Muslim Religious Institutions in Imperial Russia

Book Description

This scholarly exploration unveils the rich spiritual landscape of Muslim communities across Imperial Russia's vast frontier territories. Drawing from a rare Turkic manuscript compiled in 1910, the work illuminates how diverse Islamic communities maintained their religious identity and practices under imperial rule.

The study takes readers into the heart of rural Muslim life, examining the sacred institutions that served as pillars of faith for Tatar peasants, Bashkir nomads, Kazakh communities, and Muslim Cossacks scattered across the steppe regions. Through careful analysis of mosques, religious schools, spiritual leaders, and Sufi practitioners, the author reveals how these communities preserved their spiritual traditions while navigating the complexities of life within the Russian Empire.

What emerges is a nuanced portrait of religious resilience and adaptation. The book demonstrates how Islamic institutions functioned not merely as places of worship, but as vital centers of community life that bound together diverse Muslim populations across vast geographical distances. By comparing these frontier experiences with Islamic practices in the Volga-Ural heartland, the work offers insights into the broader patterns of Muslim spiritual life throughout Imperial Russia.

For readers interested in understanding how faith communities maintain their spiritual identity under challenging circumstances, this detailed examination provides valuable perspectives on the enduring power of religious institutions to sustain cultural and spiritual continuity across generations.