Islam in Tatarstan existed prior to the tenth century, but it saw major growth in 922, whenBulgar rulerAlmış converted toIslam.[1] This was followed by an increase in missionary activity inVolga Bulgaria. Islam remained the dominant religion through theMongol invasion and subsequentKhanate of Kazan. In 1552, the region was finallyconquered byRussia, bringing theVolga Tatars andBashkirs on the Middle Volga into the tsardom. Under Russian rule, Islam was suppressed for many years, first during the Tsardom andRussian Empire, while also facing persecution during theSoviet era. Today,Islam is a major faith inTatarstan, adhered to by 47.8–55 percent[2][3][4][5][6] of the estimated 3.8 million population, making it one of the two dominant religions in the region, the other beingOrthodox Christianity.[7]
Marat Gatin is the minister for Interaction with Religious Organizations, a Presidential department.[8]
The earliest known organized state within the boundaries of Tatarstan wasVolga Bulgaria (c. 700–1238 CE). TheVolga Bulgars had an advanced mercantile state with trade contacts throughout InnerEurasia, theMiddle East and theBaltic, which maintained its independence despite pressure by nations such as theKhazars, theKievan Rus' and theKipchaks. In 921, Bulgar rulerAlmış sent an ambassador to theCaliph requesting religious instruction.[1]Islam was introduced by missionaries[9] fromBaghdad around the time ofIbn Fadlan's journey in 922.Almış' conversion to Islam made Volga Bulgaria the first Muslim state in what is nowRussia.
The Khanate of Kazanwas conquered by the troops of TsarIvan IV the Terrible in the 1550s, withKazan being taken in 1552. Many of the inhabitants of Kazan were forcibly converted to Christianity while others were drowned or forced to leave Kazan.[10] Cathedrals were built in Kazan; by 1593, mosques in the area were destroyed, and the Russian government forbade their construction. This prohibition remained in place untilCatherine the Great lifted it in the 18th century. The first mosque to be rebuilt under Catherine's auspices began construction in 1766 and was completed four years later.
On May 27, 1920, theTatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic was created. UnderJoseph Stalin, the Soviet Union began to place restrictions on the use of the Bulgar turki language, which used a variant ofArabic script. The Bulgar turki alphabet switched toCyrillic. The development of national culture declined significantly and religion, including Islam, in Tatarstan was severely repressed. Volga Bulgarians were forcibly renamed to Tatars (an insulting exonym for Volga Bulgarians) by Soviet decree.
The1921–1922 famine in Tatarstan was a period of mass starvation and drought that took place in the Tatar ASSR,[11][12] in which 500,000[13] to 2,000,000[14] peasants died. The event was part of the greaterRussian famine of 1921–22 that affected other parts of theUSSR,[15] in which up 5,000,000 people died in total.[16][17] In 2008, the All-Russian Tatar Social Center (VTOTs) asked theUnited Nations to condemn the 1921-22 Tatarstan famine as agenocide of Muslim Tatars.[18][19]
According toRuslan Kurbanov, an expert on Islam in modern Russia, Volga Bulgarians have demonstrated a very constructive and effective way of developing their religious and national identity and widening their political autonomy within Russia. In the most difficult years of post-Soviet Russia — years of deep economic crisis and twoChechen wars — Tatars demonstrated phenomenal results in the economic development of their national republic.[20]
In September 2010,Eid al-Fitr and May 21, the day theVolga Bulgars embraced Islam, were made public holidays.[21] Despite the holiday, theKazan Federal University decided to hold classes onEid al-Adha. This caused students to protest, with some declaring their intention to skip class and attend mosque services.[22] Tatarstan also hosted an international Muslimfilm festival which screened over 70 films from 28 countries includingJordan,Afghanistan andEgypt.[citation needed] The firsthalal food production facility opened with foreign companies expressing their interest to expand the project in Tatarstan. The recently opened facility produces 30 halal products and employs 200 people.[23]
In 2010 and 2011Islamic banking was introduced.[24][25][26]
Kazan held the 8th internationalQuran Reader's Contest from 23 to 25 November, organized by theRussian Islamic University, which is based in Kazan. Ways of facilitating modern religious education in Tatarstan were also discussed.[27]
Islam is the majority faith in Tatarstan.[7] In 1990, there were only 100 mosques but that number, rose to well over 1000 by 2004. As of January 1, 2008, as many as 1398 religious organizations were registered in Tatarstan, of which 1055 areMuslim. Many of the Muslims in Tatarstan are practicing.[28] Increased religiousness has been evident among Muslims and interfaith relations remain very strong.[29][30][31][32][33]
