State Regulation of the Process of Creating Muslim Parishes of Western Siberia

Abstract

The paper focuses on the problem of state regulation of the foundation process of Islamic communities on Western Siberia territory since the latter half of the 19th to the beginning of the twentieth century. Analysis of archive materials identifies the main problems the Muslim population of Western Siberia faced in constructing religious structures and creating independent communities. The conducted historical and religious research contributed to the analysis of the principles of building state-confessional policy towards the Muslim population of the country. The introduction of previously unpublished archive materials, as well as the analysis of legislative sources, appraises the role of the state and its institutions in the formation of Islamic communities on the territory of Western Siberia since the latter half of the 19th to the beginning of the twentieth century. At the same time, the identification of several problems faced by the Muslim population when opening communities is now possible. First of all, it is the financial insolvency of Muslim communities. As part of the policy of the country, the construction of the religious building and its further maintenance was to be carried out at the expense of the Islamic people. Not every Muslim community could whip around the required sum at the initial stage for the construction of the mosque. Second, even the moneyness did not guarantee the community to obtain permission to build a cult facility. Based on the legislation of the Russian Empire, a restriction was introduced on the number of community members. Thus, the community could not be organized and receive official status if it had less than 200 male people. As a result, Moslems were completely subordinate to the provincial authorities. Besides, Orenburg Magometan Spiritual Assembly did not contribute to the construction of other communities, the Empire territory.