Islam exists on the earths of Ukraine for hundred years; it has here its long and difficult history. Its periodization assumes statement of the general principles of studying of history of Islam in Ukraine.
The spread of Islam in the Ukrainian land is the natural process caused by the position of Ukraine on the border of great civilizations – Muslim and Christian, and also difficult ethnic structure of its population, the part of which practices Islam.
The history of contacts of Ukraine with the Islamic world totals centuries. At the same time it is impossible to specify unequivocally the starting point of Islamization of Ukraine. Islamization of the part of population of Ukraine in general historical prospect looks like gradual process which has several fixed stages.
In comparison with the process of Islamization of Central Asia, Transcaucasia and the North Caucasus, the spread of Islam in Ukraine had a bit different character concerning local ethnoses. Here Islam played an outstanding role as the factor of ethnic self-preservation of the Crimean-Tatar and the Bulgarian (the Volga-Tatar) people.
Historically there were two basic ways of advancement of Islam to Ukraine: eastern (Bulgarstan and the North Caucasus) and southern (Crimea and Turkey). Nowadays religious-cultural influence of Turkey, Islamic Republic Iran and some Arabic countries developing cooperation with independent Ukraine increases.
Islam was always a persecuted religion in Ukraine. Owing to the existence of the state religion, and also military collisions with southern neighbors of Ukrainians Islam for long time was considered as hostile and alien religion what entered into outlook and mentality of the Ukrainian people.
However, in the course of establishment of peaceful relations with the neighbors who are practicing Islam, view of Ukrainians on Islam changed in many respects, writes Islam for all, referring to IslamNews.Ru.
Acquaintance of Ukraine with the highest values of Islam was not continuous and smooth. It was discrete process. Islam influenced on local population only during the peace periods.
For a variety of causes Muslims practically did not aim at conversion into Islam of Ukrainians, at least there is no data about these plans.
Islam in Ukraine has no any specificity; it did not led here to the appearance of new sects, directions, societies, groups.
The Candidate of Philosophy of the Institute of National Relations and Political Science of the NAS of Ukraine, N.I. Kirushko, suggests the following periodization of advancement of Islam in the Ukrainian land:
The first period can be characterized as fact-finding. During this period in the course of traveling, trading operations, military expeditions of Rusiches, and also the Arabian merchants and geographers takes place the first acquaintance with Islam, its doctrine and ceremonies.
The second period can be designated as military-colonizatonal. It concerns the subsidence which followed finishing of military campaigns on a new residence of the people which converted to Islam.
Here belongs the subsidence in Crimea of the Tatar Horde which officially accepted Islam at the times of the Khan Uzbek, and Turkish colonies in Kamentse-Podolskiy, Akkermen, Azov, Ochakov.
After this started the period in the course of which Islam proves itself as the factor of ethnic, national expression of the Muslim people, helping to keep their identity in the environment of non-Muslim ethnoses. The faith became the ethnosupporting factor.
Nowadays begins the stage of penetration of Islam into the environment of native Eastern Slavic people – ethnic Ukrainians and Russian. For them Islam is not the factor supporting national consciousness. It became the factor of world outlook self-determination of the person.
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