Ukraine is a poly-confessional and a poly-ethnic state and has unique geopolitical position. It is left only to use such resources reasonably and weighed. The religious factor influences a sociopolitical situation more and more. The activity of religious organizations which unite more and more people recently grows. And thank God! Only in the conditions of a free choice and equal rights in the sphere of religion may be realized basis democratic principles.
If in the early nineties the religious situation was marked by the initial euphoria peculiar to transition from one system to another, at the present stage are characteristic the deep and realized spiritual search, constructive interaction of spheres of religion and society. Religious accessory it is not just a simple slogan, but a vital reference point in the tradition reconstruction, without which not no any ethnos or state is possible.
The religious factor always played and will play in Ukraine far not the last role; therefore we bear responsibility for implementation of well-known concepts: tolerance, equality of everyone before the law, democracy. Meaningful dialogue between faiths and the public, first of all, depends on objective knowledge and refusal of stereotypes which occur in the relation of religion. The balance of religious trends is directly connected with policy and economy, and it is possible only at following the principles of constitutionalism and tolerance. Better to say — all of us are different, and we live in Ukraine. We love it, and for the sake of the general prosperity it is necessary for us to co-operate notwithstanding our national, cultural and religious differences. It is necessary not only to speak, but also to learn to hear what the other says. Concerning religions still work stereotypes instead of objective knowledge. Conflicts between faiths: Moscow and Kiev patriarchates, between UOCh MP and USKCh confirm this principle. Ability to refuse from stereotypes and to replace them with their real facts is a quality of a spiritually mature person.
The issue of Islam is more than actual nowadays. I will remind that Islam in the world is one of the most fast-growing according to the number of believing religions. From 191 states of the world in 120 Islam is professed. The population of these countries is young (more than 40 % of the population are younger than 15). As it is supposed, the total population in the Muslim countries should double in 20-25 years. Leading political scientists estimated for a long time the Islamic factor in the world policy, the centers of Islamic studies are created at many universities. In the European Union appeared the Euro Islam phenomenon. As a minimum it means active position of Islamic diaspora in politico-social sphere, as a maximum it is a change of the European culture under the influence of Islamic. In Europe that is called, "they suddenly remembered" because of the problem of lack of knowledge of Islam.
In Ukraine ethnic groups practicing Islam in the past and nowadays take effective part in the process of cultural and political development of the Ukrainian statehood at the present stage. Historically Islam is one of traditional religions of Ukraine, differs by riches of cultural and ethnic characteristics. The modern Islamic population of Ukraine totals approximately 2 million people.
In Lugansk region lives more than 15 thousand Muslims, whose ethnic structure is extremely various. They are the Tatars, the Uzbeks, the Bashkirs, the Kirghiz, the Udmurts, the natives of Azerbaijan, the Chechen Republic, Dagestan, the Muslims who rather recently came to Ukraine from Jordan, Palestine, Tunisia, Algeria. One of significant characteristics of Islam as religious system is ability to integrate national and cultural distinctions, to counterbalance ethnonational divergences, to come to the general arrangement. The great value is given to the society prosperity. A Muslim is obliged to work, to be in good relations with his neighbors, to promote the maximum development of the society.
The mosque in the system of Islam is not only religious, but also the public centre where thanks to the dialogue, the representatives of various traditions find common language, takes place mutual enrichment of traditions, continuity of generations. Moreover, a mosque is an open structure where can also come people of other religious accessory. In Lugansk region operate mosques in Sverdlovsk, Rovenky, Krasniy Luch, Anthracit, Alchevsk, Lugansk, Stakhanov. Nowadays there is conducted the building of the mosque in Lugansk which opening will be the important event in life of Muslims of the region. In this connection it is necessary to note a number of features.
In religious system of Islam it is obligatory to perform fivefold Salat (prayer), established in certain time. For the modern Muslim it is a problem to find time to reach a mosque from a work place, especially because they usually allow to build a mosque somewhere on city suburb. Objectively a mosque should be built in the down town to satisfy religious requirements of many Muslims who are the citizens of Ukraine and according to the Constitution have their full right for this. Moreover, representatives of the government should promote realisation of this right, instead of standing aside or preventing it.
In activity of Islamic communities is realized tolerance principle, since due to accurate system of religious norms and values is reached meaningful dialogue between representatives of various national, cultural, age categories. Unity in variety is one of the features of regional Islam. Recently inter-religious dialogue becomes the actual topic, at the Lugansk regional state administration started to operate the Council of heads of the religious organizations. In many respects, Islam as a religious system, is directed on dialogue with other cultural and religious traditions (the special status in Islam have People of the Holy Scripture, i.e. Christians and Jews), therefore Muslim representatives are always active participants of inter-religious projects, especially in the charity sphere. In Lugansk region the special role is played by a number of Muslim organizations: Al-Bayan in Lugansk, Al-Ikhlas in Sverdlovsk. Here pass constant meetings of Muslims, are realized projects in social sphere, work libraries, are conducted lessons on history, culture of the Islamic world, the Arabic language.
Historically Islam was not supported by the government neither in the Russian empire, nor in the Soviet Union that saved it from excessive politicizing to what results the destructive union of religion and government. In the USSR the religious structures were compelled to serve to interests of the state machinery. Thus, Islam developed original immunity against political extremism. But nowadays it is attached labels of "Islamic terrorism", etc. Frank nonsense! Moreover, Muslim representatives are compelled to constantly explain in mass-media someone's illiteracy, that "Islam and terrorism are mutually exclusive…" It is important to leave justificatory positions! If Islam did not prove itself to be in cooperation with such totalitarian systems which are inherently super-terrorist, why to attribute to it this absurdity now? Terrorism is a crime, first of all, against a person in any sphere — family, work, education and job. Therefore it is more expedient to speak about terrorism in relation to Islam.
The clothes theme concerns Islam realities in the region, in particular — hijab for Muslim women. Nowadays it is fashionable to speak about this problem in France or Germany whereas even in our region this topic is disclosed rather poorly. Hijab emphasizes the special status and rights of a woman in the society, her personal advantage; therefore it is illiterate to consider hijab as an attribute of oppression of a woman. Muslim girls hear at times in the streets rough remarks in their address. At the employment the Islamic clothes causes negative perception and often prevents employment.
Specificity of the legal consciousness is law — if to break the law in one position, automatically comes to a disbalance the whole system. If you break someone's rights, don't be surprised that the mechanism of their protection for you will not operate any more.
Speaking about dialogue of cultural traditions in Lugansk region, it is necessary to mention basic principles of Islam. First of all, an active social position. Really, Islam promotes development of communicative qualities, a compromise — thereby, stimulating necessary features of modern business. Muslims in Lugansk area work on mines and industrial enterprises, trade sphere, sometimes occupy supervising posts. In Muslim families there are a lot of veterans of work. Patience and diligence for a long time became the integral characteristics of Islamic culture which brings up leadership qualities and responsibility that is necessary in all fields of activity. In the region the young generation differs with passivity and disbelief in its own future, or an aggressive position that is a direct consequence of loss of any spiritual traditions. The leader in Islam is the one who can act at his maximum, to bear the maximum responsibility and to worry about others, i.e. works in a team.
Secondly, Islam promotes development of the family institute. In Lugansk area, as well as in Ukraine as a whole, the institute of family undergoes far not the best times that is shown in decrease of birth rate level, the number of young families, whereas in Islam, children is the basic human value, a condition of a healthy society.
Thirdly, in Islam are forbidden all kinds of intoxicating substances. The Islamic culture developed effective remedies on preservation of physical and spiritual integrity of a person. Objectively social experience of Islam can serve as an example for our region and this specificity should be considered in teamwork with Islamic organizations.
The present is connected with globalization process where the one who can fastest adapt for the new information and experience of other cultural systems wins. Only the structure which is opened to innovations survives. By the principle of tradition and innovation should be built modern relations, too.
Tatyana SCHELOKOVA
By the "Arraid" newspaper
Related Links:
Islam in Social and Political Life of Modern Ukrainian Society
Under the Badge of Half Moon. To Praise Allah in Lugansk Uneasy
Muslims in Ukraine: Revival in the Context of Eurointegration
