95–100% | |
90–95% | |
50–70% | |
30–35% | |
10–20% | |
5–10% | |
4–5% | |
2–4% | |
1–2% | |
< 1% |
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| Georgians ქართველები |
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 The Kartvelian people |
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| History of Georgia |
Islam inGeorgia (Georgian:ისლამი საქართველოში,romanized:islami sakartveloshi) was introduced in 654 when an army sent by the ThirdCaliph of Islam,Uthman, conqueredEastern Georgia and establishedMuslim rule inTbilisi. Currently,Muslims constitute approximately 9.9%[2] of the Georgian population. According to other sources, Muslims constitute 10-11% of Georgia's population.[3]
In July 2011, theParliament of Georgia passed new law allowing religious minority groups with "historic ties to Georgia" to register. The draft of the law specifically mentions Islam and four other religious communities.[3]
Mosques in Georgia operate under the supervision of the Georgian Muslim Department, established in May 2011. Until then the affairs of Georgia's Muslims had been governed from abroad by theBaku-based Caucasus Muslims Department.[4]
In 2010,Turkey and Georgia signed an agreement by which Turkey would provide funding and expertise to rehabilitate three mosques and to rebuild a fourth one in Georgia, while Georgia would rehabilitate four Georgian monasteries in Turkey.[5] The Georgia-Turkey agreement will allow the reconstruction of the historical Azize mosque inBatumi,Ajaria demolished in the middle of the last century. Turkey will rehabilitate the mosques atSamtskhe-Javakheti andAkhaltsikhe regions,Kobuleti District, build the Azize mosque that burned down in 1940 and restore theTurkish bathhouse in Batumi.
The prevalent faith in modern-day Georgia is Orthodox Christianity, despite the country being geographically enclosed by theIslamic world. Simultaneously, the Middle Ages and the early modern period witnessed substantial interactions with the Islamic world, fostering conditions conducive to the propagation of Islam in Georgia.[6]
TheArabs first appeared in Georgia in 645. It was not, however,until 735, when they succeeded in establishing their firm control over a large portion of the country. In that year,Marwan II took hold of Tbilisi and much of the neighbouring lands and installed there an Arabemir, who was to be confirmed by theCaliph of Baghdad or, occasionally, by theostikan ofArmīniya. After the formation of theEmirate of Tbilisi, Arabic historical sources provide evidence of the use of the termsnisbas at-Tiflisi or at-Taflisi.[6]
During the Arab period, Tbilisi (al-Tefelis) grew into a center of trade between theIslamic world andEurope in the north. Beyond that, it functioned as a key Arab outpost and a buffer province facing theByzantine andKhazar dominions. Upon the recapture of Tbilisi by Georgian KingDavid IV in 1122, it was reinstated as the capital of the reunified Georgian state under theBagrationi dynasty. Nevertheless, a noteworthy Muslim minority persisted in the city.[6]
Between 1386 and 1404, Georgia was subjected to invasions by the armies ofTurco-Mongol conquerorTimur, whose vastempire stretched, at its greatest extent, fromCentral Asia intoAnatolia. In the first of at least seven invasions, Timur sacked Georgia's capital,Tbilisi, and captured the kingBagrat V in 1386. In late 1401, Timur invaded the Caucasus once again. The King of Georgia had to sue for peace, and sent his brother with the contributions. Timur was preparing for a major confrontation with theOttoman dynasty and apparently wished to freeze the currently prevailing situation in Georgia, until he could return to deal with it more decisively and thoroughly at his leisure. Thus, he made peace with George on condition that the king of Georgia supply him with troops.[7]
TheSafavid dynasty was in constant conflict with theOttomans over full control and influence in theCaucasus. From the early 16th to the course of the second half of the 18th century, the Safavids had to deal with several independent kingdoms and principalities, as Georgia was not a single state at the time. These entities often followed divergent political courses. Safavid interests were largely directed at Eastern (the kingdoms of Kartli and Kakheti) and Southern (the kingdoms of Samtskhe-Saatabago) Georgia while Western Georgia came under Ottoman influence. These independent kingdoms became vassals of Persia as early as in 1503.[8]
On May 29, 1555, the Safavids and the Ottoman Empire concluded atreaty at Amasya following theOttoman–Safavid War (1532–55) by which theCaucasus was divided between the two. Western Georgia and the western part of southern Georgia fell to The Ottomans, while Eastern Georgia (comprising the kingdoms ofKartli andKakheti) and the (largest) eastern part of southern Georgia fell to Safavid Iran. The bulk of Georgia and the region which had historically always been the most dominant stayed therefore in the Iranian sphere. This partition of the Caucasus and therefore including Georgia under Islamic rule was again confirmed in1639.
The religious approach diverged between the Ottomans and Iranians in their governance of Georgia. While the Ottomans leaned towards the complete Islamization of the Southwest Georgian populace or a hands-off approach in certain western provinces, the Iranians focused on converting the elite class in the eastern region without influencing the predominant Christian majority among the population.[6] For several centuries, the Georgian kings and aristocrats converted to Islam and served as courtiers to the IranianSafavid,Afsharid andQajar dynasties, who ruled them.[9]
In the regions of southern and western Georgia, where Ottoman rule held direct sway, a distinct scenario unfolded. The triumph of Ottoman dominance over South Georgia (referred to in Georgian asSamtskhe-Saatabago/Meskheti) represented a significant setback for feudal Georgia. This historical period witnessed the gradual diffusion of Islam across various rural segments of the populace. Its initial penetration occurred in the aforementioned southwest region of Georgia, notably with the establishment of the Ottomanpashalik of Akhaltsikhe (Childir). Ethnolinguistic minorities within the country also embraced Islam, a phenomenon further catalyzed by the influx ofTurkic-speaking Muslim communities.[10]
The western sector of this region, designated asAdjara, underwent a challenging process of Islamization. In the sixteenth century, as per the Ottoman census of mountainous Adjara, the majority of inhabitants adhered to Christianity, subject to religious taxes. Notably, the initial conversion to Islam primarily involved the nobility. The comprehensive Islamization of the entire population, however, reached fruition only by the closing years of the eighteenth century.[10]
The nineteenth century marked a significant turning point in Georgia's interactions with the Islamic world, primarily shaped by its integration into the Russian Empire. This transition gradually weakened the influence of the Ottoman Empire in western Georgia and Iran in the east. Despite these shifts, Georgia continued to hold strategic importance in the foreign policies of both Iran and the Ottoman Empire, a consequence of territorial changes resulting from theRusso-Iranian andRusso-Turkish conflicts that saw a substantial part of theSouth Caucasus absorbed into the Russian Empire.[11]
The historianGiorgi Sanikidze explains that understanding the demographic composition of nineteenth-century Georgia poses challenges, especially in determining the exact number of Muslims, their ethnic backgrounds, and the dynamics of demographic changes. Historical records often make it difficult to distinguish between ethnicPersians, Turkic-speaking Muslims (later known asAzerbaijanis), and other Muslim groups. Initially, Muslims were collectively labeled as "Tartars (Tatars)," and at times, reference was made to the "Turkish-Tartar" population. However, as the Russo-Turkish and Russo-Persian wars led to an increased Muslim population within the Russian Empire, a more nuanced distinction emerged. The term "Tartar" persisted in reference to Azerbaijanis. For instance, the well-known Russian poetAlexander Pushkin noted that the owner of Tbilisi's famous Persian bathhouse was Persian, while the bathhouse attendant was Tartar.[11]
The Muslims constitute from 9.9% (463,062)[2] to 11%[3] of Georgia's population.
There are two major Muslim groups in Georgia. The ethnic Georgian Muslims areSunniHanafi and are concentrated in theAutonomous Republic of Adjara of Georgia borderingTurkey. The ethnicAzerbaijani Muslims are predominantlyShiaIthna Ashariyah and are concentrated along the border withAzerbaijan andArmenia. TheChechens of Georgia living inPankisi Gorge are also Sunni, but are largelySufis of theNaqshbandi order.
TheMeskhetian Turks, also a Sunni Hanafi group, are the former inhabitants of theMeskheti region of Georgia, along the border with Turkey. They were deported toCentral Asia during November 15–25, 1944 byJoseph Stalin and settled withinKazakhstan,Kyrgyzstan, andUzbekistan. Of the 120,000 forcibly deported in cattle-trucks a total of 10,000 perished.[12] Today they are dispersed over a number of other countries of the formerSoviet Union. There are 500,000 to 700,000 Meskhetian Turks in exile inAzerbaijan andCentral Asia.[13][14]
There are also smaller numbers of Muslims in Georgia belonging to other ethnic groups of theSouth Caucasus, such asOssetians,Armenians, andPontic Greeks (divided betweenCaucasus Greeks and Turkish speakingUrums). These are mainly descended from Ottoman-era Christian Orthodox converts toIslam. Many of Georgia's Muslims defined as 'Ottoman' followingLala Mustafa Pasha's Caucasian campaign that led to the Ottoman conquest of Georgia in the 1570s were actually of Armenian or Pontic Greek origin whose ancestors inEastern Anatolia had adoptedIslam. One prominent example of an Ottoman Muslim from Georgia of Caucasus Greek origin wasResid Mehmed Pasha, who played an important role in suppressing the 1822-33Greek War of Independence (see alsoGreek Muslims andArmenian Muslims).
According to the 2014 Georgian Census, there were 398,677Muslims in Georgia, down from 433,784 Muslims according to the 2004 Georgian Census. However, the share of Muslims clearly increased from 9.9 percent in 2004 to 10.7 percent in 2014. The Muslim population lives mainly in rural areas (298,668 people, or about 75% of the total population).[full citation needed]
| Regions/Municipalities | Population (2014) | Number of Muslims | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kvemo Kartli | 423,986 | 182,216 | 43.0% |
| Marneuli | 104,300 | 86,777 | 83.2% |
| Adjara | 333,953 | 132,852 | 39.8% |
| Batumi | 152,839 | 38,762 | 25.4% |
| Kakheti | 318,583 | 38,683 | 12.1% |
| Gardabani | 81,876 | 35,145 | 42.9% |
| Bolnisi | 53,590 | 33,716 | 62.9% |
| Khelvachauri | 51,189 | 28,841 | 56.3% |
| Khulo | 23,327 | 22,072 | 94.6% |
| Kobuleti | 74,794 | 21,573 | 28.8% |
| Tbilisi | 1,108,717 | 16,268 | 1.5% |
| Sagarejo | 51,761 | 15,804 | 30.5% |
| Guria | 113,350 | 12,951 | 11.4% |
| Dmanisi | 19,141 | 12,340 | 64.5% |
| Shuakhevi | 15,044 | 11,193 | 74.4% |
| Keda | 16,760 | 10,411 | 62.1% |
| Lagodekhi | 41,678 | 9,662 | 23.2% |
| Ozurgeti | 48,078 | 7,649 | 15.9% |
| Tsalka | 18,849 | 7,375 | 39.2% |
| Samtskhe–Javakheti | 160,504 | 6,060 | 3.8% |
| Akhmeta | 31,461 | 5,950 | 18.9% |
| Shida Kartli | 263,382 | 5,650 | 2.1% |
| Telavi | 38,721 | 4,893 | 12.6% |
| Rustavi | 125,103 | 4,566 | 3.6% |
| Kaspi | 43,771 | 3,787 | 8.7% |
| Adigeni | 16,462 | 3,302 | 20.1% |
| Lanchkhuti | 31,486 | 2,790 | 8.9% |
| Chokhatauri | 19,001 | 2,435 | 12.8% |
| Tetritsqaro | 21,127 | 2,297 | 10.9% |
| Mtskheta-Mtianeti | 94,573 | 2,296 | 2.4% |
| Mtskheta | 47,711 | 2,287 | 4.8% |
| Kareli | 41,316 | 1,264 | 3.1% |
| Aspindza | 10,372 | 1,207 | 11.6% |
| Kvareli | 29,827 | 1,041 | 3.5% |
| Imereti | 533,906 | 931 | 0.2% |
| Akhalkalaki | 45,070 | 847 | 1.9% |
| Dedoplistsqaro | 21,221 | 770 | 3.6% |
| Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti | 330,761 | 766 | 0.2% |
| Ninotsminda | 24,491 | 540 | 2.4% |
| Khobi | 30,548 | 535 | 1.8% |
| Gori | 77,549 | 523 | 0.7% |
| Signagi | 29,948 | 367 | 1.2% |
| Khoni | 23,570 | 269 | 1.1% |
| Vani | 24,512 | 211 | 0.9% |
| Samtredia | 48,562 | 203 | 0.4% |
| Telavi | 19,629 | 149 | 0.8% |
| Akhaltsikhe | 17,903 | 140 | 0.8% |
| Kutaisi | 147,635 | 104 | 0.1% |
| Poti | 41,465 | 79 | 0.2% |
| Ozurgeti | 14,247 | 77 | 0.5% |
| Tsqaltubo | 56,883 | 71 | 0.1% |
| Gori | 48,143 | 69 | 0.1% |
| Chkhorotsqu | 22,309 | 47 | 0.2% |
| Gurjaani | 54,337 | 47 | 0.1% |
| Abasha | 22,341 | 45 | 0.2% |
| Terjola | 35,563 | 43 | 0.1% |
| Zugdidi | 62,511 | 34 | 0.1% |
| Akhaltsikhe | 20,992 | 13 | 0.1% |
| Baghdati | 21,582 | 11 | 0.1% |
| Borjomi | 25,214 | 11 | 0.0% |
| Khashuri | 52,603 | 7 | 0.0% |
| Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti | 32,089 | 4 | 0.0% |
| Georgia | 3,713,804 | 398,677 | 10.7% |
EthnicAzeris, most of whom are Muslim, form the majority of the population in the southeastern Georgian region ofKvemo Kartli. Other Muslim groups include ethnic Georgians inAdjara (an autonomous region in the southwestern part of the country) andChechens in the northeast.[15]
In November 2012, Muslims in a western Georgian community were prevented from gathering for prayer by Orthodox priests and townspeople; the local priest said that the local residents "would not allow any minarets and mass prayers in this village", and the police did not intervene.[15] In July 2013, Muslims in an eastern Georgian village had their services disrupted in spite of efforts at conciliation by government officials and a personal plea for tolerance by PatriarchIlia II, head of the GOC, who denounced oppression of Muslims and said he himself had grown up in a household that included observant Muslims.[16]
In August 2013, government authorities disassembled and removed a 24-metre (79-foot)minaret from a mosque in Chela (a village in southwestern Georgia) after objections were raised by members of the surrounding community. The minaret's confiscation was reportedly prompted by claims that the metal from which it was formed may not have been properly declared forcustoms purposes when it was imported from Turkey. Amidst protests against the action by Muslim residents of the village, police reportedly beat six residents and arrested eleven. Unlike in some other communities with a mixture of Muslim and Orthodox residents, there had not been any protests against the mosque or its minaret by residents of Chela.[17] The minaret was eventually returned to the mosque and was reinstalled in late November 2013.[18]
