THE MUSLIMS IN THE SOVIET UNION CONFLICT OR ACCOMMODATION

This article investigates the complex situation of Muslim populations in the Soviet Union during the mid-1980s, a period just before the transformative policies of Glasnost and Perestroika. It examines the official Soviet state policy towards religion, particularly Islam, and analyzes the extent to which Muslims were able to practice their faith and maintain their cultural identity within the officially atheist state. The research explores the dynamics between the central government in Moscow and the predominantly Muslim republics of Central Asia and the Caucasus. The study assesses whether the relationship was primarily characterized by conflict and suppression or by a pragmatic model of accommodation and co-optation of religious elites. It analyzes demographic trends and discusses the potential for a resurgence of Islamic identity as a political force. The paper concludes by evaluating the long-term stability of the Soviet model of managing its diverse Muslim communities.

The Soviet Union, an officially atheist state, was home to one of the world's largest Muslim populations, presenting a unique case study in the management of religious and ethnic diversity. This paper examines the relationship between the Soviet state and its Muslim citizens in the mid-1980s, exploring the central question of whether this relationship was defined by conflict or accommodation. The analysis begins by outlining the official Marxist-Leninist ideology on religion and tracing the history of Soviet policies towards Islam, from the initial repression under Stalin to the more institutionalized control of later decades. The study investigates the "official" Islamic establishment, sanctioned and supervised by the state, and its role in managing religious life. In contrast, it also explores the existence of a vibrant "parallel" or "Sufi" Islam that operated outside state control and preserved religious traditions. The research delves into the socio-political dynamics of the Central Asian republics, analyzing demographic trends that showed a rapidly growing Muslim population and assessing the potential for this to translate into a political challenge to Moscow's authority. The paper argues that the Soviet model was a complex mix of both suppression and pragmatic accommodation, designed to prevent Islam from becoming an oppositional political force. The findings offer critical insights into the underlying ethnic and religious tensions that would later contribute to the challenges faced by the Soviet state during its final years.