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Vladimir Semenov, candidate of political sciences (Saratov) ISLAM AND NATIONAL RENAISSANCE IN TATARSTAN FOR THE BOUNDARY PERIOD BETWEEN MILLENIUMS
The contemporary system of ethnic-political relations is characterized mainly by their secular content. Nevertheless, the religious thinking of the people plays a certain, sometimes rather essential role both in the internal political life of separate countries and in development of inter-state relations. For the last decades in the XX century - the beginning of the XXI century in Russia and Tatarstan the Islamic religious factor became a significant component of ethnic-political life. In contemporary circumstances, the state religious policy in the Republic of Tatarstan is determined primarily by formation and development of the Tatarian people. As the world experience shows, for the period of formation, consolidation or renaissance of statehood there exist the need, side by side of other components, of the confessional and psychological community, coincidence of interests of the peoples of the country, and, otherwise, the transnational official ideology of the state is a must.
The national official ideology is based in Tatarstan on the following provisions: according to the Constitution, the Republic of Tatarstan is proclaimed as the state expressing "the will and interests of the whole multinational people of the Republic" (article 1); the Tatarian and the Russian languages are recognized as equal state languages of the Republic of Tatarstan (article 4); the Republic of Tatarstan aspires for creation of national capital without ethnic "image" etc.
It is necessary to consider in this respect also the attitude of the authorities of the Republic of Tatarstan to religion.
The official religious policy in the multinational and multi-confessional Republic of Tatarstan is determined primarily by the Constitution of RT, the legislation of RT on freedom of conscience and activities of religious associations. For instance, the Constitution of RT fixes that "the citizens of the Republic of Tatarstan according to their convictions have the right freely to profess any religion or not to profess any religion... Religion and the religious associations in the Republic of Tatarstan are separated from the state".
As a result of the analysis of the state-confessional relations in the republic the author stresses several main problems, which are quite urgent.
First of all, it is the problem of peaceful coexistence in the Republic of Tatarstan of two main religions - Islam and Orthodoxy. The analysis of activities of national public organizations and parties relating to their attitude to the problem of place and role of Islam in public-political and cultural life of the Tatarian people provides a chance to see clearly the religious situation in the Republic of Tatarstan.
According to academician, chairman of the World Congress of Tatars I. Tagirov, the national movement consists of various forms of activities, promoting development and realization of the national idea, being imbued with concern about general well-being of the people, showing perspectives for its independence and sovereignty. Therefore it may include the activities of individuals, groups of like-minded persons, as well as masses of thousands of people, participating in meetings and demonstrations in the streets and squares.
The Public Center of Tatars (PCT) carried out activities and accomplished great work. In its program documents PCT paid great attention to religious problems, since its main aim consisted in uniting all Tatars, living in different regions and countries. In order to achieve
this aim it was necessary to preserve the Tatarian language, to arouse national self-consciousness and unity of religious convictions.
In 1998, the conception of national movement was prepared and adopted by PCT branch in Kazan; it was published under the title "Nizamname" (conception). Side by side other criteria of national movement, it discusses the place and role of Islam in renaissance of statehood of the Tatarian people, in attainment of national independence, underlines a special significance of religion in preservation and development of the Tatarian nation, stressing significance of classic Islam; it criticizes activities of some representatives of the clergy -"Kadimists", who appeal to MuslimsTatars to abstain from political activities; it approves modernization of Islam with due account to historic situation and conditions, determined by place and time; it substantiates the need of existence of a sovereign state for a free development of Islam in Tatarian society.
In 1992, the idea of convocation of the national parliament -Milli Majilis - was proclaimed. It was supported by the left-radical public associations. In the introductory part of the law on Milli Majilis, side by side with other public-political and cultural-enlightenment issues, the issue of religion was raised. In particular, it was mentioned that in society of Tatarstan there were eradicated the roots of Islam, while spiritual demands were suppressed and immorality flourished. It was stressed that Milli Majilis should have the right to adopt laws on religious issues; at the same time, in the appeal to the Organization of Islamic Conference (Istanbul) it was said about respectful attitude to other religions. On 24 May 1994, the second session of Milli Majilis took the decision to elaborate the Code of Laws of Tatars (Kanunname), which was adopted on 26 January 1996. It was stressed in the Code that the main feature of Tatars is as follows: it is the community of people, who consider themselves as the representatives
of the Tatarian nation, speaking the official Tatarian language and considering Islam their spiritual-moral, material and social purport of life. Rafael Mukhametdinov and Fausia Bairamova, former leaders of the PCT radical wing, established the party of national type "Ittifak"; according to them, its strategic aim consisted in perspective creation of independent state of Tatars in the form of the Tatarian republic. The idea of national independence occupies the main part in documents of "Ittifak", making it actually the national-religious party. F. Bairamova as the chairman of the party said that it struggled for the future, independence and happiness of the Tatarian people, for their return to bosom of Islam. Independence of the state is the hand work of the people, independence of the nation is faith and religion, asserted she. "Ittifak" explained in its program the attitude to religion in the following way: the ancient culture of Tatars is inseparably linked with Islam; it is necessary to give full support to the clergy and the religious communities.
The program documents were characterized by the prevailed pragmatism, directed to the primary solving of social-economic problems and, consequently, as a result of this, the national movement did not see any special need to elaborate the national conception and a large-scale program of national-cultural development. Probably, the change of national ideology for all-national idea played a certain role in this respect - in this case - for the idea of sovereignty of Tatarstan. Under conditions of the crisis, the radical wing of the national movement had to look for other ideological orientations to realize its political aims. In the course of search for a national-specific way of development the leaders of party "Ittifak" and MIlli Majilis turned particularly to Islam.
In the documents, titled "Tatar Kanunah", they made an attempt to connect nationalism as a political theory and practice with Islam,
though, not in its Tatarian reformed but in the classical variant of Islam. Such approach may be regarded as a wish to create the political conception, which perceives some dogmas of Islam as national doctrines.
It should be admitted that such approach is not new by all means. Nationalism and Islam came forward as powerful ideological stimuli of the social century many times in history. It also testifies to the fact that there exists a certain dependence of the level of comprehension by the people of all-national interests on the force of integration impact of the religious factor. At the same time, the historical events of the national movement in Tatarstan for the beginning of the XX century show that the religious doctrines with national programs and ideals are compatible with national programs and ideals only in case when they take action in one social space and use common aspects in their social-cultural foundations, are based on the deep stereotypes of consciousness, where religious ethic is closely connected with ethnic-national traditions.
The general democratic principles aimed at creation of conditions for functioning of these organizations and for attainment of their general political tasks prevailed even in the programs of the first public organizations with the religious trend of activities. The logic of this approach is quite explainable: a definite legal and political guarantee on the part of the state is needed quite evidently.
The Islamic democratic party of Tatarstan, established in 1991, finally had not come forward to the political arena. The main difficulties experienced by the party related to the social-economic, political and ethnic problems but not to purely theological problems.
The program documents of organizations and parties of the Tatarian national movement differ in the content and typology of directions as far as their attitude to Islam is concerned. It is possible to mention the moderate trend (the public Tatarian center "Imam") and the
radical trend, including primarily radical-religious organizations ("Ittifak", Milli Majilis) and the radical wing ("Azatlyk"); the secular (PCT) and anti-secular ("Ittifak") trends. They differ also in their attitude to the national sovereignty, sovereignty of the nation (Milli Majilis, "Ittifak") and to the state sovereignty, sovereign state (PCT). If TCT sticks to the ideology of regional nationalism, "Ittifak" and Milli Majilis proclaim ideology of Islamism.
As the analysis of the documents of public-political organizations and the party "Ittifak" shows, the politics has a certain impact on Islam in Tatarstan. It proves that any religion represents not only a system of views on the world but is also a social and political force.
It is possible to mention two wings - radical and moderate - in the national movement in terms of its attitude to Islam. The leaders of the radical wing of the national movement in Tatarstan consider that Islam should be the basis of the world outlook and of political culture of the Tatarian people, while for the representatives of the moderate wing this appeal is the return to Kadimism, to isolation of the Tatarian people from the present environment. Roshat Safin, the leader of PCT writes that today it is necessary to supplement religiousness with ideas of self-definition, to satiate Islam with Tatarism and to subordinate education to ideas of freedom and consolidation of statehood. He thinks that it would be incorrect to mix the earthly and beyond matters, the notions of "people" and "religion". Although religion covers greater territory than the people from the geographical point of view, it is unable by its functioning to satisfy completely demands and interests of the nation, mentions R. Safin.
Placing to the upper level the interests of the Tatarian nation, R. Safin asserts that Islam is the common human teaching and is the ever-lasting and universal teaching for all nations. However, like other religions, Islam in practical matters (shariat laws) should take into
account the dialectical development of each nation, accustomed to the geographical and climatic living conditions according to achievements of civilization. Safin fixes for religion the minor role at the present level of social development. He considers that Tatars should primarily master Islam in terms of philosophic views on the universe as a source of cultural heritage of the ancestors, of the spiritual force of the nation and the moral canons.
The radicals of the national movement severely criticize the conception of 'Tatarization" of Islam. F. Bairamova said that the contemporary Tatarian scientists regard religion primarily as a moral-philosophic notion. To their mind, religion is needed for education of masses of people under the condition that it should be adapted to the existing regime, national life and civilization. Therefore they are ready to put Islam within the framework of "Euro-Islam", repeatedly appeal to religious reforms - to new jihad, dream about nationalization of Islam. They concentrate their attention to the fact that "Tatarism" will be unable to preserve the nation and prevent its disappearance or assimilation, they think that it is possible to save the nation only by way of the return to Islamic laws and dogmas.
At present, the religious renaissance is seen mostly in the sphere of enlightenment, related to the lack of really educated Tatarian theologians. Due to the artificial causation of times Tatarstan almost completely lacks its scientists, who in their own language would be able to make explanation of every sura and ayat, each word of Koran, giving good example of life; the clergymen lack secular education, while those, who have it, do not possess religious education. Therefore for the leaders of the clergy, of the national movement, of the republican government the issue of religious education of the population is very urgent in terms of formation of civilized comprehension of Islam and ensuring natural continuity of its
confession. In this connection, in Tatarstan the sphere of Muslim education develops rapidly, the educational courses are organized in mosques, the education institutions at different grades function in Tatarstan.
At the same time, facultative teaching of religions' history, including Islam, was introduced in the general education schools, lyceums and colleges in Tatarstan. Taking into account the above mentioned information, it is possible to conclude that the Muslim clergy in Tatarstan, the national movement and the Government of the RT share the united opinion relating to religious education, which should correspond to the spirit of the times and should put an essential contribution to the inter-national and inter-religious relations in the Republic of Tatarstan and in Russia as a whole.
As the leaders of the Muslim clergy and the national movement, as well as the scientists-experts in Islam in Tatarstan correctly said, the contemporary religious confession of faith to a large extent is characterized by the ritual experience, and perception of Islam from the philosophical, social, economic and moral-legal point of view still remains in the background. In this respect, the activities of religious educational institutions are very important.
The analysis of activities of the Muslim clergy and national movement at the stage of renaissance of Islam proves that they came to Islam as a phenomenon not only of religious life and world outlook but also of culture and ethnicity, as a serious factor of national movement and political struggle. The leaders of the radical religious wing of national movement in Tatarstan substantiate the national interests primarily by Islam, while their activities include national aspect with the dominant religious impact. In the course of the struggle for sovereignty of the Tatarian people they to a certain extent base themselves on the nationalist ideology, while in this ideology the
Islamist forms of nationalism and the idea of unity of the Tatarian people prevail on the basis of religious common character.
The leaders of RT and the national movement in Tatarstan pay attention to the need of training Muslim cadres in the country, with due account of unique feature of Islam in Tatarstan, which should continue the traditions of Tatarian theologians in the end of the XIX century -the beginning of the XX century. Although the national movement and national self-consciousness of the Tatarian people develop in a contradictory way and although they are marked by some negative aspects, as a whole, the national movement and Islam in Tatarstan reflect the processes of democratization and reforms in Russia, promote development of culture and the nation in Tatarstan under conditions of poly-confessional and multinational country.
The made analysis makes it possible to stress various groups in relation to Islam: from politologists of the official powers of the republic to the leaders of the moderate and radical wings of the national movement. The main idea of the official power is Tatarstanism, able to ensure the inter-ethnic balance in the republic. Euro-Islamism-Jadidism of the moderate wing may have a perspective in the undetermined future, though. The leaders of the radical-religious wing of the national movement stand up for penetration of Islam in politics, pursuing mainly ambitious aims of coming to power by means of religion.
"Vlast", M., 2010, N 9, p. 108-119.
S. Slutsky,
political scientists
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