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19
D. Sidorov,
Post-graduate student at Moscow State
Regional University
PROBLEMS OF TRADITIONAL ISLAM IN RUSSIA
Traditional Islam in Russia, living through a crisis period at present, has come across a number of problems after the disintegration of the Soviet Union, which are connected with quite a few social and political aspects. To get to know the causes of the crisis it is necessary to analyze the history of Islam in the Soviet and post-Soviet periods in the country's history.
Islam and Muslims in the destiny of Russia,
their role and development path
According to statistics, Islam is the second religion in Russia in the number of believers. There are from 22 to 28 million Muslims living in the Russian Federation. Researchers of the problem maintain that their number will steadily grow due to natural surplus and practically uncontrolled migration of Muslims from the CIS countries (primarily from Central Asia). Islam appeared in Russia more than 1,000 years ago. Since then Russian people have always been in contact with Muslims, and studied their way of life and religious views. In 986 Volga Bulgaria, which adopted Islam in 992, sent a mission to the Kiev
Prince Vladimir with the proposal to adopt Muslim faith, which he turned down.
History knows not only of a confrontation between the Orthodox Christian world and Islamic states, but also of a courageous fight of Muslims on the side of Russia against the outside aggressors. The adherents of Islam are not only a religious group, but also a foundation, along with Orthodox Christianity, uniting the Russian people and forming our country's nationhood. The people of the Russian Federation believing in Islam are a natural pillar in Russia's revival as a superpower and a barrier for Islamic extremists working for the destabilization of our country and cultivation of religious strife. At present Russia is at the crossroads choosing the road of its further development. There are only two such roads: either to support traditional Islam of the adherents of Sufism and raise its prestige among the Muslims in the country and in the entire Islamic world, or to take the positions of confrontation with Islam, which will be catastrophic for Russia.
Problems along the Road of Revival
of Traditional Islam in Russia
The revival and maintenance of the traditional form of Islam in Russia come across a number of problems. One of them is the desire of young Muslims to learn various trends of Islam, which exist abroad in the main and radically differ from traditional Russian Islam. The Wahhabi trend is one of them. It came into being as an ideological instrument against traditional Islam and is used for attaining political aims.
The very notion of traditional Islam in Russia has become rather vague in recent time. Previously, it was understood as a religion preaching, among other things, mutual respect of Muslims and Orthodox Christians, striving for unity in creating Great Russia,
and defense and cohesion of all peoples of the country for its benefit, whereas now the traditional character of Islam is a dubitable question.
The well-known scholar of Islam R. Silantyev says that Islam which teaches Muslims to be law-abiding citizens of Russia and respect the Christian majority of the country's population is really traditional.1
At the beginning of 2011 President V. Putin called for a resolute struggle against religious extremism and manifestations of Wahhabism in the country, and support of traditional Islam at a meeting with religious leaders of Russia. In reply, a number of republics of the country with the predominantly Muslim population suggested that Islamic educational institutions be opened on their territory which should not be inferior to the major Islamic educational establishments in the Middle East. The city of Ufa could become such a center of Muslim education in Russia. Another factor in favor of this proposal was the fact that the headquarters of the Central Spiritual Board of Muslims of Russia has been in Ufa since the decree issued by Empress Catherine the Great in 1788.
Many high officials of the Republic of Bashkortostan expressed similar views, namely, that young people should be taught traditional Islam on the territory of Russia, but not in the Middle East, which is dominated by Islamic trends alien to Russian Muslims.
The problem of creating an Islamic higher educational institution on the territory of Russia which could compete with prestigious Middle Eastern institutions has emerged a long time ago. The point is that the Islamic educational establishments working after the disintegration of the U.S.S.R. were of a very low quality. The professional level of their teachers left much to be desired, there were no adequate books, textbooks, study aids, and curricula on traditional Islam. Due to this young Russian Muslims went to countries of the Arab world to study, where they got under the influence of radical Islamic trends and
returned home convinced of the "wrong path" taken by traditional Russian Islam. This is confirmed by the growing popularity of radical Islamic trends among Russian Muslims at present.
It is necessary to train specialists for the development of traditional Islam in Russia, who will be able to translate religious texts from Arabic into Russian. As is known, Arabic is one of the most difficult languages in the world. During its existence it has always developed and acquired new words, whereas old words got new meanings. Some of them have several synonyms. Consequently, while studying in Arab countries young men cannot always understand the meaning of one or another word or expression properly, which may lead to negative results.
The Council of Muftis of Russia headed by Ravil Gainutdin, just like the Central Spiritual Board of Muslims, support the idea of the revival of traditional Russian Islam. Representatives of the Council of Muftis of Russia have time and again stated that in its work the Council will rely on the young generation of Muslims, and the entire body of the Council will consist of up to 60-70 percent of young experts in the sphere of Islam.
Today the Council of Muftis has several departments which are in charge of charity activity, religious and educational matters, international ties, and contacts with Islamic states.
The revival of traditional Islam in Russia, presupposing peaceful coexistence and respectful attitude to other peoples and confessions can give unexpected positive results.
It is no secret that for quite a long time already there has been a tendency toward lowering religiousness and spirituality of the Russian Orthodox Christian population. This cannot be said about adherents of Islam living in the Russian Federation. At the same time, according to experts, there is a growing trend of Orthodox religiousness in parts
of Russia where the positions of Islam have always been strong enough. This can be explained by the fact that the Russian Orthodox Christian population, on seeing how its Muslim neighbors cherish their roots and religion, show more interest in their sources and their own religion. It should also be noted that both traditional Islam and Orthodox Christianity become convinced of the need to develop and popularize science at the present stage.
Science devoid of spiritual development, religious tenets and moral standards becomes an enemy of mankind. Spirituality is replaced with the cult of constantly growing consumption. Instead of all commandments the new vulgar axiom is widely used - consume for the sake of consumption. Quite a few European and North American countries serve as an example. Russia also belongs to this list, although with certain reservations.
At the same time, religion without science does not provide an opportunity to society to develop, restricts it with narrow bounds, and suppresses initiative and creative drive. As a result, such society differs but little from primitive communal or medieval society. An example of such society is provided by Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Consequently, a conclusion can be drawn that it is only a synthesis of science and religion that can give Russia an opportunity to become a superpower again with a rich history, inimitable culture, strong army, and high age-old ethical values. The prerequisites of a symbiosis of the spiritual and the rational are contained in Orthodox Christianity and in the world outlook of traditional Russian Islam.
Influence of Religious Muslim Education
on Traditional Islam in Russia
The revival of traditional Russian Islam is facing many threats, which may place the question of the very existence of Russia as a stable
sovereign state on the agenda, if they are not nipped in the bud. The disintegration of the U.S.S.R. and the chaos in all spheres of society's life following it has provoked the emergence of dozens of non-traditional radical-sectarian trends of Islam on Russian territory. Russia has become a place where extremist material was freely distributed by Arabs (especially from Saudi Arabia). To boot, numerous spiritual leaders have emerged who called on Muslims (especially young people) to adhere to the Wahhabi trend of Islam.
All this was directed to undermining the interconfessional peace in the country. One of the reasons for it was the policy of the Soviet state which presupposed integration of all Muslims in society unburdened with religious views. All Islamic educational institutions were closed, except one in Bukhara (Uzbekistan), most mosques were destroyed, Islamic intellectuals who called upon the Muslim population to preserve their faith were subjected to harsh reprisals Thus, the Soviet state provoked the Muslim population to discontent, which had been hidden for many years (up to the 1990s) and did not take an open form.
The Russian Federation has inherited this conflict from the U.S.S.R., and many young Muslims began to take young Russia for an enemy of Islam. A new phenomenon has appeared in Russia, which was termed "ethnic Islam."
Realizing that they will be unable to receive proper religious education in this country, young Muslims have begun to leave for Arab countries to study. There they get under the influence of radical Islamic trends, non-traditional for Russia. Now it becomes clear how Islamic radicalism and extremism come to Russia and why it is so widespread. To tackle this properly, it is necessary to revive traditional Islamic education and prohibit Muslim spiritual leaders to receive religious education in other countries, especially in Arab states where the positions of religious extremists are especially strong (Saudi Arabia).
At present Muslims do not see any special support of their religion on the part of the state, although many of them continue their attempts to revive Russian traditional Islam.
"Traditional Islam has no state support and is therefore in an unequal situation for opposing the Wahhabi trend. This is why it is necessary to support traditional Islam by the state, not only in Russia, but the world over."2
External and Internal Directions
of Development of Traditional Islam in Russia
The international situation should not be neglected. There are three main regions on the planet which exert great influence on the entire world: India, China, and a number of Muslim states (Turkey, Iran, Middle Eastern countries).
Muslims have been, and remain, an inalienable part of Russia. This means that in order to become again one of the main actors in the international arena Russia should form a sort of an alliance with the Islamic world. This alliance will have great prospects.
Along with the revival of traditional Islam, one of the major aims of domestic policy toward Muslims is to foster patriotism among them. To popularize traditional Islam it is necessary to pursue a policy which would induce Muslims themselves to oppose manifestations of intolerance and extremism and popularize traditional Islam, patriotism, social justice and peace.
So far the state does not interfere actively in Muslim affairs and does not wish to regulate them, and Islamic spiritual leaders of Russia are seriously worried over the continuing penetration of radical Islam in official quarters, its close contacts with state power and participation in Islamic education in the country. In certain regions of Russia a tendency is observed toward a deterioration of the inter-religious
situation, which is expressed in open aggression of religious extremists against traditional Islamic organizations and leaders of the Muslim community of Russia. Their aim remains the same - to dominate the Islamic area in the Russian Federation.
During the period between 2008 and 2013 more than seventy spiritual leaders of Russian Muslims, who were active supporters of traditional Islam, were killed. Muftiyats began to emerge in many regions of Russia which had no relation to the official spiritual boards of Muslims. They engage in dubious activity, are financed by foreign foundations, establish contacts with representatives of the official authorities in regions and mislead them in order to get favorable treatment. Moreover, they officially receive financing from the federal and regional budgets and demand government assistance in their work.
Parallel with it, Islamic radicals worm their way into the leading bodies of the Central Spiritual Board of Muslims and try to change the established priorities of their work to revive traditional Islam. Attempts are made to seize control over the educational system of Muslims, propaganda of radical Islam is carried on, and young people are persuaded to get religious education in the Middle East, which discredits authoritative Russian Islamic higher educational institutions.
The local authorities prefer not to interfere. There is no hope for any support on the part of the state, as a result the local traditional spiritual boards of Muslims have to wage a struggle against extremists alone.
Proceeding from this, a general deterioration of the situation can be expected. The Muslim community will be unable to cope with Islamic radicalism. Having a clear-cut plan of actions, supported materially and information-wise, and using incompetence of the local and federal authorities, the extremists have all opportunities to control the Muslim community of the country. The existing situation can only
be changed if scholars and representatives of traditional Russian Islam and religious leaders succeed in persuading the Russian state and the official authorities of the need to act together for the sake of victory over religious extremism and the subsequent revival of traditional Russian Islam.
Quite a few specialists working in this sphere are doing their best in order to establish a useful dialogue with the expert community and academic circles for tackling this task. The Islamic factor in Russia is growing stronger, and this is a worldwide tendency.
Suffice it to turn to expert conclusions: during the past 15 years the number of adherents of Islam in the world has grown from 800 million to 1.5 billion.
A considerable number of Muslims lives on Russian territory. We must work on their proper upbringing and education, if we do not want to face the situation some 10 to 15 years later, with which several European countries, including France and Britain, have come across recently.
Parallel with teaching Muslims it is necessary to create prerequisites in society for respectful attitude to representatives of Islam.
We should cease to call radical Islamists Muslims. There should be a precedent in Russia of calling only those representatives of Islam Muslims who behave decently in non-Muslim society, and are an example of restraint and tolerance.
This may lead to the situation in which Islam will cease to be a synonym of extremism, radicalism and terrorism and Islamophobia will disappear by itself.
However, all this can only be achieved with the help of the state. The official authorities should take an initiative upon themselves to educate the younger generations of Muslims within the framework of
traditional Russian Islam. Only then will they be able to become a generation worthy of their ancestors who had lived for centuries in peace and mutual respect with other peoples of Russia.
A. Ryazanov, Russian expert and author, asserts that it is in the interests of the Russian state to support traditional "non-political" Sufi Islam and pursue a policy of containment with regard to its radical trends, whose aim is to seize political power (including by methods of force), and also to create Muslim states. In conclusion it would be appropriate to cite the words of one of the Haddiths: "Muslim is a man whose tongue or hands harm nobody."3
References
R. Silantyev. Islam whose followers are ready to be law-abiding citizens of their state is traditional for Russia // NG-Religii. 2011, February 2. M. Sultanayev. Wahhabism // Muslim World. Kazan: Iman, 2008, No 10, p. 10. A. Ryazanov. Ethnoconfessional Relations in Modern Russia - Integrator or Disintegrator? // Ethnoconfessional Relations in Modern Russia and CIS Countries: Essence and Role. Chelyabinsk, 2007, p. 32.
"Obozrevatel - Observer," Moskva, 2014, No 6, pp. 48-56.
M. Basnukayev,
Ph. D. (Econ.), Professor at Chechen State University THE PLACE AND ROLE OF ISLAM IN REGIONS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION, TRANSCAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA
The specific features of interaction of politics and religion in Russian society are conditioned by a number of historical and national circumstances. Throughout centuries there have been factors aimed either to increasing its role or alienating it from the country's sociopolitical life. During a certain period there was direct interference of the
