The image and social experience of religious charity in Kazakhstan

Abstract

Religious charity in Kazakhstan is an important support for vulnerable groups. Charitable activities represent a multifaceted social phenomenon, implemented by the state, religious organizations, and private individuals. The purpose of this study is to systematize the subjects of religious charity and to describe its material and spiritual forms, as well as the corresponding social practices. It analyzes financial and food aid alongside spiritual and psychological support. It defines charity as social action based on humanism and spirituality. The scientific novelty of this work is reflected in the classification of social practices of charity, its structural forms, and its subjects. The research methodology encompasses the classification of material and spiritual forms of charity, the description of social practices, and the analysis of the subjects involved in charitable activity. In addition, the study analyzes the foundations of charity as they relate to the internal spiritual world of the individual. The findings identify the main subjects of charity as the state, religious organizations, and private individuals. The material forms of charity, including financial assistance and the provision of food, as well as the spiritual forms, such as psychological support, moral encouragement through words, and the provision of free education and counseling, were analyzed. In addition, mutual assistance among people, mutual respect within the religious community, and support from philanthropists were also examined. Special attention is paid to the classification of quasi-charitable actors, with their distinctive features identified, such as calculative charitable behavior, expectations of reciprocation, and demonstrative actions. The practical significance of the work is determined by the potential application of its findings to the enhancement of charitable activities and the development of mechanisms for social support based on spiritual values.

Keywords: religious charity, subjects, virtue, Islam, spirituality