PRESERVING IDENTITY UNDER TOTALITARIANISM: THE ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE OF MUSLIM COMMUNITIES IN THE SOVIET UNION
Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe, cilt.46, sa.8, ss.218-232, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 46 Sayı: 8
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.55221/2693-2229.2901
- Dergi Adı: Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus
- Sayfa Sayıları: ss.218-232
- Anahtar Kelimeler: 1 atheism, Islam, Muslims, religious lifestyle, repression, Soviet policy, Soviet Union, tariqas, traditional values
- Akdeniz Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the methods employed by Muslim peoples in the former Soviet Union to preserve their traditional, spiritual, and religious identity under the systemic anti-religious policies, ideological pressures, and repressive measures of the Soviet totalitarian regime. Despite the Soviet authorities' efforts to rapidly secularize society and reshape public consciousness through scientific atheism, the enduring commitment of Muslim communities to their traditional values is clearly demonstrated. The study examines the closure of mosques, the restriction of religious rituals, and the severe obstacles encountered in performing daily worship. Furthermore, it thoroughly explores the role of Sufi brotherhoods as an informal spiritual stronghold. The dialectical relationship between the compromise-oriented policies of official religious directorates on the one hand, and the activities of "parallel mullahs" among the populace on the other, is illustrated. The research findings prove that the Islamic factor during the Soviet era served not merely as a religious belief, but as a primary mechanism for preserving ethnic and national identity.