Spiritual Administration Of Muslims Research Articles

Religion and science in the modern world: a look at the problem from the side of religious denominations.

The subject of the study is the attitude of representatives of the main religious denominations of modern Russia to science. The purpose of the study is to determine the presence and degree of conflict between religious organizations and the scientific community, as well as to study the possibilities of their interaction. The research method is an expert survey, which was conducted in the form of an in-depth interview. The interviewed experts, who have ordained, as well as secular and religious education, represented the main religious organizations registered in Russian Federation: the Russian Orthodox Church, Evangelical Christians, the Roman Catholic Church, the Spiritual Administration of Muslims in Moscow, the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia, the Buddhist Traditional Sangha of Russia, the International Society of Krishna Consciousness, etc. The novelty of the research consists in clarifying the attitude of representatives of religious denominations to the relationship between religion and science, designated as positions of conflict, independence, dialogue and synthesis. The definition of these positions shows how ready religious organizations are to cooperate with science, which forms of it are acceptable to them, as well as which factors contribute to this and which ones hinder it. The analysis of the results showed that the most common positions in assessing the relationship between religion and science are the positions of independence and dialogue. From the point of view of most experts, these independent spheres of knowledge and human activity can complement each other, including in the field of worldview ideas. The positions of conflict and synthesis are less popular, but about a quarter of respondents are supporters of both conflict confrontation and, conversely, the unity of science and religion. At the same time, there was no pronounced ideological conflict, since the majority of respondents is not only familiar with, but also agrees with a number of scientific ideas about the world.

Imams’ Prison Service in Nizhny Novgorod Oblast in 2007-2021

This article is devoted to the imams’ prison service of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Nizhny Novgorod Region (DUMNO) in the institutions of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in 2007-2021. The relevance of the study lies in the fact that the imams’ work comes as a contribution to the observance of the convicts’ rights for the freedom of conscience and to the help in practicing their religion. This article describes the evolution of the imams’ prison service as a form of social service in the period from 2007 to 2021 in institutions of to the Offi ce of Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in Nizhny Novgorod Region. The source base of the study includes materials of the offi cial websites of the DUMNO, the Offi ce of Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in Nizhny Novgorod Region, the media content, Russian legislation and regulations, interviews with imams, offi cials of Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia and convicts. The study results a vision of the evolution of relations between DUMNO and the Offi ce of Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia in Nizhny Novgorod Region. The paper demonstrates a gradual increase in the number of imams’ contacts, forms of work with convicts to improve the situation in the fi eld of rights of convicts. Moreover, the research exposes the fact of growing numbers of imams having gained experience in prison service. According to the results of the study Islamic education for convicts comes as the important part of imams’ prison service.

Who’s Afraid of Religious Extremism?

Abstract This article explores the dynamics of competition between Muslim organisations in Ukraine after the eruption of the Russian–Ukrainian crisis in March 2014. In particular, it deals with the issue of religious extremism as another ideological fault line between two main centres of Islamic religious authority, the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Ukraine (SAMU) and the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Ukraine ‘Umma’ (SAMU-Umma). Although these structures agreed that Islam as a religion should be completely dissociated from all manifestations of extremism and terrorism, their inherent theological and cultural differences led to the SAMU and the SAMU-Umma adopting mutually exclusive discursive strategies for achieving this goal.

Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the European Part of the USSR and Siberia in The System of International Contacts of the USSR during the Cold War (1944—1955)

The Spiritual Administrations of Muslims of the USSR were official organizations accountable to the Council for Religious Affairs, which concerned with regulation the life of religious communities in the allocated territory. Their competence included functions of a theological nature, statistical treatment, observation of cult objects and believers. Under the pressure of post-war circumstances, the beginning of the Cold War, religious organizations were engaged in the propaganda foreign policy tasks of the USSR. In permitted international contacts, they created a positive image of the country and demonstrated freedom of religion. The article examines the participation of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the European part of the USSR and Siberia in the spread of the Soviet ideological project abroad. Territorially, the spiritual administration was located in Ufa, the materials of the National Archives of the Republic of Bashkortostan offer an insight into such forms of interaction with the foreign world as: staff meetings of the spiritual administration with representatives of foreign states, visits of Islamic spiritual leaders to Muslim countries, their publication in foreign editions, participation in international conferences, the presence of believers of the USSR in Saudi Arabia during the Hajj. In the 1950s DUMES has been converted regularly subjected to demonstrations to foreign guests of Bashkiria and all kinds of delegations as a symbol of freedom of conscience in the USSR. The Muslim clergy had promoted of the Soviet lifestyle and the country’s achievements in a deep crisis of religious life in the USSR.

The Relationship between Islamic Structures and the State: the Case of Tatarstan

The paper focuses on the relationships that have developed over the past 30 years of the post-secularity period between the state and Islamic structures and communities using the example of the Republic of Tatarstan as a region with a significant Muslim population. Based on the data of 14 in-depth interviews with the experts, imams and residents of Tatarstan, it is shown that the secular power controls the Islamic community and the Spiritual Administration of Muslims and plays a dominant role in the interaction between the state and Islamic organizations. The modern processes of re-Islamization are associated with the risks caused by Islamic globalization which may lead to the loss of regional Islamic tradition and threaten the stability of the Republic. The state has strengthened control over the religious sphere in this context and has charged the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Tatarstan with an important task of neutralizing and preventing extremism. The main ways to overcome radicalization of believers are educational activities with special attention paid to young people and work for training Muslim clergy. The paper also analyzes whether it is possible to observe the principle of secularism. Special attention is paid to the description of the two main parts that make up the Muslim Ummah of Tatarstan, their different attitudes to the issue of the state intervention in the affairs of Islam and the reaction that they received from the state and official Islamic organizations. The Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Tatarstan is forced to respond to the demands of not only the state, but also ordinary Muslims. However, it can hardly cope with the request to be a buffer between the secular authorities and the Islamic community.

Исламские Религиозные Объединения В Правовом, Политическом И Социальном Контексте России (Islamic Religious Associations In The Legal, Political and Social Context Of Russia)

The purpose of this article is to describe and analyze the activities of Islamic spiritual administrations in Russia. The method used in writing this article is a method of descriptive analysis using data from the literature. The results of the study show that the Spiritual administration of Muslims represents the interests of all Muslims in Russia. The spiritual administration of Muslims is increasingly promoting Islamic education in Russia. It represents the rights of Russian Muslims as citizens and helps to overcome religious extremism, terrorism, xenophobia and Islamophobia in Russia. Interaction between Islam and the state has become a priority. For the state, Islam in Russia is a valuable diplomacy abroad. In the future, the role of the spiritual administration of Muslims should be strengthened, strive for unity and cooperation between the Spiritual administration of Muslims, and give priority to the interests of Russian Muslims Keywords: Muslim spiritual administration, Russian Muslims

Narratives on the Origin of the Institution of the Muftiate among Tatars in Soviet times

The rationale behind the creation of the institution of the muftiate in 1788 in Ufa was that the state wanted to better control the spiritual life of Muslims in the Russian Empire and use it as a tool for implementing domestic and foreign policy. It seemed more convenient for the government to deal with an organized structure incorporated into the system of state-controlled institutions rather than with separate, non-institutionalized representatives of Muslims who relied mainly on their authority among faithful and did not need legitimation and support from the state (either financial or legal). A certain number of Muslim religious figures also did not initially accept this institution. However, by mid-nineteenth century the Muslim community came to the understanding that it needed the institution of the muftiate through which they could represent and defend their interests relative to the state and the Synodal Church as a governmental body. Moreover, the Tatars began viewing the spiritual assembly in Ufa as a national institution guarding Tatar national identity within the context of the Orthodox state. The Tatar population of the empire thus appropriated the muftiate, giving rise to the legend that the institution had historically existed among the Tatars long before they were conquered by the Russians. The first narratives that the muftiate existed in the Kazan Khanate and was destroyed after the conquest of Kazan in 1552 probably appeared at the end of the nineteenth century. In Soviet times, this point of view was widespread in the 1920–1930s. Later it was modified and subsequent aspects of the narrative emphasized some aspects of the history of the muftiate, and concealed others. But the main thesis that the muftiate is an important institution for preserving the spiritual culture of the Tatar people remained unchanged. These changes in the interpretation of its history became in many ways a reflection of the processes that took place in the system of Soviet muftiates and, above all, in the Central Spiritual Administration of Muslims in Ufa in Soviet times. This point of view contradicted the views of a number of Soviet historians (Lyutsian I. Klimovich, Arshaluis M. Arsharuni, Hadzhi Z. Gabidullin, Galimjan G. Ibragimov and others), who considered the muftiate an exclusively colonial institution imposed on Muslims and serving as an instrument of enslavement and oppression.

Религиозная активность православия и ислама в Республике Татарстан в условиях государственного регулирования сложной эпидемиологической обстановки.

During the twentieth century, humanity experienced several pandemics, the most dangerous and large-scale of which was the influenza of the period 1918–1920. In early 2020, the World Health Organization has announced a new worldwide threat caused by a representative of the coronavirus family. All branches of human activity have found themselves in a completely new situation. The spiritual and religious life of the world's population is no exception. In the Russian Federation, religious organizations took into account the new threat, which was reflected in the change in their normal life and Ministry. In the Republic of Tatarstan, there was a rapid response from the leadership of Orthodox and Islamic religious organizations to the problem. At a certain stage, it was decided to suspend the performance of services in religious buildings (temples and mosques). Recommendations were made to strengthen your prayers at home. At the same time, some forms of electronic contact between the religious population and religious organizations were organized (in particular, in the form of receiving electronic notes about health or repose, with the opportunity to make alms for this in the form of electronic payment). It is obvious that among the clergy in the Orthodox and Muslim environment there are different views on everything that is happening, their evolution is discussed in this article. A common positive moment for the Orthodox and Muslim religious community was the decision to resume services with the possibility of full-time attendance of believers. Both in the Kazan Metropolitan area and in the Spiritual administration of Muslims, quite similar regulations were adopted to observe measures to prevent the spread of a new viral infection. However, unfortunately, the accepted instructions are either violated or not fully implemented. Some underestimation of the danger of a new coronavirus infection on the part of both parishioners and the leadership of religious organizations becomes obvious.

“Religion Carries Out a Very Important Mission...”. Interview with Damir Mukhetdinov, First Vice-Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM) of the Russian Federation

Damir Mukhetdinov got his higher education at the Institute of Arabic Language of Umm al-Qura University in Mecca (Saudi Arabia). Then he graduated from the Department of International Relations of Nizhny Novgorod State University and got a master’s degree, then - PhD (Political Science). He is the first deputy chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Russian Federation, a member of the Presidium of the Council of Muftis of Russia, a member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, rector of the Moscow Islamic Institute, professor of St. Petersburg State University, a member of the Commission on Improving Legislation and Law Enforcement Practice of the Council for Cooperation with Religious Associations under the President of the Russian Federation, a member of the working group of the Commission on Religious Associations under the Government of the Russian Federation, a member of the Public Council of the Federal Agency for Nationalities. He was awarded the medals of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the European part of Russia “For Merit” and “For Spiritual Unity”; by Mufti Ravil Gainutdin decree was awarded the highest award of Muslims of Russia - the Order of Honor “Al-Fakhr”, the Order of Muslims of Russia “For Merit”. The interview comprehends the role of Islam in the modern world, including its role in maintaining peace and stability in regions of Islam. Particular attention is paid to cooperation and development of relations between the Russian Federation and the Eastern countries, including the CIS states, through religious channels. Damir Mukhetdinov emphasizes the importance of improving Islamic education in Russia, as well as the development of such scientific areas as Oriental studies, Islamic studies, Theology.

PEDAGOGICAL FEATURES OF THE MODERN MEKTEB OF THE SPIRITUAL ADMINISTRATION OF MUSLIMS OF REPUBLIC OF BASHKORTOSTAN

Analysis of the characteristics of the teaching staffof modern Mektebs the Spiritual administration of Muslims of Republic of Bashkortostan, carried out on the basis of processing data the latest certification allows to identify the social role and the degree of compliance with the objectives of the operation as well as to identify the possible prospects of development of this level of the national system of Islamic education.

Контроль Советским государством международной деятельности Духовного управления мусульман европейской части СССР и Сибири в 1945—1953 годах

The article is devoted to the analysis of the organization of international activities of the Spiritual administration of Muslims of the European part of the USSR and Siberia in 1945-1953. The issue is how this activity was controlled - primarily by the Council for religious affairs under the Council of People’s Commissars of the USSR / Council of Ministers of the USSR. The relevance of the topic is determined by the need to comprehend the historical experience of management decisions of the Soviet state in the field of foreign policy, which were made based on the potential of the Spiritual management of Muslims of the European part of the USSR and Siberia. For the first time the archival material devoted to this problem is put into circulation. The content of the activities of the Council for religious affairs is covered, which was the most public body of the Soviet state for interaction with the spiritual departments of Muslims in matters of foreign policy, which determines the novelty of the study. On the basis of the analysis of archival documents and literature the system of activity of the Soviet state directed on interaction with Spiritual management of Muslims of the European part of the USSR and Siberia is reconstructed. The effectiveness of the measures taken is characterized. On the basis of the study recommendations that can be used in modern practice of public administration in this area are given.

The Issues of Reislamization in Post-Soviet Dagestan in 1990–1995

The process of the Islam revival in Dagestan was associated with the politicization of religion in society during perestroika and post-perestroika periods. The process had its own peculiarities associated with the general transformation of Russian society, active work of international organizations, and the decline of traditional Islam in the republic. As a result, there appeared alternative and unconventional directions in the process of revival of the Islamic component, e. g. the so-called "new Islam" (Wahhabism), foreign to local religious communities.The activity of the adherents of the new movement showed itself not so much in the confessional sphere as in the socio-political sphere. This was clearly manifested in Dagestan society in the early 1990s against the backdrop of the socio-economic and socio-political collapse and contradictions between the state and society.The research investigates the place and role of the social conflict that arose on the basis of ideological differences. The actors of the conflict were individuals with their religious non-traditional views and socio-political orientations, who opposed official structures in the struggle for domination in the society, desperately searching for a new religious idea. The authors proceed from the thesis that the escalation of this kind of conflict has a significant impact on the nature of social (political, socioeconomic, national) relations in any society, the way it happened when the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Dagestan split according to ethnicity.

Muslim Female Religious Authority in Russia: How Mukhlisa Bubi Became the First Female Qāḍī in the Modern Muslim World

On 11 May 1917, the participants of the All-Russia Muslim Congress elected a woman, Mukhlisa Bubi, as a qāḍī (a Muslim judge) to the Central Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Inner Russia and Siberia. Granting legal authority to a woman at a central religious institution was unprecedented in the Muslim world. This article explores how this election was possible in Russia and suggests that it was the outcome of several factors. First, Muslim women of the Volga-Ural region already occupied a well-established place in traditional Muslim education, and many women were part of the Islamic scholarly culture. Second, modernist (Jadīd) religious scholars and intellectuals had brought up the issue of women education and female schooling, and supported the formation of a network of young women who made new claims about women’s education, rights, and active public stance in serving the nation. Among these were Bubi’s brothers. Third, the Russian revolutionary atmosphere worked as a catalyst for promoting the claims of women activists and provided the Jadīds the opportunity to take over the authority at the Central Spiritual Administration. Finally, Mukhlisa’s election seems to be a compromise between conservative and feminist/liberal groups in the society, and seems to have therefore been acceptable to most male congress delegates.

CRIMEAN TATAR FACTOR IN CRIMEA: THE CURRENT STATE AND PROSPECTS

The article deals with the current situation of the Crimean Tatars in Crimea after joining Russia. It is considered a number of decisions taken by Russia, which changed the life of this national minority. For example, according an official status to the Crimean-Tatar language or improving living conditions in Crimean Tatars-populated areas. The article highlights the creation of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Crimea. The author describes the renewal of the mass media in Crimea and the creation of the TV and Radio company Millet instead of the Ukrainian TV channel ATR. The author stresses the difference in the approaches of the Ukrainian and Russian authorities to the question of the deportation of the Crimean Tatars in 1944. The article touches upon the UN General Assembly resolution A / RES / 71/205, 19 December 2016. It is devoted to “Situation of human rights in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol (Ukraine)”. The author offers to get acquainted with the opinion of the Crimean Tatars, who live in Crimea at present, about their current situation after the reunification of Crimea and Sevastopol with Russia. It is analyzed the Ukrainian authorities’ policy on the Crimean Tatars. The author notes the negative effect of the Ukrainian authorities on radical feelings in Crimea. The process of forming these sentiments is considered in the article. The author notes the increased military activities by the illegal armed groups of the Crimean Tatars in the Ukrainian part of the Russian-Ukrainian state boundary. The article emphasizes the evaluation of the Crimean Tatars’ influence on security and stability on the peninsula, as well as the prospects of it. The author gives recommendations on the establishment of inter-ethnic relations, and notes that there is a potential for further development of inter-ethnic dialogue. The author concludes that the Crimean Tatars can act as a stabilizing and destabilizing factor.

PECULIARITIES OF THE CONFESSIONAL POLICY IN THE NORTH CAUCASUS DURING THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR

This article discusses the features of confessional policy against the Orthodox, Protestant, Muslim, etc. religious communities of the North Caucasus during the great patriotic war. It is noted that in this period religious course was spared from severe forms, specific to the 30-ies of XX century. The article’s authors special attention in the work given to the occupation period. It is proved that the German authorities, with a view to legitimizing the new regime, supported the development of religious life: the opening of places of worship, free activity of priests who had loyal attitude invaders. However, to use the religious factor to divide the people the fascists succeeded only partially. The vast majority of religious organizations have made a significant contribution to the victory over the enemy, providing various forms of assistance to the front. The article The article emphasizes the unique position of church Renovationism in the Northern Caucasus, disclosed the reasons for his successful diffusion. The work assesses the initiatives of the Soviet power regarding the establishment centralized management structures of religious cults. Describes the activities of the spiritual administration of Muslims of the Northern Caucasus that existed in the town of Buynaksk. It is noted that the Soviet government had an ambivalent attitude to non-traditional religious movements. Some of them were recognized as antisocial and have not received the registration. In this number were Pentecostals, Jehovah's witnesses who refused to perform military service in connection with spiritual beliefs, etc. Concludes that, despite positive developments in the field of religious policy in the post-war period, there was a disruption constructive state confessional dialogue. Substantiates the prospect of further study of the topic, with the purpose of filling existing gaps.

STATE-ISLAM RELATIONS IN THE USSR BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR: THE EXAMPLE OF THE RESUMPTION OF THE HAJJ AND THE CREATION OF SPIRITUAL ADMINISTRATIONS

The article is focused on analysis of changes in Church-state relations, the direction of atheistic Soviet policy on the side of the religious exemptions, the organization of the activities of the spiritual administration of Muslims and the reasons for the resumption of the pilgrimage tradition of the Muslims during the war years, after a long break.

RESOURCE CENTER ‘KHUSH KILDEGEZ, MERHABA!’ FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ISLAMIC EDUCATION AND ISLAMIC STUDIES AT THE INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, HISTORY AND ORIENTAL STUDIES OF KAZAN FEDERAL UNIVERSITY

The article takes a look at the visit of the chairman of the Russia Mufties Council, chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Russia to the Resource Center for the Development of Islamic Education and Islamic Studies at the Kazan Federal University. The article describes several events that took place during the visit: the speech of the Mufti, presentation of the Resource Center and a number of presentations of major publications — the work of Kayum Nasyri (1825–1902) on Quran «Miftah alQuran» (The Key to the Quran), a bibliographic research dedicated to Persian manuskripts preserved at the Kazan University Library and a multimedia project «Tatar Muslim Culture of the Volga region» (in Russian, Tatar, English) prepared in collaboration with Indiana University.

Interaction between the government and spiritual administration of Muslims in organizing Hajj

Interaction between the government and spiritual administration of Muslims in organizing Hajj

HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT OF RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS AS THE MAIN SOURCE OF STABLESTATE-CONFESSIONAL RELATIONS IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION (the republic of Bashkorostan)

Staffing in religious organizations in many respects determines the future of church-state relations. The analysis of personnel potential of Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Republic of Bashkortostan on the example of its functional units — muhtasibats allows us to give an overall assessment of the situation, vision of the future and, basing on this, to make recommendations that strengthen personnel potential of Muslim religious organizations.

Ukrainian Modernist Groups in an International Context

The article describes international ties of Islamic modernist groups in Ukraine and their participation in various international projects. The author analyzes the activity and international contacts of the most influential Ukrainian modernist groups—the Alraid association of civic organizations and the affiliated Ummah Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Ukraine. The conclusion is that representatives in Ukraine of the modernist direction in contemporary Islam are deeply incorporated into international networks in organization and finance, often as conduits for certain political or geopolitical projects. Specifics are discussed concerning those who aspire to legitimize themselves in the eyes of authorities by institutionalizing “traditional” spiritual administrations.