Centralized Muslim Associations of Russia: Legal and Institutional Bases of the Functioning
Централізовані мусульманські об'єднання Росії: нормативно-правові й інституційні засади діяльності

D. Radivilov
2017 The World of the Orient  
The article examines the tendencies of development of state-Islamic relations in the Russian Federation at the present stage. Among the leaders of the largest Muslim associations in Russia, the view is widely expressed about the need for active participation of the state in solving a wide range of issues of Russian Islam. The expectation that the Russian state will continue its efforts to counteract the radical Islamic movements and to further centralize and unify the Islamic institutional
more » ... cape prevails. The religious authorities of Muslims have repeatedly declared their readiness to be a partner of the state in resolving the salient political and social issues on the agenda of modern Russia. In turn, the Russian state sees in the official Islamic structures an instrument for counteracting the further radicalization of Islam in the territory of the Russian Federation, as well as any forms of Islam, representing a potential danger to the integrity of the Russian Federation and the existing political regime. State's desire to unite the Islamic institutions and to put them under control should be seen as an attempt to counter the 'Salafi threat' within the country by organizationally and ideologically monolithic barrier consisting of state-related Islamic institutions. Mechanism that allows to motivate the leaders of official Islam to stay in the wake of federal government policy consists in providing access of the Muslim establishment to the material and financial resources of the state, as well as the constant support of high social position of the Islamic leading figures, loyal to the authorities. The current model of relations between the state and the largest centralized Islamic associations in Russia testifies to the presence of a certain consensus between the leaders of official Islam and the federal government regarding the strategy for the further development of state-Islamic relations in the direction of establishing a network of state-controlled Islamic institutions.
doi:10.15407/orientw2017.04.067 fatcat:r6qw35cf3vcdjlgberkgghv5x4