Islam is one of three traditional religions which are present on the Crimean territory for ages.
Ayder BULATOV, vice-chairman of the Committee on Religious Affairs in the AR of Crimea.
Islam started to penetrate Crimea in IX-XI centuries, at the time of residing on its territory of different tribes: the Khazars, the Protobulgarians, the Pechenegs, the Polovians. At the time of existence of the Crimean Khanate (1443-1783) Islam was the state religion which performed an essential nation-forming function for the Crimean Tatars. Being the basis of the state, Islam governed almost all spheres of life of the society on the peninsula: education, household, judgment system. At this time flourished culture and building of Muslim cult buildings on the peninsula, the quantity of which on it according to the eligible sources totaled 1700 mosques.
Annexation of the Crimean Khanate by the Russian Empire promoted mass emigration of the Crimean Tatars and considerable reduction of quantity of Muslim cult places and ecclesiastics. All in all, the quantity of mosques in Crimea decreased twice, and clerics almost five times. According to census of 1897, the Muslim population of Crimea constituted the second group after orthodox and totaled 13,2 %. Already at the days of "cultural revolution" and Stalin reprisals many mosques were destroyed, and after deportation of the Crimean Tatars almost all Muslim cult establishments were closed.
In the course of nearly 50-year-old term in the places of deportation, in the conditions of totalitarian atheistic regime, took place considerable separation of the Crimean Tatar people from their religious roots, as a result religiousness remained practically at the level of traditions and household ceremonies. At the present stage of national revival of the Crimean-Tatars who are coming back from places of deportation on their historical homeland, the question of revival of religion, studying history and culture which are inseparable from Islamic traditions became especially actual. The Muslim population in modern Crimea is represented mainly by the Crimean Tatars and some other people practicing Islam: the Volga Tatars, the Azerbaijani, the Uzbeks, the Turks, nationalities of Caucasus and other ethnoses which constitute (taking into account Sevastopol) about 11 % of the population of peninsula. At the beginning of November, 2008, in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea were registered 338 Muslim religious organizations, among them the Spiritual Management of Muslims of Crimea (SMMC) and 332 communities which are under its initial management.
At the same time it is necessary to note that steady Muslim associations from 10 and more persons grouped round its organizational kernel - the imam and his assistants, work practically in every settlement of compact residing of the Crimean-Tatar population and carry out traditional Muslim ceremonies (namaz, nishan (betrothal), janaza (funeral), sunnet (circumcision), etc.) at homes of fellow Muslims. According to the conducted researches, the number of similar Muslim associations in Crimea reaches 612 communities. Taking into account historical, ethnic and confessional features of Muslims in the Crimean Autonomy are created conditions for realization of spiritual needs of citizens, practicing religious rituals and preserving of religious originality of ethnic groups of the population.
Process of registration of Muslim communities in Crimea occurred most dynamically till 2005, further this process considerably slowed down. It is quite probable that the possible extreme threshold of registration in Crimea of Muslim communities - juridical persons is already reached. It is explained, first of all by the fact, that nowadays in the Autonomy practically finished the process of returning of former cult buildings transferred, according to the Ukrainian law, to the registered juridical persons, i.e. to Muslim communities. The second reason of reduction of the quantity of registered Muslim communities is the reduction of quantity of new mosques under construction in settlements of Crimea, mostly owing to rise of their building in price.
The quantity of Muslim clerics corresponds to the quantity of Muslim communities and totals more than 400 persons what provides carrying out of necessary religious ceremonial actions. During the last years in mosques considerably decreases the quantity of self-educated imams which stop working after the achievement of old age. The youth which mostly graduates from the Azov medrese which is patronized by the Turkish fund Aziz Mahmoud Hudai Vakufy is appointed to the post of Imams of mosques.
For certain reasons not all experts who received diplomas of the higher foreign Islamic universities were claimed in the structures of Muslim communities of the SMMC. Some of the graduates of theological faculties found for themselves in Crimea other, not religious field of activity. Others, as it was shown by conferences conducted by an independent Muslim community "Davet" appeared in the ranks of an intellectual kernel of the given organization attached to the ideology of the religious-political party "Khizb-ut-Tahrir".
At the disposal of Muslim communities there are 277 mosques, from them: returned - 54, adapted - 146, newly built - 77. At a building stage there are 2 mosques: in the village Kutlak (Veseloe) of Sudak and in territory of correctional labor institution of Akmesdzhit (Simferopol) where the building began at the initiative of the Crimean Muftiyat.
In Crimea operate 5 Muslim educational institutions (medrese), among which are 2 schools of Hafiths (those who memorize the Holy Quran by heart). In total in Muslim spiritual educational institutions study nearly 200 persons. At the mosque Seyt-Settar of Akmesdzhit in a mode of Sunday school works medrese intended for employment of all age levels of population.
From the moment of formation of first Muslim communities in 1988 and creation in 1991 of Kadiyat of Muslims of Crimea which after a year was transformed into the Crimean Muftiyat (the Spiritual Management of Muslims of Crimea), Muslim community was perceived by uniform spiritual association, but from the end of 1999, in connection with occurrence of first independent Muslim communities which do not have neither initial, nor structural submission, appeared tendencies to delimitation of previously uniform Crimean Muslim Ummah.
At the initial stage the biggest part of independent Muslim communities did not reveal themselves. It is possible to explain their passivity by absence of educated and charismatic leader, mosques under control, sufficient material resources, etc. Besides it was also affected by certain counteraction of Muftiyat and Mejlis of the Crimean-Tatars. 47 religious organizations registered by this time as independent Muslim communities make 14 % of Muslim network of the autonomy and even more often prove themselves as a part of religious opposition.
Last years representatives of independent Muslim communities registered in 1999-2003 quite often become participants of religious actions which are carried out by adherents of various Muslim religious branches. In the course of last years through the creation of independent Muslim communities, a political-religious party "Khizb-ut-Tahrir al-Islami" legitimizes its activity. Resonant religious-educational actions carried out by adherents of this ideological sect in Crimea showed that some part of the Crimean Muslims, especially youth, shows interest to subjects of carried out conferences, and gradually in the sphere of influence of this sect become involved not only representatives of the mentioned sect, but also imams and Muslim communities which are under jurisdiction of the Spiritual Management of Muslims of Crimea.
The peak of growth of independent Muslim communities took place in 2007 when the similar way of legalization was selected by other wave of religious oppositionists - adherents of the so-called Islamic Habashi sect. Graduates of the Kiev Islamic University at the Spiritual Management of Muslims of Ukraine (SMMU), which is headed by Mufti of Muslims of Ukraine Sheikh Ahmed Tamim became initiators of registration of independent communities of this sect. In Crimea it is possible to notice a definite structure of this sect with the centre in Kezlev (Evpatoria) and structural divisions in various regions of Crimea. Sheikh Ahmed Tamim in the interview for the Crimean press denied his participation in creation of Muslim Habashi communities in Crimea, though he himself is adherent to this school. But he declared that he does not divide Muslims into "them" and "us".
Recently in the Islamic environment of Crimea appear other Islamic associations, including the so-called groups of Salafi, Tebligh, Takfir, etc., what speaks about existence in reviving Muslim communities of a wide spectrum of Islamic outlook. How much this spectrum of religious-political, fundamentalist, traditional and not traditional for Crimea Muslim sects will promote integrity and unity of the Muslim Ummah is still a question, which, probably, should be explained by authoritative Muslim leaders. In any case for preservation of peace and stability in the society the processes occurring in this sphere should become objects of constant attention and studying.
We would like to return to the IV Kurultay of the Crimean Muslims, which took place in Akmesdzhit in July, 2008, where it was accepted the Reference to the President of Ukraine V. Yushchenko. In particular, there was stated the following, "Despite presence of corresponding laws of Ukraine and decrees of the President of Ukraine, up to the present day tens of relics, in particular, mosques, medrese, aziz (sanctuaries) were not returned Muslims of Crimea". We would notice that for last 4 years at least in the Republican Committee of the AR of Crimea on affairs of Religions were not received any applications for transfer of Muslim cult objects which the Committee in the scope of its competence could not resolve.
But unfortunately, up to the present day in Muslim spiritual institutions of Crimea there are no experts who are systemically engaged in revealing, gathering of necessary documents and systematic returning of the former religious relics as it takes place, for example, in Simferopol and Crimean diocese of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. From this stems considerable contrast in results of work.
But, nevertheless, problem questions in returning of some cult buildings, the former cult property, and also in getting of land areas for the building of mosques, still exist, especially it concerns Akmesdzhit and coastal cities. It is possible to draw some examples.
Since 2004, a Muslim community "Sabur" cannot receive the land area for the building of a mosque in the area of the Petrovsky beam in Akmesdzhit where live around 3 thousand Muslims. The issue of allocation of the land area for restoration of the Asha-Jami mosque in Alushta within almost 9 years also does not find its solve and it is in judicial instances.
Up to the present time the question of transfer to a Muslim community of the buildings of "Khan Jami" which are situated on the land area in Kezlev (Evpatoria), Letniy lane 6/6/18 is not yet solved. The Ministry of Defense of Ukraine which takes patronage over this object does not object to transfer of the above-stated property to the municipal property of Kezlev in the order established by the current legislation, but positive shifts in solving of this question are not noticeable yet.
Since 2000 there is a problem connected with the transfer of the former mosque in Feodosiya which was in the municipal property of the Feodosiyky City Council and, according to the certificate of purchase and sale №15 from 10.12.2002 through the Fund of Municipal Property it was sold to the collective enterprise "Globe" which, in its turn, sold the building to the community of Adventists of the Seventh Day. This issue at the initiative of the Muslim community "Kefe" is on consideration of judicial bodies.
Since 2001 it is not possible to decide destiny of Eski-Saray mosque located in Pionerskoe village in Simferopol region and to transfer it to the Muslim community. One of the oldest remained medieval Muslim cult buildings, a monument of national value of the XIV-XV centuries is not on balance of state organizations, has no security contract and others legal documents, till now it is ownerless.
The issue which had most repercussions last year was the one concerning the land area for building a cathedral mosque in Akmesdzhit (Simferopol). This issue is raised by the Crimean Muftiyat before public authorities from the beginning of the 1990th years. The set of variants was considered and the conciliatory proposal of the given prolonged problem was found: the decision of the Simferopol City Council from 25.06.2004 №1283 to the Spiritual Management of Muslims of Crimea was given the permission to realization of the project of allocation of land area in the size of 2,7 hectares under building of a cathedral mosque in Akmesdzhit on Yaltinskaya street, 22. For this period of time the Spiritual Management of Muslims of Crimea passed all stages of coordination, and considerable material means of parishioners are spent. By the end of 2007 this issue was twice placed for consideration of regular sessions of the Simferopol City Council and both times it did not receive support of the majority of deputies and now it is also on consideration of various judicial instances.
Certainly, there are also other issues connected with the transfer of cult objects to Muslim communities, but they have other aspects and their consideration is a topic of another article.
We would like to concentrate on educational and charitable projects. As it shows almost 20-year-old experiment of activity of Muslim communities in Crimea, having received the state registration, they, with rare exception, became self-sufficient, self-regulated cells in the system of Muslim religious institutes. In spite of the fact that the majority of them at the initial stage got powerful support from the Muslim countries (building and maintenance of mosques, religious literature, teaching of Imams, etc.), nevertheless further process of maintenance of Muslim communities and mosques at the expense of donations of Muslim population (jemaat) did not develop. The custom of donation by parishioners on the maintenance of mosques, medrese and spiritual counselors traditional in Muslim countries, is not spread in Crimea too.
From the very beginning of the process of revival of Islam and till now it is one of the reasons of coming into Crimea of representatives of the clerical centers of the Muslim countries. It is necessary to note the productive work in Crimea of representatives of official Turkish Islam - the Ministry of Affairs of Religion of Turkey (Diyanet). Taking into account traditional closeness of Turkish and Crimean Islam the aforementioned Turkish state organization shows a great interest to the process of integration of Islam in Crimea.
Representatives of the aforementioned organization, in coordination with the SMMC, carry out missionary activity, basically in rural settlements of Crimea. With support of this Ministry solemn actions devoted to the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed are annually celebrated, the Qurans and other religious literature is received, too. With the financial help of Diyanet in Crimea there was published a second edition of the Quran in the Crimean-Tatar language.
Activity of the All-Ukrainian Association of Social Organizations "Alraid" which aims at aiding the Crimean population in humanitarian sphere is worthy too. Besides building of mosques "Alraid" is engaged in cultural-educational and charitable work. In the course of 10 years there became traditional organizations of Muslim holidays of Kurban Bayram and Oraza Bayram for children . On the eve of the holiday of Oraza Bayram for the needy families are distributed food sets (flour, sugar, groats, pasta, sunflower-seed oil, onion etc.). Products and sweets are transferred to comprehensive schools, and also to the school "Sozidaniye" for handicapped children in Simferopol.
In days of Muslim holidays charitable concerts for orphan children in which take part over 300 orphans became traditional, to each of whom "Alraid" gives festive gifts. During summer period "Alraid" organizes for Muslim children summer health camps in the seaside holiday hotels of Crimea. Simultaneously with the health program in camps are conducted lessons on studying of bases of Islamic religion.
In Crimea the official newspaper of the Spiritual Management of Muslims of Crimea "Hidaet" is published in the Crimean-Tatar language in circulation of 2000 copies. Besides covering of significant events in Crimea and the Islamic world the newspaper makes explanations on the questions, concerning religious practice of Muslims. It is possible to say with confidence that Islam gets deeper and deeper into all layers of the Crimean-Tatar society, promoting spiritual growth and dynamical development of the people on their historical Motherland.
Though in the Crimean Ummah it is possible to observe rather motley picture of various Muslim sects and absence of monolithic unity, Islam remains the major factor defining identity of the Crimean Muslim. Observed politicization of Islam in Crimea is logical phenomenon if to consider all problems of Muslim communities which throughout long time cannot (or government officials do not wish) to solve, promoting not only radicalization of Muslim community, but also, as a consequence, display in the society of dangerous symptoms of kseno - and Islamo -phobia.
Relations of the Crimean community with Muslim community should be built with tolerance position that provides equal approach to representatives of all creeds, instead of submission of cultural values and traditions of the minority to the will and traditions of the majority. Principles of coexistence based on mutual respect should become a society axiom. Despite all complexity and ambiguity of processes in the religious life, the Ukrainian society realized the necessity of realization of standard norms of freedom of worship. It confirms recognition by Ukraine of basic principles of human rights, ratification of the international documents by it and reduction in conformity with them the national legislation. For example, "Maintenance according to the Constitution of Ukraine (888-09), the Declaration on the State sovereignty of Ukraine (55-12) and the norms of international law recognized by Ukraine, social justice, equality, protection of rights and legitimate interests of citizens irrespective of their religion" is declared in the article No 1 of the Law of Ukraine "About Freedom of Worship and Religious Organizations".
Ukraine strives to enter into system of values of modern European society. And it is possible in case if in multicultural and multiconfessional
Crimea Islam will occupy worthy position appropriate to a world religion.
On the materials of Voice of Crimea
