Islam and Muslims in Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union

Abstract

After the collapse of the Soviet Union sovereign Islamic states arose in the traditional Islamic regions of the USSR, although Islam was not declared to be an official or state religion in the constitutions of these states, since, as before, religion was sepa­ rated from the state. These states were: Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. With the exception of Kazakhstan, these Muslim republics have become members of international Islamic organisations and societies. Since almost half the population of Kazakhstan are not Muslims, this state takes part in international Islamic organisations as an observer or guest. The collapse of the Soviet Union separated more than 65 million Muslims in the Muslim regions of Central Asia, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan from Russia. However, the collapse of the Soviet Union did not mean that Russia ceased to be a state with a large Muslim population. Within Russia there remain nine Muslim republics: Tatarstan, Bashkortostan, Dagestan, Adygeya, Chechnya, Ingushetia, Northern Ossetia, Kabardino-Balkaria and Karachayevo-Cherkessia, with a population of more than 20 million Muslims. The Muslim Legacy from the Communist Regime in Russia For more than 1400 years of Islamic history before the arrival of the communist regime in Central Asia and Turkmenistan, in the Volga region and the Urals and in the Caucasian regions, Islam was the sole regulator of social and economic matters and of culture, morality and family life. For the first time in the history of the Muslim peoples Soviet power not only denied Islam the right to regulate the social and spiri­ tuallife of society, but also imposed a concrete task - to eradicate Islam and replace it by a communist world outlook. The entire political apparatus, legal and social institutions and the activity of party and ideological workers and the educational sys­ tem were directed towards achieving this end. The domination of the communist regime in the regions of traditional distribution of Islam in the Soviet Union has left its mark, and its wounds. Islam and Muslim organisations have been obliged to endure 70 years of persecution and oppression. The whole period from 1917 to 1985 was characterised by struggle, oppression and persecution of religion and religious organisations, although from time to time the party and state to a degree softened their oppression of religion and changed their