete conclusions, innovative attitude to original ideas. A.Derbisali is the author of the first textbook “Arab adebieti” (“Arabic literature”), published in Kazakh in 1982 by Mektep Publishing House and addressed to students of Oriental and Philological faculties. The textbook features a deep analysis of the richest literary heritage of the Arab world of classical eras. In 1983, the monograph by A.Derbisali “Literature of Morocco in Arabic” was published in the Russian language by the publishing house “Gylym”.

The reading of the epitaphs in Arabic on the tombstones of the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasaui refers to this period and is embodied in the scientific publication “Kozha Ahmet YasauizhaneTirkistanMudeni” (“Khoja Ahmed Yasaui and Turkestan culture”). During the period of atheism and the struggle against religion, it was difficult to publish this work about Khoja Ahmed Yasaui's works and inscriptions on his mausoleum and was regarded as a religious and regressive trend of antiquity.

A.Derbisali along with the fundamental works that brought him recognition in the scientific community and won the hearts of readers, actively engaged in literary criticism, cooperating with the republican newspapers and magazines. In different years he became a prize-winner of “Kazak adebieti”, “Bilim zhane enbek”, etc.         

The social activities of A.Derbisali are widely known too. Of particular importance is his personal contribution as deputy chairman, later chairman of the Kazakh-Arab branch of the Kazakh Society for Friendship with Foreign Countries in establishing fruitful cultural and friendly relations between Kazakhstan and the countries of the Arab world. His lectures on "white spots" in Kazakh Oriental studies gathered large audiences in Japan, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, China, as well as speeches on radio and television. These were revelations based on personal observations of the way of life, ancient traditions, literature and culture, history, current public-social life, political situation in Morocco, Iraq, Yemen, Tunisia, Libya and other eastern countries which he visited and where he studied and lived. His books “Min bir tun elinde” (“In the Land of a Thousand and One Nights”) (1986) and “Ezhelgi Arab zherinde” (“On the ancient Arab land”) (1992) was published.

A.Derbisali participates in the work of prestigious international scientific and theoretical conferences, reports on which are of constant interest. He translated stories and novels of prominent writers from a number of Arab countries: Abd al-Rahman al-Hamishi, Mohammed Teymour (Egypt), Abd al-Majid bin Jalloun, Muhammad Haydarar-Raisuni, Malika al-Fasi, Jarak Ahmad, Mohammed Barrada, Ahmad Bannani (Morocco), JahiaYahluf (Palestine), Al-Zubair Ali (Sudan), Mohammed al-Marzuki (Tunisia). He translated a large chapter of the Islamic Encyclopedia, he was also a special editor of a number of books of scholars, literary men and writers, textbooks and teaching aids, a reviewer of more than twenty monographs and individual collections.

The contribution of the Kazakh scholar to the discovery and study of historical literary sources is particularly significant. Considering the tarnished pages of previously unknown books on the history of literature, from the scientific content point of view and sonlike love for motherland, he always collected the necessary information in the libraries of the countries he visited and where he received knowledge. Despite the fact that the ancient period of the history of Kazakh literature begins from the VI-VII centuries, in the textbooks the works of al-Farabi, Khodzha Ahmed Yassaui, Mahmud Kashgari, Mohammed KhaydarDulati and others were considered as a common heritage.

The research work of A. Derbisali is based on new facts of written heritage from the library’s rare manuscripts funds of the cities as Cairo, Rabat, Baghdad, Tehran, St. Petersburg, Tashkent, indicate that in the Х-ХVІ centuries there were already more than fifty thinkers from Kazakh steppes. The work of A. Derbisali “Kazakh dalasyynyn zhuldyzdary” (“Stars of the Kazakh steppes”) is devoted to this topical issue.

The book is dedicated to scholars, natives of Otrar, Turkistan, Taraz, Prisirdarinsky region: Abu Ibrahim Iskhak al-Farabi, Ismail Al-Jawhari al-Farabi, Alam ad-Din al-Jauhari, Burhan ad-Din Ahmad al-Farabi, Abu-l Kasym Al-Farabi, Mahmoud al-Farabi, Kawam al-Din al-Farabi, Maul Muhammad al-Farabi, Badr al-Din al-Farabi, Ismayil al-Husayni al-Farabi, Ahmad al-Isfijabi (Sairami), Abul Hasan al-Isfidjabi, Ali al-Isfizhabi, Jamal ad-Din Said Turkistani, Sheikh Ahmad Turkistani, Muhammad BakiKarnaki (Turkistani), Hafiz BakiTurkistani, Daut Turkistani, Baki M HammadTurkistani, Molla Shah Hakim Turkistani, Guyas al-Din al-Zhendi, Yaqub al-Zhendi, Husam al-Din al-Zhendi, Yaqub al-Zhendi, Husam ad-Din al-Sagnaki, Mahmut bin Ali al-Tarazi, Abu Tahir Mohammed at-Tarazi, Shams Tarazi, Bailak al-Kipchaki, Hasan Ali Jalairi, Zharmuhammed Naymani, Molda Mohammed Adayi, Jamal ad-Din Atyraoui, Ahmed Ali al-Kazakhi, Molla Eszhan Konratli and others. The author also narrates about written monuments. This study is a major effort, opening new pages in the history of the native people and enriching the history of literature. The scholar, having investigated the spiritual treasures of the nation, made his great contribution to enrich cultural and moral values of the nation reintroducing them to the people.

Kazakh literature is connected with the culture and literature of Eastern countries. Due to the tireless efforts of A.Derbisali, readers became acquainted with the life and works of world-famous personalities who were born and educated in Kazakh land, and then their works were acknowledged in the countries of the East. The support of all his work for further analysis of the spiritual heritage of the Kazakh people was Islamic religion, culture and civilization. In the study of Kazakh-Arab cultural and literary relationships, Professor A.Derbisali did much to publish the findings of more than 30 scholars from Farab town and other people from the territory of modern Kazakhstan.

The scientist continued his noble work on studying the heritage of ancestors highly necessary for culture and history until his death, constantly discovering valuable sources previously unknown to the scientific community, literary monuments related to Kazakhstan, translated them from Arabic into Kazakh, compiled comments with facsimiles of manuscripts original works. Thanks to his scientific research, the work “Kauamad-dinәl-Itani (Yenani) әl-Farabi at-Tirkistani (1286-1357) was published. “Ömiri men murası” (“Life and heritage of Kauamad-din al-Itkani (Ikani) al-Farabi at-Turkistani (1286-1357)”), which is one of the medieval cultural monuments that has not lost its historical, cognitive and artistic value in the spiritual and creative heritage of the Turkic peoples until nowadays.

Kauamad-din al-Itkani (Ikani) al-Farabi at-Turkistani is not only the pride of the Kazakh people, but also a bright creative personality, who left especially valuable scientific works in the global spiritual history. Exploring the life and work of Kauamad-din al Itkani al-Farabi at-Turkistani, he found out that he was born in 1286 in the settlement of Ikan, which in the Middle Ages was called Itkan (Atkan), located 20 km east of the city of modern Turkistan, 40-50 km north of Otrar. Up to 30 years he served as Imam Otrar. In search of knowledge, Kauamad-din al-Itkani al-Farabi at-Turkistani traveled to Samarkand and Bukhara, later to Damascus (Syria). For 25 years he was a judge in Baghdad, where he started a family. In the last years of his life he moved to Cairo for good. The work of A.Derbisali, dedicated to the life and work of Kauamad-din al-Itkani (Ikani) al-Farabi at-Turkistani (1286-1357), was later published in a separate monograph.

A. Derbisali took the first steps in the study of the life and work of a statesman, scientist-historian and poet Mohammed HaydarDulati (1499-1551). He specifically visited Kashgar (1994), Pakistan (1995), India (1998), where in Kashmir he discovered the grave of M.Kh.Dulati, deciphered the epitaph on his tombstone. Based on the Berlin and Kashgar manuscripts, he translated the poem of the scientist “Zhahan-name” from the Chagatai language and published it in a separate edition (Almaty: Bilim, 2006), carrying out a great work on transcription, compiling commentaries and vocabulary, drafting footnotes, preparing an annotation and manuscript for publication. Later A.Derbisali published a number of studies on the poem “Zhahan-name”.

In November 1999, at the House of Scientists of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan at an international conference dedicated to the 500th anniversary of the birth of Muhammad Haydar Dulati, A.Derbisali made a keynote speech and in the same year published “M.Kh. Dulati. Biographical and bibliographic reference book” (Almaty, 1999, 160 pp.).

In 2002-2003 he translated "Tarih-iRashidi" by Mohammed Haydar Dulati into  Kazakh.

In the library of Princeton University (USA), he found a manuscript from the medieval Kazakh city of Taraz Khibatulla at-Tarazi (1272-1333) – “Sharh (commentary) to the aqeedah of Abu Jaghfar al-Tahawi”, which he translated into Russian and introduced to the cademic world.  

In accordance with religious tradition, A.Derbisali organized the delivery of a handful of land from Otrar (Farab) town to the grave of Abu Nasr al-Farabi and Sultan al-Zahir Baybars to Damascus.

In 1997, by the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, A.Derbisali shifts to diplomatic service. For more than three years, he worked as Minister-Counsellor in the Embassy of Kazakhstan to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, setting up humanitarian, cultural and scientific ties between the two countries. He was given the diplomatic rank “Counselor of the 1st class”. He was awarded with the Certificate of Honor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Substantial research by A.Derbisali was highly appreciated by Oriental scholars of the CIS countries and Europe. He acted as a reviewer of the “Arabsha-kazaksha sozdik” (“Arabic-Kazakh Dictionary”, Almaty, 2016, 917pp.), “Sultan Az-Za'ir Baybars” (“Biography of Sultan al-ZahirBaybars”) in 2 volumes (Almaty, 2016), the classical composition of the medieval thinker Husamad-din al-Sygnaki 1240-1314 // 17 “At-Tasdid fi Sharm at-Tamid” (Almaty, 2016, Arabic text - 393 pp.).

More than 800 works of great theoretical and practical importance were published by A. Derbisali. His books are in the center of attention of readers and the object of scientific study of literary critics.

He paved the way of literature to the future Arab scholars, becoming, in fact, the connecting link and intermediary between the Arabic and Kazakh literatures. His research works occupy a special place in modern science, since they substantiate the need for a comprehensive study of the historical interrelationships of Kazakh and Arabic literatures. The authors of numerous articles and reviews appreciated his works, creativity, public and religious activities. Documentaries were filmed about him and domestic television devoted a number of programs to him, in which his eccentricity as a scientist and diplomat was revealed.

In 1990-1995, A. Derbisali was a member of the editorial boards of the journals “Zhyldyz”, “Parasat”, “Zaman-Kazakstan”, “Shalqar”, in 1993-1995 - the scientific secretary of the expert commission for philological and art sciences of the State Attestation Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan , Since 1989, chairman of the Association of Kazakh-Arab Friendship in Kazakhstan.

A.Derbisali participated and delivered lectures at international scientific and theoretical conferences and symposia (Alexandria 1992, Madrid 1996, 2006, Delhi, Kashmir 1999, 2002, Moscow 2000, 2004, 2006, Berlin 2002, Cairo - 2003, Athens - 2004); At religious and cultural congresses of UNESCO (Tashkent - 2000, Doha - 2001, Grenada - 2014); At the summit of leaders of world and traditional religions in 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012 in Astana and Moscow.

A.Derbisali is awarded “The Honorary Professor” of 14 state universities of the republic (Aktau, Aktobe, Zhezkazgan, Kokshetau, Kostanay, Uralsk, Pavlodar, Petropavlovsk, Shymkent, etc.).

He is not only the founder of Kazakhstani oriental studies, but also the first doctor of sciences, the first professor, the first academician in the field of oriental studies.

II

The true spiritual foundation of mankind is based on faith and religion. Sheikh Abdsattar Haji Derbisali’s research “Mosques and madrassas of Kazakhstan” (2009) on historical documents introduced into scientific circulation, convincingly proves that the first mosques on the Kazakh land were established in the IX-X centuries.

After gaining independence, interest in national culture and faith was revived in Kazakhstan. In 1990 the Spiritual Administration of Muslims was founded, to the leadership of which in 2000 comes a well-known theological scholar, an expert on the history of Islam, Arabic language and culture, a man of crystal honesty Abdsattar haji Derbisali. He was not only a theological scholar, but also a diplomat, an expert in Asian and Islamic Studies.

Sheikh Abdsattar Hajji Derbisali came to religion from science, claiming in his books that the culture of the Kazakh people originated from ancient times. In addition, these discoveries prove the view that “Kazakh people have always been nomadic, therefore education, science and culture were not developed” is superficial and unreasonable.

High spiritual qualities of Abdsattar Haji Derbisali deservedly earned him authority in many countries of the world. Several years ago, when disagreements between Muslims and Christians took place in France, the Supreme Metropolitan of this country wrote a letter to Abdsattar Derbisali with the request to render all possible assistance in resolving the conflict. Is this not recognition of his high spiritual qualities and well-deserved authority!?

Abdsattar Haji had very effective and significant meetings and conversations concerning topical problems of spiritual harmony and religious tolerance with the spiritual leaders in many countries. Among which are: Great Sheikh Al-Azhara, Doctor Mohammed Sayed Tantawi, Secretary General of Abdullah bin Abd Al-Mohsin At-Turki, patriarchs of Moscow and Russia, metropolitans of the Orthodox diocese of Kazakhstan, Islamic leaders of Turkey, Egypt, Kuwait, Malaysia, Singapore, Italy, India, Pakistan, Balkan countries, France, the USA, UAE, Syria, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

It is deeply symbolic, that the religious leaders of Central Asia countries elected Abdsattar Haji the Chairman of the Council of Muftis in Almaty 2007.

There was a presentation of the English version of the book “Islam – Religion of Peace and Creation” (Sheikh Abdsattar Haji Derbisali, London, 2012, 455 p.) in spring 2012 in London. It was published in Russian in Almaty in 2010. The research work of the Kazakh scholar made Kazakhstan more famous; the history and religion, traditions and customs, language and culture of the country were recognized all over the world. This was the first event of such scale in the history of Kazakh people.

First of all, Islam is a science. Realizing this, the Supreme mufti from the very beginning of its religious activity paid special attention to the education and qualification of imams, who should be highly educated, intelligent and knowledgeable of the theology basics. Therefore, immediately after his election as the Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan, the Supreme Mufti raised the issue of establishing a higher religious educational institution in the country in front of the President. The building of the Islamic culture Centre in Almaty, earlier built by the Egyptians, was transferred to the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan at the request of the Supreme Mufti. The Sheikh’s offer was approved by the President of the country N.Nazarbayev, therefore an official government delegation was sent to Egypt. Negotiations resulted in establishing the University of Islamic culture “Nur-Mubarak” in Almaty, which trains Imams, Islamic scholars, teachers of Arabic language and literature, as well as interpreters. There are regular courses of Arabic language and the basics of Islam for everyone at the University. The University started offering postgraduate degree programs on the specialty “Islamic Studies” in 2012. Over forty highly educated and highly skilled theologians graduate from the first educational institution of Kazakhstan yearly, which laid the Foundation of higher Islamic education. In 2001, Abdsattar Haji Derbisali organized trainings in Almaty at the Islamic Institute to improve the qualifications of Islamic religious activists, which trained over a thousand imams of big and small mosques all over our country. Mosques are part of the organizational structure of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan, which is the result of colossal work of over more than ten years.

One nationality – one religion. The ex-head of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan paid great attention to this issue, devoting all his activities in combating the spread of non-traditional movements of various faiths and calling on Kazakhstanis to unity and religious tolerance. He successfully held conferences “Islam – the religion of peace and creation” in country’s regions.

A.Derbisali propagandized and called on all Kazakhstanis to practice “madhhab” or the path of school in Islam laid by Imam Agzam Abu Hanifa (699-767). This direction is closest to the mentality and culture of the Kazakh people, many of whose customs and traditions are closely intertwined with the dogmas of this particular kind. The slightest discrepancy between religious dogmas, customs and traditions of the people could confuse a person who has just turned his face to faith.

The Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan and personally Abdsattar Haji Derbisali have done a great job in uniting all Muslims of Kazakhstan. True Islam was constantly widely promoted on the newly created religious websites (www.meshеt.kz) and portals (www.мuftyat.kz), both in Kazakh and Russian languages. The website of the Central Mosque of Almaty took 1st place among 955 other websites in the AWARD Internet space competition, which once again proved the high efficiency of sermons distributed through the World Wide Web.

In early 2010, the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan held a religious songs and poems competition “Praise to Allah” through mass media, aimed to promote true Islamic values not only through the sermons of imams in mosques or articles in periodicals, but also through songs and poetry. Famous scholar V.V.Radlov was genuinely surprised by the unique ability of Kazakhs to rhyme and versify. The Great Abai once said that verse is “the greatest conversation”.

The Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan carried out a notable work in organizing “Hajj” (pilgrimage) to Holy cities of Mecca and Medina. The work of companies that sent Muslims to Hajj was coordinated by the Hajj Pilgrimage Department under the SAMK, as close cooperation had established with the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to Kazakhstan. The celebration of Mawlid an-Nabiy al-Sharif – the month of birth of the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon Him) – a special holiday for Muslims of the Republic, which is celebrated annually. Imams talked about the life of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon Him) and preached. Its celebration in 2012 at the Baluan Sholak Sports Palace in Almaty was a large-scale event; mainly due to the constant search of mullahs under the guidance of Sheikh Abdsattar Haji Derbisali.

Laylat al-Qadr or the Night of Power in the Holy month of Ramadan, became the nationwide holiday since 2000. TV channels “Kazakhstan” and “Khabar” annually conducted live reports and broadcasts from the capital mosque “Nur-Astana” and from Almaty Central Mosque. It undoubtedly increased knowledge of Kazakhstani people about Islam. Today Kazakhstani families eagerly await Laylat al-Qadr.  Eid al-Adha, by the grace of Allah has truly become a national holiday in our country.

Absattar Haji Derbisali was convinced that our country should be proud of the number of pious citizens and mosques, as the negative phenomena that sometimes occur in life are due to dishonor and lack of faith. At the initiative of the Supreme Mufti, the Republican Foundation “Zeket” (endowment foundation) was created to solve problems such as lack of social security for imams of mosques, unstable wages of mullahs and others,.

Personal contribution of Abdsattar Haji Derbisali into the preservation of interfaith tolerance, religious tolerance in Kazakhstan was accepted and highly appreciated during the IV congress of leaders of World and Traditional Religions’, held in May 2012.

 

III.

In 2013, A.Derbisali was appointed as Director of the R.B.Suleimenov Institute of Oriental studies under the Science Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Over the years, scientific contacts with the world's major research centers were restored, expanded and deepened. A number of International scientific-theoretical conferences were held, the collections of conference materials were published as separate books. A number of scientific projects of the Institute, approved by the Science Committee of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan, were successfully implemented. A.Derbisali’s collection of researches and articles “Rukhaniyat zhane orkeniet. Zertteuler men makalalar” (Spirituality and Civilization. Researches and articles) (Almaty: Atamura, 2016) was published.

As a well-known Orientalist scholar, he delivered reports on international scientific conferences in Cairo (Arab Republic of Egypt), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Khartoum (Republic of Sudan), Granada (Kingdom of Spain), Baghdad (Republic of Iraq), Baku (Republic of Azerbaijan). He also took active part in national conferences (Atyrau, Almaty, etc.).

He actively participated in the scientific events dedicated to the 550th anniversary of the Kazakh Khanate’s formation.

In 2014-2015,  he visited Turkey in order to implement a state project “Halyk – tarih tolkynynda” – “People in flow of history”, where he worked in libraries and repositories of manuscripts “Suleymaniya”, “Bayazit”, “Millet”, from where he brought several thousand copies of manuscripts relating to the history, culture, literature of the Kazakh people. He also brought a number of writings of Abu Nasr al-Farabi written on the parchment from Spain’s library, and priceless works of natives of the medieval Kazakh city Sairam (Isfijab) Ala ad-din al-Sairami (XIII c.), Nizamad-dinYahia as-Sairami, Abdar-Rakhman bin Nizamad-din as-Sairami (XIV c.) and wrote scientific articles, dedicated to the research of the writings.

Until the moment of his death, Abdsattar Derbisali continued his active engagement in teaching, lecturing, supervising dissertations of masters and doctors of philosophical sciences PhD. A large contribution was made by the wellknown orientalist scholar in training, due to his Chairmanship of the specialized dissertation Council of the Egyptian University of Islamic culture "Nur-Mubarak" on the specialty "Islamic studies" and membership of the dissertation council of Al Farabi Kazakh National University.

Under his scientific supervision in 2013-2016, several dissertations for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and a master's degree were successfully defended.

Memberships in many foreign organizations confirm the recognition of the merits of the deceased scholar. A.Derbisali was a member of the "Islamic forum" at the "Organization of Islamic cooperation" (Jeddah), member of the editorial boards of many international and Republican scientific and scientific-popular magazines, the head and executive of a number of research projects.

For his contribution to the development of Oriental Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan and strengthening of international accord, Abdsattar Derbisali was awarded several top international and national awards.

For the creation of particularly significant works in the field of Arabic language and literature, history and culture of Islam, in 2002  he was awarded the 1^st degree “Science and art” order of the Arab Republic of Egypt, the Honorary diploma of the Committee of education of the USSR (1984), the "Parasat" order, “Barys” order of II degree,  “al-Fakhr” order (Russian Federation), jubilee medals “10 years of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan", "10 years of Constitution of the Republic of Kazakhstan”, “10 years of the capital Astana”, “20 years of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan”, “25 years of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan”, the badge “For contribution to the development of science in the Republic of Kazakhstan” and the grand gold medal named after al-Farabi for the special contribution to the development of the Al Farabi Kazakh  National University. He was an honorary citizen of Tyulkubas district and South Kazakhstan region.

Well-known scholar, founder of Kazakh Oriental studies, member of International Academy of the Arabic language (Cairo), Islamic scholar, researcher of medieval eastern written sources, academician of the Academy of Sciences of Higher school of the Republic of Kazakhstan, honorary academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan, member of the Union of writers and Union of journalists of Kazakhstan, Director of R.B.Suleimenov Institute of Oriental Studies of MES RK, Doctor of philological Sciences, Professor Abdsattar Derbisali passed away unexpectedly on 15 July 2021 in Almaty.