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Migration from the republic is of a sluggish character, but is continuing at the present time;
A vast legal-legislative base in the sphere of interethnic relations has been evolved in the republic, which is founded on all-Russia laws, but with due account of national and local specific features;
It is not only bodies of state power of various level, but also national-cultural public organizations positioning themselves as independent actors in political processes and interethnic relations that come out as subjects of ethnic policy in the Karachayevo-Cirkassian Republic.
Notes
1. http://yougor.ru/karachaevo-cherkesskaya-respublika.html
2. Site of the Ministry for Nationalities, Mass Communications and the Press of the KCR. Section on "Ethnic composition of the Karachayevo-Cherkesskaya Republic." (http://www.minnacop)
3. http://www.palata09.ru
"Etnopoliticheskaya situatsiya v Rossii i sopredelnykh gosudarstvakh v 2013 godu, " Moscow, 2014, pp. 502-508
Aider Bulatov,
Ph. D. (Philosophy), Head of Crimean Scientific Center of Islamic Studies SALAFISM AS IDEOLOGICAL AND POLITICAL MOVEMENT IN MUSLIM UMMAH OF THE CRIMEA
When talking of Crimean Muslims, mention is often made of Salafites (Wahhabis), along with such terms as "fundamentalism," "radicalism," "non-traditional," "extremist," etc. To date it would be necessary to present one of the Islamic trends in the modern Crimea,
which positions itself as Salafite, that is, it includes the adherents and followers of the righteous caliphs and the Sunna and is striving to return to the sources of faith at the time of the pious founders of early Islam. The multitude of schools of thought (Madh'habs) and various currents (branches) which had come into being after the death of Prophet Mohammed, had brought the Muslim ummah to face the constant dilemma of internal renovation and return to the early fundamental doctrines of Islam. One of the first theorists of the so-called fundamentalism was Ahmad ibn Hanbal (780 - 855) who had founded one of the strictest theological schools in Islam called Wahhabi Madh'hab. It preaches not only a return to the unshakeable doctrines of Islam, but also the use of Islamic precepts in the entire social and political life of Muslims. In this context, it is possible to speak of the modern adepts of Wahhabi teachings calling for social justice, stronger morals, and the preservation of national and religious originality. The Crimean Salafites have their own specific features connected with the return of the Crimean Tatar people to their historical Motherland, who became confronted with the serious problems of the development and revival of their national culture, language and religion.
It is no secret that outside forces have exerted a no small influence on the revival of Islam in the Crimea. Suffice it to remember one of the first Arab organizations officially functioning in the Crimea - the charity foundation "As-Suna" from Saudi Arabia. The assertion that Saudi Arabia has proclaimed Wahhabi teaching its official ideology is incorrect, inasmuch as the official documents of the kingdom say that its state religion is Islam, without specifying its interpretation. Nevertheless, the Salafite doctrine (this is how the teaching of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab is called there) is recognized by the state. His works are always published, re-issued and studied. All the more so since modern "Salafite-Wahhabi" Islam, as it exists in
Saudi Arabia and a number of other states on the Arabian Peninsula, is a far cry from the "extremes" of early Wahhabi teaching. This is why the terms "Wahhabi," and "radical" used in modern scientific circles among scholars of the Orient and Islam have a different meaning than that in the mass media.
In the conditions of a big shortage of religious literature in the Crimea, as well as educated imams and a proper network of religious educational institutions, many Muslims turned to be susceptible to Salafite ideology (Sunni fundamentalism), because they saw in it answers to a host of questions which they could not receive from their elders, who knew Islam at the level of popular habits and customs. Not accepting the principles of traditionalism, adherents of Salafism from Arab countries have become the first theologian-preachers among Crimean Muslims. Apart from rendering humanitarian assistance and purchasing prayer houses, the Saudi "As-Suna" organization, in cooperation with the Crimean charity foundation "Crimea-2000," became the first sponsor of hajj of Crimean Muslims in 1997.
Islamic groups which call themselves Salafites have become more popular and greater in number. Their adherents are now full-fledged members of modern Crimean society. Basing themselves on the precepts of the Koran and Sunna they have taken their socio-political position in society, addressing demands to government bodies that senior-grade school pupils should pray at mosques each Friday, the sexes be separated in school, and women have their heads covered everywhere, even on photos for documents.
Their political activity has been growing. For example, on March 28, 2003, a meeting of Crimean Tatars was held in front of the Crimean Supreme Soviet building against the war in Iraq. They vehemently denounced the actions of the anti-Iraqi coalition and demanded that the war be stopped immediately and the occupation
forces be withdrawn from the territory of the Muslim states of Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine and Chechnya. They also demanded the withdrawal of a Ukrainian battalion from the conflict zone. The meeting denounced the actions of the Majlis, which supported the aggressors. The resolution of the meeting was sent to the government of Ukraine.
The Salafites have taken a resolute position on one of the most acute social and political problems of the Crimea, namely, the assignment of land to repatriates for building houses. Until, recently, the public organization "Avdet" ("Return") has actively been working in this sphere, which has a powerful Islamic wing headed by Imam Daniyal Ametov, who is very a popular figure in the Crimea. His work has been continued by supporters from the new public organization "Sebat" ("Perseverance"), who have concluded agreements with the government of the Crimean autonomy on the land question.
It should be noted that their activity have gained positive results. Over one thousand people of different nationalities in the Crimea have received plots of land.
The Crimean branch of the All-Ukraine Association of public organizations "Alraid" is in charge of Muslim education on the basis of early Islam. This organization was founded in the mid-1990s, a period of mass return of Crimean Tatars to their Motherland, which coincided with a strong economic crisis in the post-Soviet republics. Tens of thousands of repatriates found themselves in very difficult conditions - without housing, water, medical aid, and other prime necessities. The Crimean Islamic organization managed to draw considerable financial means from Arab countries and use them for drilling wells, opening hospitals, and rendering onetime aid to the sick, disabled and orphans. Assistance was also given for building and repairing mosques. The "Alraid" Association has become
the leader in organizing various educational undertakings: seminars, round-tables, scholarly conferences devoted to Islam, inter-civilizational dialogue, etc.
Modern Salafism in the Crimea is not homogeneous. It includes different segments in the form of orthodox groups with the strict regimentation of everyday life and socio-political activity (they are popularly called Wahhabi). There are also Islamic romantics dreaming of the revival of a theocratic state, as well as implacable fighters against apostates in Islam. These groups often sharply criticize and accuse one another of deviation from true Islam.
At the same time, proceeding from declarations of these and other groups it is possible to determine the basic strategic trends uniting them: among them are broad Islamic education of popular masses, wider use of Islamic values in modern society, and adherence to the concept of a just and modern state. The Salafites constantly declare that their activity is taking place within the framework of the Constitution and the Ukrainian legislation, and that they absolutely exclude violence as a means to achieve their aims. It can be hoped that despite differences existing in their midst, Salafite Muslims will contribute to achieving and maintaining the standards of a modern healthy Muslim community of high moral foundations. This will help remove the myths and stereotypes existing around this religious current and make another step toward the strengthening of interconfessional understanding in the Crimea.
References
1. I. Dobayev. Radikalny wahhabizm kak ideologiya religiozno-politicheskogo terrorizma [Radical Wahhabism as Ideology of Religious-political Terrorism]. -http://evrazia.org/article/1727.. Meeting of protest of Crimean Tatars in Simferopol. -http://maidanua.org/arch/oldkrym/1048925199.html.
2. "Sebat" warns about alarming tendencies in solution of the land problems. -http://sebat.org.ua/?p=955.
3. The Crimea: popular solution of the land problem. - ttp:// sebat.org.ua/?p=912
"Islam v multikulturnom mire: Musulmanskiye dvizheniya i mekhanizmy vosproizvodstva ideologii Islama v sovremennom informatsionnom prostranstve," Kazan, 2014, pp. 121-127
N. Rakityansky, M. Zinchenko,
Political analysts
POLITICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DYNAMICS
OF RE-ISLAMIZATION OF THE NORTH CAUCASUS
The North Caucasus is a strategically important region of Russia, and the national security and territorial integrity of our country largely depend on its stability and development. Due to its special geopolitical situation at the crossroads of Eurasian civilizations it has always experienced a strong influence of different cultures, religions and political systems. The Roman Empire, Persia and Iran, Arabia, the Byzantine Empire, the Ottoman Empire, the Mongolian Empire, Russia - this is a far from complete list of states which had had this politically unstable region as part of their territory. Nevertheless, the most prolonged heritage in the region was the result of the military and mental expansion of the Muslim Arab caliphate against the Khazar kaganat. It was at that time, in the 7th century A.D., that the first seeds of Islam were brought there, which were sown and actively cultivated by missionaries of the Golden Horde and emissaries of the Ottoman Porte.
The present activity of Islam in the North Caucasus is determined not only by its cultural-historical, mental and political specificities, but also by reasons of an international origin connected with the growing importance of Muslim religion.1 Due to all these reasons the North
