Development of the theological traditions of Muslims in the Volga region and the Urals in the 18th – early 20th centuries

Abstract

Тhe relevance of the study is connected with the study of the development of the theological traditions of Muslims in the Volga and Urals regions in the 18th – early 20th centuries, which was characterized by softening of religious and national policies. This made it possible to shift the focus of theological research on solving intra-community issues, overcoming the backwardness of the Muslim population from the heterodox environment and reviving national and cultural traditions. The main tools were ijtihad (the right to independently turn to the primary sources of Islam) and its dichotomy known as taqlid as well as the fight against a condemned religious innovation known as heresy (bid‘a). Ijtihad and taqlid must be considered as two fairly flexible tools for solving modern issues, since each of them appeals to Islamic primary sources (to the Quran and Sunnah), while taqlid supposes the understanding of religious authority.