“We are Kazakhs, not Arabs”: Tokayev on the use of national phrases in conversation

11 November 2026, 22:152 min read1

Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has called on the country's citizens to refrain from the excessive use of Arabic words such as "insha'Allah" and "alhamdulillah" in place of traditional Kazakh phrases. The head of state announced this during his speech at the X Kurultay of the "Qazaq tili" International Society, held in Astana on November 10, 2026.

The trend of "Arabization" in language and the President's concern

In his address, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expressed concern over certain processes gaining momentum in society regarding language and culture. According to him, it has recently become a habit in daily life to replace original Kazakh religious and spiritual concepts with their Arabic alternatives. The President emphasized that the necessity of such artificial changes raises serious questions.

"We are Kazakhs, not Arabs," said Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

Therefore, it was noted that it is appropriate to use national alternatives that have been deeply rooted in the people's language for centuries instead of Arabic phrases in daily speech. Specifically:

Instead of "Insha'Allah" — "Quday qalasa" (If God wills);
Instead of "Alhamdulillah" — "Qudayga shukir" (Thanks to God) phrases were highlighted as being more natural.

Kurultay initiatives and directions	Details of main goals and measures
Main issue raised	Excessive increase of Arabic vocabulary in daily speech
Recommended phrases	"Quday qalasa" and "Qudayga shukir" instead of "Insha'Allah" and "alhamdulillah"
Scientific approach	Involving linguists and scholars to study such language trends in depth
State-level oversight	Establishing a special expert group under the coordination of the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Kazakhstan

"Preserving national identity and the purity of the language is one of the top priorities for every society."

The role of linguists and scholars and the special expert group

The head of state pointed out that such complex and delicate language processes should not be limited to superficial discussion. In this regard, it is necessary for the country's leading scholars and linguists to express their professional, scientifically grounded opinions.

To regulate language processes rationally and effectively at the state level, it was proposed to establish a special expert group. The activities and coordination of this group will be carried out directly by the Presidential Administration of the Republic of Kazakhstan. This initiative is aimed entirely at preserving the original purity of the Kazakh language and protecting national values and cultural identity.

In your opinion, how important is the use of national and traditional phrases in daily communication for preserving the true nature of the language? Leave your thoughts in the comments!