Adygs are Sunni or Shiite. Shiites and Sunnis

Sunnis are the largest sect in Islam, and Shiites are the second largest sect of Islam. Let’s figure out where they agree and where they differ.

Of all Muslims, 85-87% of people are Sunni and 10% of people are Shia. Sunnis number more than 1 billion 550 million people

Sunnis

place special emphasis on following the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (his actions and statements), on loyalty to tradition, on the participation of the community in choosing its head - the caliph.

The main signs of belonging to Sunnism are:

Recognition of the authenticity of the six largest collections of hadith (compiled by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, at-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood, an-Nasai and Ibn Majah);
Recognition of four legal schools: Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanafi and Hanbali madhhabs;
Recognition of the schools of aqidah: Asarite, Ash'arite and Maturidi.
Recognition of the legitimacy of the rule of the Rightly Guided Caliphs - Abu Bakr, Umar, Usman and Ali (Shiites recognize only Ali).

Shiites

Unlike the Sunnis, they believe that the leadership of the Muslim community should belong not to elected officials - caliphs, but to Imams - appointed by God, chosen individuals from among the descendants of the prophet, to whom they include Ali ibn Talib.

The Shia faith is based on five main pillars:

Belief in One God (Tawhid).
Belief in the Justice of God (Adl)
Belief in Prophets and Prophecies (Nabuwwat).
Faith in the Imamate (belief in the spiritual and political leadership of the 12 imams).
The Underworld (Maad)

Shiite-Sunni split

The divergence of currents in Islam began under the Umayyads and continued during the Abbasids, when scientists began to translate the works of ancient Greek and Iranian scientists into Arabic, analyze and interpret these works from an Islamic point of view.

Despite the fact that Islam united people on the basis of a common religion, ethno-confessional contradictions in Muslim countries have not disappeared

. This circumstance is reflected in different currents of the Muslim religion. All differences between currents in Islam (Sunnism and Shiism) actually come down to issues of law enforcement, and not dogmatics. Islam is considered the unified religion of all Muslims, but there are a number of disagreements between representatives of Islamic movements. There are also significant discrepancies in the principles of legal decisions, the nature of holidays, and attitudes towards people of other faiths.

Sunnis and Shiites in Russia

In Russia, mostly Sunni Muslims, only in the south of Dagestan are Shiite Muslims

In general, the number of Shiites in Russia is insignificant. The Tats living in the Republic of Dagestan, the Lezgins of the village of Miskindzha, as well as the Azerbaijani communities of Derbent, who speak the local dialect of the Azerbaijani language, belong to this direction of Islam. In addition, the majority of Azerbaijanis living in Russia are Shiites (in Azerbaijan itself, Shiites make up up to 85% of the population).

What kind of faith is there in Dagestan?

Islam: Muslims.

The overwhelming majority of believers among the Nakh-Dagestan and Turkic peoples of the region are Muslims (Sunnis in the north, Shiites in the south), Mountain Jews profess Judaism, and Russians profess Orthodox Christianity.

Of course, Islam. Azerbaijanis, Chechens, Dagestanis, Ingush, Kabardians - they are all Muslims.

In general, there is no nation DAGESTANIAN... there are peoples of Dagestan... and Jews, Muslims (Sunnis, Shiites, Wahhabis, Isamailis) live there, there are Christians, Hindus. . and somewhere, 49 nationalities.

Up to 95% of believers are Muslims, including, according to various sources, from 1 to 4% are Shiites, the rest are Sunnis. About 5% of believers are Christians (mostly Orthodox). Mountain Jews, most of whom are now recorded on the tatami, profess Judaism - about 1%.

The main religion is Islam.

Killing Shiites in Iraq

Of the ten charges brought against Saddam Hussein, only one was chosen: the murder of 148 Shiites. It was carried out in response to the assassination attempt on Saddam himself, a Sunni. The execution itself was carried out during the days of the Hajj - the Muslim pilgrimage to holy places. In addition, the sentence was carried out several hours before the start of the main Muslim holiday - Eid al-Adha, although the law allowed this to be done until January 26th.

The choice of a criminal case for execution, a special time for hanging Hussein, indicates that the behind-the-scenes authors of the script for this massacre planned to provoke Muslims to protest all over the world, to new feuds between Sunnis and Shiites. And, indeed, the contradictions between the two directions of Islam in Iraq have worsened. In this regard, a story about the roots of the conflict between Sunnis and Shiites, about the reasons for this tragic split that occurred 14 centuries ago.

History of the Shia-Sunni split

This tragic and stupid division is not based on any serious or deep differences. It is rather traditional. In the summer of 632, the Prophet Mohammed was dying, and behind a curtain of palm fibers a dispute had already begun about who would replace him - Abu Bekr, Mohammed's father-in-law, or Ali, the prophet's son-in-law and cousin. The struggle for power was the root cause of the split. Shiites believe that the first three caliphs - Abu Bekr, Osman and Omar - non-blood relatives of the prophet - illegally usurped power, and only Ali - a blood relative - acquired it legally.

At one time there was even a Koran consisting of 115 suras, while the traditional Koran contains 114. The 115th, inscribed by the Shiites, called “Two Luminaries,” was intended to raise Ali’s authority to the level of the Prophet Mohammed.

The power struggle eventually led to Ali's assassination in 661. His sons Hasan and Hussein were also killed, and the death of Hussein in 680 near the city of Karbala (modern Iraq) is still perceived by Shiites as a tragedy of historical proportions. Nowadays, on the so-called day of Ashura (according to the Muslim calendar, on the 10th day of the month of Maharram), in many countries Shiites hold funeral processions, accompanied by a violent manifestation of emotions, people stab themselves with chains and sabers. Sunnis also honor Hussein, but consider such mourning unnecessary.

During the Hajj - the pilgrimage of Muslims to Mecca - differences are forgotten, Sunnis and Shiites worship together at the Kaaba in the Forbidden Mosque. But many Shiites make a pilgrimage to Karbala - where the prophet's grandson was killed.

The Shiites have shed a lot of blood of the Sunnis, and the Sunnis have shed a lot of the blood of the Shiites. The longest and most serious conflict facing the Muslim world is not so much the conflict between Arabs and Israel, or between Muslim countries and the West, but the conflict within Islam itself over the schism between Shiites and Sunnis.

“Now that the dust has settled from the war in Iraq, it has become clear that the unexpected victors were the Shiites,” wrote Mai Yamani, a fellow at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London, shortly after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. “The West has realized that the location of major oil reserves coincides with those areas where Shiites are in the majority - Iran, the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Southern Iraq." This is why the American government is flirting with the Shiites. Even the murder of Saddam Hussein is a kind of sop to the Shiites. At the same time, this is evidence that the scriptwriters of Iraqi “justice” wanted to create an even greater split between Shiites and Sunnis.

Now there is no Muslim caliphate, because of the power in which the division of Muslims into Shiites and Sunnis began. This means there is no longer a subject of dispute. And theological differences are so far-fetched that they can be leveled out for the sake of Muslim unity. There is no greater stupidity than for Sunnis and Shiites to forever cling to these differences.

The Prophet Mohammed, shortly before his death, said to the Muslims gathered in the mosque: “See that after me you do not become lost, cutting off each other’s heads! Let the one present inform the one who is absent about this.” Mohammed then looked around at the people and asked twice: “Have I brought this to your attention?” Everyone heard it. But immediately after the death of the prophet, Muslims began to “cut off each other’s heads” by disobeying him. And they still don’t want to hear the great Mohammed.

Isn't it time to stop?

Sunnis are the largest sect in Islam, and Shiites are the second largest sect of Islam. Let’s figure out where they agree and where they differ.

Of all Muslims, 85-87% of people are Sunni and 10% of people are Shia. Sunnis number more than 1 billion 550 million people

Sunnis

place special emphasis on following the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (his actions and statements), on loyalty to tradition, on the participation of the community in choosing its head - the caliph.

The main signs of belonging to Sunnism are:

Recognition of the authenticity of the six largest collections of hadith (compiled by Al-Bukhari, Muslim, at-Tirmidhi, Abu Dawood, an-Nasai and Ibn Majah);
Recognition of four legal schools: Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanafi and Hanbali madhhabs;
Recognition of the schools of aqidah: Asarite, Ash'arite and Maturidi.
Recognition of the legitimacy of the rule of the Rightly Guided Caliphs - Abu Bakr, Umar, Usman and Ali (Shiites recognize only Ali).

Shiites

The Shia faith is based on five main pillars:

Belief in One God (Tawhid).
Belief in the Justice of God (Adl)
Belief in Prophets and Prophecies (Nabuwwat).
Faith in the Imamate (belief in the spiritual and political leadership of the 12 imams).
The Underworld (Maad)

History of the adoption of Islam by the Tatars

The penetration of Islam into the lands called Volga Bulgaria began in the ninth century, and already in the tenth century the majority of the Bulgars accepted Islam, and the Muslim religion began to be considered the state religion. As the Arab traveler and historian Ibn Fadlan testifies, due to long-standing trade ties with the countries of Central Asia, Islam initially spread in these places according to the madhhab of Abu Hanifa. Gradually, it took root among the Volga Bulgars so much that the Bulgars themselves became conductors of the Hanafi madhhab among neighboring peoples. This process was briefly interrupted by the Mongol conquests. But the khans of the Golden Horde were quite tolerant, so that during their reign Islam spread throughout the entire territory of the khanate, and from the thirteenth century, during the reign of Khan Uzbek, it became the state religion of the khanate. When the collapse of the Golden Horde occurred, the center of Islam was shifted towards the Kazan Khanate, where Sufism also penetrated from Central Asia.

The Christian religion penetrated into the Kazan Khanate after it was conquered by the Russians in the mid-sixteenth century. Christianization occurred in waves, and was often accompanied by repressions against Tatars preaching Islam. The process of Christianization did not show great results - only about 7.6% seriously accepted Christianity by the middle of the eighteenth century. And those who were rebaptized returned to the Muslim faith at the first opportunity. Only during the reign of Catherine II the position of Muslims in the Russian state improved slightly. Then new mosques began to be built throughout the country, and even in Ufa a Spiritual Assembly was created, which was endowed with broad powers in managing the affairs of Russian Muslim communities. By the beginning of the nineteenth century, Muslim books began to be printed in Russia, some of which were published in the Tatar language.

Official “mosque” Islam in Russia of the pre-revolutionary period was mixed with Sufi brotherhoods, in which the sheikhs were called, as in Turkestan, “ishans,” and Sufism therefore received the name “ishanism.” There were no particular differences between the brotherhoods in doctrine or spiritual practice. Ishanism became the basis for the Vais movement, named after the founder, the dervish Vaisov, who created the “Vais God Regiment of Old Believers”, the goal of which was to return to the purity of original Islam. This movement was crushed by the authorities of Tsarist Russia, but after 1905 it was restored and existed until 1918.

In the second half of the nineteenth century, the renovation movement, called “Jadidism,” became widespread among the Tatars, which consisted mainly of advanced Muslim intellectuals who realized that religion needed updating.

Shiite-Sunni split

Despite the fact that Islam united people on the basis of a common religion, ethno-confessional contradictions in Muslim countries have not disappeared

Sunnis and Shiites in Russia

In Russia, mostly Sunni Muslims, only in the south of Dagestan are Shiite Muslims

Where do the Tatars live?

The Tatars are a Turkic people who live mainly in Siberia, the Urals and Volga region, in the central part of European Russia, as well as in Kazakhstan, Xinjiang, Central Asia and the Far East.

After the Russians, they are the second largest people in Russia. Based on ethno-territorial characteristics, these people can be divided into three groups: the Siberian Tatars, the Volga-Ural Tatars and the Astrakhan Tatars. More than half of the Republic of Tatarstan consists of Tatars. The Tatar language, which belongs to the Kipchak subgroup of Turkic languages, is divided into Siberian Tatar, Mishar and Middle Kazan dialects. The majority of representatives of this people profess Islam and are Sunni Muslims of the Hanafi persuasion .

Killing Shiites in Iraq

Reluctant allies

Another place where Sunni-Shiite tensions largely shape the political landscape is Iraq. Historically, in this country, where the majority of the population is Shiite, ruling positions have been occupied by people from Sunni circles. After the overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime, the country was finally led by a Shiite government that did not want to make concessions to the Sunnis, who found themselves in the minority.

It is not surprising that when Sunni radicals from the Islamic State (IS) appeared on the political scene, they managed to capture Anbar province, populated mainly by their Sunni co-religionists, without any problems. To recapture Anbar from IS, the army had to resort to the help of Shiite militias. This was not to the taste of local Sunnis, including those who had previously remained loyal to Baghdad: they believed that the Shiites wanted to seize their lands. The Shiites themselves are not particularly worried about the feelings of the Sunnis: for example, the militia called the operation to liberate the city of Ramadi “We serve you, Hussein” - in honor of the son of the righteous caliph Ali, who was killed by the Sunnis. After criticism from Baghdad, it was renamed “We Serve You, Iraq.” There were often cases of looting and attacks on local Sunnis during the liberation of populated areas.

Shia militia of Iraq

Photo: Reuters

The United States, which provides air support to Iraqi units, is not particularly enthusiastic about participation in the operations of the Shiite militia, insisting on its full control by the Baghdad authorities. The US fears Iran's growing influence. Although Tehran and Washington find themselves on the same side of the barricades in the fight against IS, they diligently pretend that they have no contact with each other. Nevertheless, American planes striking IS positions have earned the nickname “Shiite aviation” among Sunnis. And the idea that the United States is on the side of the Shiites is actively used in Islamist propaganda.

It is significant that until the American invasion of Iraq, religious affiliation played a secondary role in the country. As Veniamin Popov, director of the Center for Partnership of Civilizations at the Institute of International Studies of MGIMO (U), notes, “during the Iran-Iraq war, Shiite soldiers actually fought with each other; the issue of citizenship, not faith, came first.” After the Sunni officers of Saddam Hussein's army were banned from serving in the armed forces of the new Iraq, they began en masse to join the ranks of the Islamists. “Until this time, they didn’t even think about whether they were Sunnis or Shiites,” Popov emphasized.

History of the Shia-Sunni split

Isn't it time to stop?

Sunnis (Arabic: Ahl al-Sunnah - people of the Sunnah) are followers of the most numerous movement in Islam. Unlike Shiites, Sunnis do not recognize the possibility of mediation between Allah and people after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, and they deny the idea of the special nature of Ali ibn Abu Talib and the right of his descendants to the imamate. There are also significant differences in the principles of legal decisions, in the nature of holidays, in attitude towards non-believers, in the details of prayers, etc. Sunnis place special emphasis on following the Sunnah (actions and sayings) of the Prophet Muhammad, on loyalty to tradition, on the participation of the community in choosing its leader - caliph. The main signs of belonging to Sunnism are: recognition of the authenticity of the six largest sets of hadiths (compiled by Bukhari, Muslim, at-Tirmidhi, Abu Daud, an-Nasai and Ibn Majah); belonging to one of the four Sunni madhhabs (Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanafi and Hanbali); recognition of the legitimacy of the rule of the first four (“righteous”) caliphs - Abu Bakr, Omar, Osman and Ali (Shiites recognize only Ali). Sunnism as a specific movement took shape in the 11th century in the fight against Shiism and in opposition to it, but this term is still has a much less clear content than the term “Shiism”. Currently, religious and historical Sunni-Shiite contradictions serve as a breeding ground for intercommunal conflicts in countries where Sunnis and Shiites live together, provoked by fanatical elements on one or both sides. Sunnis recognize four theological legal schools called "madhabs": Maliki, Shafi'i, Hanafi and Hanbali. All four schools recognize each other's legitimacy. A Muslim can choose any of these schools and follow the one with which he agrees. Shiites (Arabic: shia - adherents, group, party) are followers of the second most adherent (after Sunnis) direction in Islam, who recognize the only legitimate successors of the Prophet Muhammad only Ali ibn Abu Talib and his descendants. Soon after the death of Muhammad (632), some of his companions advocated maintaining supreme power in the “family of the Prophet,” considering the oath to Abu Bakr illegal. At the beginning of the second half of the 7th century, in the struggle for power, a religious-political group (“shia”) formed that supported the transfer of supreme power to Ali ibn Abu Talib, as the closest relative (cousin and son-in-law) and spiritual successor of the prophet. This group became the core of the Shiite movement, which later divided the Muslim community into Sunnis and Shiites. After the assassination of Ali in 661, his supporters fought for the return of supreme power to the “family of the Prophet,” meaning exclusively the Ali clan. The majority of Shiites justified these demands by Ali's relationship with the Prophet, his personal qualities and services to Islam. Some Shiites preached that Muhammad appointed Ali as his spiritual successor, and that Ali himself was endowed with divine grace. The national factor also played a role in the formation of Shiism. The overwhelming majority of adherents of Shiism are Iranian-speaking peoples, or peoples who were part of the sphere of influence of medieval Persia. Even Shiite Arabs, although they speak Arabic, for the most part are anthropologically different from other Arabs. For Shiites, the role of the imam is much higher than for Sunnis. They perceive the imam as an infallible interpreter of the will of Allah. It is also common for Shiites to honor their scholars, who were considered his deputies during the imam’s secrecy. This explains, say, the enthusiastic veneration of Ayatollah Khomeini in Shiite Iran. Sunnism in most Muslim countries has become the official religion, and Sunnis have a completely different worldview than Shiites. Shiites are a minority and often persecuted. They constitute approximately 15 percent of the total Muslim population. In history, Shiites have often been persecuted by Sunnis, so they are characterized by the cult of martyrs.

Islam is a relatively young religion; in any case, it arose later than Christianity and, especially, Buddhism. However, it was Islam that was subjected to serious tests over the centuries in the process of spread and development.

First of all, we are talking about a fundamental split in the teaching itself, as a result of which a multitude arose. Today, thanks to the Internet and the media, everyone knows that there are Sunnis and Shiites. But who are the Sunnis, what is their difference from the Shiites, and why is this branch of Islam considered dominant - due to its prevalence or something else?

Religion in ancient and medieval Dagestan

Pre-Islamic beliefs of the peoples of Dagestan

Religious beliefs were recorded in the early stages of the development of the peoples of Dagestan. One of the first religious ideas were pagan beliefs. In the archaeological materials of ancient Dagestan, monuments are found that testify to the worship of heavenly bodies and natural phenomena.

One of the early cults was the worship of fire, which was given the significance of cleansing power. The pagan ritual of lighting fires passed on as a folk custom in subsequent eras. Numerous solar signs have been preserved in many monuments, indicating the worship of the sun. This is an image of the sun in the form of a disk with diverging rays, a swastika (an image of a cross inside the solar disk, which is the oldest sign personifying the sun).

Solar signs have been discovered since the Mesolithic era and are found until the early Middle Ages. Traces of sun worship are found in the religious beliefs of individual peoples of Dagestan. In particular, in the pantheon of gods among the Laks, the sun god occupies one of the main places. He was presented as a beautiful young man who illuminated the whole world with his beauty. An interesting fact is that this image is reminiscent of ancient ideas about solar deities, which indicates certain cultural ties of the peoples of Dagestan with the ancient world, but in later eras.

With the emergence of a productive economy and the increasing importance of agriculture and cattle breeding in the life of ancient people, agrarian cults appeared.

They are typical for many countries around the world that have experienced similar processes. The main cult of this period became the cult of fertility, which was revered in the form of a female deity.

The woman was a symbol of constantly regenerating nature, its maternal power. In many monuments of Dagestan there are female clay figurines that personified fertility. An important place among agrarian cults was occupied by the worship of domestic animals, in particular the bull, which was the main draft force of that time. The worship of the bull comes into contact with the general cult of arable land that existed among the ancient Dagestanis.

This is evidenced by clay reliefs depicting scenes of plowing and a bull. Interesting finds were discovered in the archaeological materials of the Verkhnegunibsky settlement and they date back to the Bronze Age.

These are clay reliefs depicting scenes of arable land with ox carts. All these cults testify to the stable sedentary life of the population of Dagestan. The cult of the hearth tells us the same thing. This is evidenced by the finds of various offerings near the hearths of the home. The beliefs of ancient Dagestan are characterized by totemism. For many peoples, animals were considered patrons of people.

Thus, in some representations, the good spirit of the house and its guardian appears in the guise of a snake.

Among the Avars of the Khunzakh region it is a golden snake, among the Laks it is a snake with golden horns. There is also a white snake. According to folk legends, the brownie snake lives in the central pillar of the home. From time to time, the owners must appease the brownie with various gifts.

One of the early religious ideas was the belief in an afterlife, characteristic of all peoples at a certain stage of development. The ancient inhabitants of Dagestan had a custom of placing various equipment in burials - household items, labor items, weapons, as these could be useful to their owner in the afterlife.

There is also a custom of burying the deceased in special burials resembling dwellings. During the transition period from bronze to iron, religious ideas were supplemented by new cults. The cult of ancestors is of great importance. According to the ideas of the Dagestanis, deceased ancestors were the patrons of the hearth and protected the home from evil spirits. During this period, the custom appeared to hold funeral feasts for the dead, as well as to arrange sacrificial places near the graves. In the Iron Age, the cult of this metal becomes of great importance.

The ancient Dagestanis carried weapons made of iron - axes, knives, because, according to their ideas, they warded off evil spirits. In this regard, the profession of a blacksmith and the veneration of representatives of this profession acquires great importance. With the increasing importance of war, the cult of the horse spreads.

In the Albanian era, the worship of heavenly bodies was also of great importance.

The main deity of Albania was the moon goddess. Temple areas and sacred groves were dedicated to her. Their remains were discovered in Southern Dagestan, in particular, in the Shalbuzdag region.

The priest of the Moon goddess was the second person in the state, which also emphasizes the importance of this cult. Moon worship also existed in Dagestan. An old Kumyk proverb says: “The weight of the Moon will overcome the Sun.” There were also gods of the Sun, Fire, and Earth in Albania. In ancient sources they are called Greco - Roman names. The Albanian name for the god of fire was Alp. Some researchers believe that the name of the state came from the name of this deity.

A deity with this name is found among Lezgins.

In the 4th century. AD Christianity penetrates into the territory of Albania, which corresponds to the new socio-economic relations that characterize feudalism. In the 70s. this century, the Albanian king Urnair and the highest nobility adopted a new religion. But attempts to spread it among the country's population encountered fierce resistance.

Bishop Grigoris, sent from Armenia to Albania, tried to introduce the nomads, the Maskuts, and their king, Sanatruk, to the new religion, but were unsuccessful.

Grigoris was captured and tied to the tail of a wild horse. Popular legend connects the death of Grigoris with the village of Mola-Khalil, located near Derbent. During the reign of the Albanian king Vachagan III at the end of the 5th century. Christianity in Albania already had a strong position. Consequently, his position in Dagestan was strengthened. The Patriarchal throne (the residence of the catalycos - the Christian head of Albania) was located in the first half of the 6th century. in the Chora area (region near Derbent), and then was moved to Partav.

At the Verkhnechiryurt settlement, the remains of two early Christian churches were discovered, which dated back to the 6th-8th centuries. The growing political ties with the neighboring states of Transcaucasia - Armenia and Georgia - played a major role in the process of spreading Christianity in Dagestan. Southern Dagestan was under the influence of the Armenian church, and western Dagestan was under the influence of the Georgian church. Christian missionaries penetrated the regions of Dagestan and created their missions and seminaries here.

The success of missionaries in the region of Southern Dagestan was associated with the increasing influence of the Armenian kings on the political life of this part of Dagestan. Various methods were used in the process of Christianizing the local population. According to Georgian chronicles, the Georgian king Archil (668 - 718)

He forcibly converted “pagans” to Christianity, among whom were Avars. The active work of the Christian church in Dagestan is also associated with the name of the outstanding Georgian ruler - Queen Tamara.

The process of Christianization of Dagestan, as well as the strengthening of Georgian influence, is associated with the appearance of bilingual texts - bilinguals, which testified to strengthening cultural and political ties, as well as attempts by local peoples to create their own writing.

The religious ideas of the peoples who inhabited the Khazar Kaganate are interesting. According to the Arabic author al-Istarhiy, the Khazars are Muslims, Christians and Jews. There are also idolaters among them. The smallest class is the Jews. The largest are Muslims and Christians. But the king and his entourage are Jews.

The adoption by the leadership of the Khazar Kaganate of such a religion, which was not widespread among the inhabitants of the state, pursued purely political goals. Perhaps this was explained by the reluctance of the Khazar elite to fall under the influence of the powerful states of the Middle Ages - the Christian - Byzantium and the Muslim - Arab Caliphate. Traces of Judaism in Dagestan are thus very insignificant. As for Christianity, its position was quite strong.

In mountainous Dagestan, this was explained by the significant political and cultural influence of neighboring Georgia. It is here that the remains of Christian places of worship and objects of Christian symbolism, such as crosses, are found.

Written sources provide us with great assistance in determining the religious beliefs of the inhabitants of medieval Dagestan. The famous Arab author Ibn Ruste describes a funeral rite common among the inhabitants of Serir and gives interesting information about the religion of the population of this region of Dagestan. He writes that all the inhabitants of the fortress (obviously the local nobility) are Christians, and all other inhabitants of the country are pagans.

Next, he describes a pagan burial ritual. “When someone dies,” he writes, “they put him on a stretcher and take him out into the open, where they leave him for three days. Then the inhabitants mount their horses and put on armor and chain mail.

They ride to the edge of the place and with their horses rush towards the dead body on a stretcher. They circle around the stretcher, pointing the horse at the body, but not piercing it.” The meaning of the action performed, described by the Arab author, is not entirely clear and is obviously associated with certain superstitions that existed among the medieval inhabitants of Serir.

Among the beliefs of medieval Dagestan, mention should be made of the Iranian religion - Zoroastrianism, which spread here during the period of Sassanid rule.

Turning again to written sources, one should pay attention to the information again from the Arab author - Al-Andalusi al-Garnati. He describes a funeral rite common among the inhabitants of Zirikhgeran (Kubachi) in the 12th century. He writes: “When a person dies among them, and if he is a man, they hand him over to the men underground, who dismember the bones of the deceased, clean the bones of meat and collect... the meat and give it to the black crows to eat.

If it is a woman, then the men underground... pull out her bones and give the meat to the kites.”

A Brief History of the Origin of Sunnism

Sunnis call themselves “ahl al-sunnah wal-jamaa,” which translated means “inheriting the path of the prophet and the mission of his followers.” Such a complex name can be explained, but there is no way to briefly talk about this current. The dominant word in this definition is “sunna”, which is what gave the name to the religious movement. Translated from Arabic, “sunnah” is a road, a way.

The path of the Sunnis was truly missionary and not easy. Islam arose in the 7th century and began to spread quite quickly in Arab countries. Under the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the Islamic community looked whole, but a split occurred in it in 656, after the Righteous Caliph Abu Amr Uthman ibn Affan al-Umawi al-Qurashi, the third Righteous Caliph, was killed.

After the Caliphate began to expand, the division became even more pronounced as certain groups tried to return Islam to its roots. As a result, sects and radical movements began to emerge everywhere. People who adhere to a certain liberal view of Islam tried to resist all this.

Supporters of moderation were the Islamic theologian Abu Hanifa an-Numan ibn Sabit al-Kufi, theologian Abu Imran Ibrahim ibn Yazid an-Nahai and other equally respected followers. Thus began the history of the Sunnis, which divided the entire Islamic world into two main camps and many side movements.

One of the first convinced followers of Sunniism was the theologian Hassan al-Basri, born and raised in Saudi Arabia, who was able to build all Sunni views into a coherent system of religious positions. He proposed banning support for those authorities who act contrary to the teachings.

He made his proposal based on the hadith of the Prophet, where he called not to obey people who incline to sin that is contrary to Allah himself. The fact is that Sunnis initially considered the Sunnah and the Koran to be the fundamental principles of the Muslim faith. Al-Basri called for humility, opposed radicalism and believed that resistance should be passive.

The same theologian outlined for his followers a path that is based on boundless faith without resistance and independence. This is exactly what Islam was originally, in his view. The call turned out to be very attractive, after which Sunnism began to spread everywhere.

Some time later, another theologian AbuBakr Muhammad ibn Sirin al-Basri introduced the term “ahl al-sunnah”. This concept became common to the overwhelming majority of Muslim society, which rejected any manifestations of sectarianism. In Islam, Sunnis abandoned various religious innovations, maintaining the unity of the community. Even today they are of the opinion that the Prophet Muhammad (saw) predicted the emergence of various sects and warned against schisms. According to legend, the Prophet said that among the many Muslims there will be only one true group of those saved in Allah, who will follow.

The Sunnis were ideologically opposed not only by the Shiites, but also by representatives of other theological schools. Polemics have been carried out throughout all centuries of the existence of Islam. However, on the basis of these disputes, Sunni beliefs only clearly formed and strengthened. Several schools of thought have emerged, each supporting the ideas of Sunni Islam.

Islam in Dagestan is the most popular religion

Not a single religious tradition in Dagestan can compare in its spread with Islam. At the same time, these traditions should not be perceived as one. Various Muslim traditions are popular in Dagestan.

However, they are all based on the same Abrahamic teachings.

Muslims believe that the events told in the Bible actually happened. In fact, there was creation, the flood, the slavery of the Jews in Egypt, the agreement of Moses with God. But all these things are irrevocably outdated. There is no longer any sacred mission of the Jewish people, and Allah Almighty has found other means for transmitting spiritual knowledge.

In this sense, people who profess Islam share the views of Christians. Moreover, there are the following similarities:

Muslims believe in Allah and believe that this is the same biblical Lord;
Muslims are convinced that Jesus Christ was truly the Messiah;
Muslims have no doubt that the Savior’s conception was virgin.

However, for a Muslim, being the Messiah does not mean becoming the most important figure in the spiritual life of humanity. Jesus, according to Muslims, did not save anyone and did not even die on the cross. He simply preached to prepare the ground for the presence of the most significant figure - the Prophet Muhammad.

Mosque of the village of Tindi in Dagestan

Prophet Muhammad gave the world a new revelation from God. The Tanakh and the New Testament are not only outdated, but also contain errors, according to Muslims. Only the Quran is the true message of Allah to the world.

The Qur'an is a book very rich in themes. It covers:

Religious life;
Social relations;
Policy;
Moral principles;
History of mankind.

And much more. This tradition even pays special attention to hygiene and gives mandatory recommendations for every righteous Muslim. The same religious principles apply in the tradition:

Love;
Kindness;
Generosity;
Piety;
Compassion.

And we must take into account that truly righteous Muslims, contrary to stereotypes, do not treat representatives of other religions badly. But in any religious tradition there are false, ostentatious righteous people.

4 000

religious institutions of Islam in Dagestan - an underestimated figure

Among the four thousand religious institutions in Dagestan, there are undoubtedly places where the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad are not taught in the best way. Those who are born into this tradition, or those who have converted from Christianity to Islam, are not immune to the rather distorted and aggressive propaganda that replaces the genuine tradition.

One example of a poor interpretation of Islam is the desire of believers to unite along tribal lines. Muhammad himself condemns this approach: “Whoever turns to asabiyya nationalism does not belong to our community.”

However, those who profess Islam in Dagestan often identify it with their ethnic group and try to become hermetic to people from the outside. This leads to three unpleasant consequences:

Aggression allegedly on religious grounds. Radicalism and extremism, alas, are present among the believers of Dagestan.
Low-quality Islamic universities. The phenomenon in itself is not bad, but the implementation is terrible. The education system is even worse than the national one, which is already regularly criticized. Old textbooks, selective approach to subjects.
Politicization of Islam. Real Islamic political parties are appearing (for example, “Jamaatul Muslimi”). This is not correct from the point of view of the law, but so far this situation is only getting worse.

It is important to emphasize that the problem here lies not in religion, but in its free interpretation by the local population. We can only hope that believers will be able to correct the situation in the future and direct interfaith dialogue in a positive direction. The first steps in this direction have already been taken.

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Religious directions and principles of faith

Modern, like traditional, Sunnism is a religious movement built on complete subordination to the community and the provisions of the Sunnah and the Koran. Today, Sunnis make up the overwhelming majority of devout Muslims around the world. Only in some countries do Shiites occupy a predominant position (Iran, Bahrain, Lebanon, etc.).

The principles of the movement were formed back in the Middle Ages, at the stage of formation of the doctrine. They haven't changed since then. The main provisions of Sunnism are recognitions:

The legality of the rule of the caliphs.
Authenticity of six sets of hadiths.
Dogmatic schools.
Schools of Sharia law - madhhabs.

The Rightly Guided Caliphs Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali were the first four rulers who ruled the Great Caliphate. Sunnis believe that all supreme power should be concentrated in the hands of caliphs elected by the community.

As you know, Sunni Muslims claim that Islam rests on two foundations - the Koran and the Sunnah, which is a set of hadiths - these are stories about the Prophet Muhammad. About his actions and words concerning the life of the community in a legal, social or religious context.

Initially, such legends were spread only orally - they were told to each other without writing them down. The compilation of written hadith began later, during the early emergence of Sunnism. And the main sets of rules based on hadiths appeared no less than 200 years after the death of the Prophet.

All these rules were combined into six collections, collectively called Qutub al-Sitta. However, it should be noted that religious and theological disagreements are so great that even on this issue, the views of researchers regarding the acts of the Prophet and all of Islam do not always agree. Not all hadiths included in this collection are considered authentic.

Today there are three known dogmatic schools. These include:

Asarites;
Asharites;
Maturidites.

The Asarites adhere to rigid traditions in the interpretation of the Holy Scriptures. For them, the very idea that the Koran can be interpreted in any allegorical way is considered impossible. If any provisions in them remain unclear, then the Asarites do not seek to understand their meaning. However, they do not take them literally.

If any place in the Sunnah or the Quran remains not too clear for them, they do not explain it and do not look for any separate meaning in the message, leaving this to the discretion of Allah. In the eyes of the Asarites, the Almighty knows everything, but as for people, they should simply take revelations for granted.

Asharism is the second direction of Sunnism, it deviates somewhat from the views professed by the Asarites. Ash'arites believe that religious dogmas should not be followed thoughtlessly, and the approach to interpreting their truth is quite rational. At the same time, they believe that there cannot be a cause-and-effect relationship between various phenomena. Unlike the Asarites, they do not recognize authoritarianism in their faith, approaching religious positions philosophically and trying to comprehend them.

The Maturidites are in many ways similar in views to the Ash'arites. This current formed later than the others. Its founder is Abu Mansur al-Maturidi, who called for a reasonable attitude towards various phenomena and to comprehend them. However, the Maturids, like the Asarites, believe that the commands of Allah cannot be rationalized and must be obeyed without hesitation.

Another principle of Sunni teaching is the presence of four theological and legal schools. These are the so-called madhhabs:

Shafi'i;
Hanbali;
Maliki;
Hanafi.

Each of them is based on the dogmas of the Koran and Sunnah, but the Hanbali madhhab firmly takes the position of not accepting innovations in Islam, and the source of law here, in addition to the holy books, is also the decisions of the companions of the Prophet.

The Hanafi madhhab, in addition to the Sunnah, the Koran and the decisions of the Companions, also recognizes local customs. Thus, many Sunnis living in Russia (mainly in) are Hanafis - these are Circassians, Nogais, Kabardians, Bashkirs, Tatars.

Religion of the Mountain Jews of Dagestan - Judaism

Judaism is the oldest of the Abrahamic religions of the peoples of Dagestan. It is professed by Mountain Jews. These are Semitic peoples who came to the Caucasus around 5th century Persia.

Like most Jews, they practice Judaism. This religion is one of the most prolific in the world, since it is on it that Christianity and Islam are based. Pope John Paul II respectfully called the Jews elder brothers.

Jews descend from Abraham, who once left somewhere from the lands of Mesopotamia to found many descendants. A long chain of his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc. - one of the most important Jewish traditions. The fact is, for Jews, Judaism is more than a religion. This is right away:

Culture;
Nation;
Tradition;
Faith;
Worldview.

For Jews, it is not enough to simply accept a few religious beliefs and observe rituals. Their Holy Scripture, Tonakh, regulates many areas of religious life: from politics and marital relations, to ritual activities and attitudes towards illness.

Jews have inhabited Dagestan since the 5th century.

With minimal differences, the Tonakh is identical to the Christian Old Testament (a few books are missing). However, everything is not limited to this Scripture. The Jews have the Talmud - a multi-volume commentary on Tonakh, which covers even more aspects of life, in fact completely subordinating it to the letter of the Law from the Most High God and transmitted by Moses.

The Jews are convinced that it is their people who are destined to save humanity, and an important step for this will have to be taken when the Messiah comes to Earth. They do not consider Jesus Christ to be such, because they are waiting for a completely different person - a king, a leader, someone who can lead the Jewish people.

Causes of disagreement between Shiites and Sunnis

One of the main problems of modern Islam is the conflict between Shiites and Sunnis. Their differences in views have become even more noticeable against the backdrop of events taking place in the Middle East today.

The main difference between these two movements is the difference in views on issues related to the sources of power. Sunnis around the world believe that rulers should be chosen by the Muslim community, based on traditional approaches. As for the Shiites, they stand in positions of choosing power based on the principle of kinship and heritage.

According to the first, the community must follow the instructions included in the Sunna and the Koran, and proceed from them when choosing rulers. In contrast, Shiites believe that power should be inherited, and the will of Allah Almighty comes not so much from the Holy Scriptures, but through the imam, who is a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. At the same time, Shiite theologians today await the coming of the last 12 imam, and in anticipation of him they represent the authorities in the community.

Another difference between Sunnis and Shiites concerns the issue of power sharing. Followers of Sunnism believe that secular and spiritual power should be separated, while according to Shiites, all power should be concentrated in the hands of the divine heir (for example, in Iran - the Ayatollah).

The problem of differences is so deep that even the question of separate prayers of the two movements is raised, although theologians are sure that it should be one. Differences in prayer are observed in the position of the hands, and the madhhabs themselves cannot decide on the question of how exactly to hold the hands during prayer. In addition, Shiites practice self-flagellation, while Sunnis do not accept such a tradition.

Statistics show how many Sunnis there are in the world today. Sunnism is professed by almost 90% of all devout Muslims, which is over 1.5 billion people. How large their numbers can be judged by where they currently live. Their settlement is observed almost throughout the Middle East and Arab countries. In some countries, representatives of the two main movements live approximately equally - these are Yemen, Iraq and Syria.

The confrontation between the main directions of Islam today has turned out to be so great that issues of religious dogma are once again becoming relevant. This once again proves that Islam, as one of the dominant world religions, continues to transform and develop.

Over the past ten years, in the international political arena, Islam has manifested itself not only as a religion, but also as a major ideological movement. Now this religion plays a big role in world politics. But Islam is heterogeneous, and listening to news about events from the eastern part of Asia, the average person tries to understand the difference between Sunnis and Shiites, which is provoked by the many-year confrontation between Muslims.

List of differences between Sunnis and Shiites

Schism and hostility among Muslims has lasted for the last thirteen centuries. No matter how prosaic, the reason for the enmity does not lie in differences in beliefs. Both of them believe in Allah. The main question over which generations of Sunnis and Shiites argue is who inherited the divine virtues of the creator of the world

Shiites
. They believe that after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, all political and spiritual power should go to a gifted person from the line of the Prophet.
Sunnis
. It is believed that there is no other worthy spiritual leader capable of replacing Muhammad. The leader must be chosen selectively.

The main differences between Sunnis and Shiites:

Places of pilgrimage
. Shiites go to Najaf or Karbala in Iraq to pray. Sunnis make pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia - to Mecca and Medina.
Sunnah text
. In the sacred scripture that tells about the life of the Prophet, Shiites recognize only those parts that come from members of the family of Muhammad.
Rituals
. Shiites, during prayers, place clay tiles on their mat - a symbol of admiration for the Prophet.
Namaz
. Sunnis perform five prayers a day, while their ideological opponents perform only three times.

Shia religious beliefs

Shiites (from shiat
A li
-
party of Ali
) are a minority in the branch of Islam.
Their total number does not exceed 110 million people. Basic principles of Shia religious beliefs
:

After the death of Caliph Ali, they believe that his descendants should control the Muslim movement.
Having found contradictions in the Koran, some Shiites question the truth of the scripture.
They allow themselves to enter into a temporary marriage (mu»tah), which is legally concluded for a certain time.
They pray morning, noon and evening.
They say that Allah cannot be seen either in life or after death (in the eternal world). Contact with him can be maintained through the imam
- an outstanding theologian who is in charge of the mosque.

Modern Islam among the Tatars

The revival of Islamic traditions here began actively in the eighties of the last century, when active construction of mosques was underway, restoration of old ones, and the traditions of religious education were revived.

In modern Tatarstan, orthodox “mosque” Islam is predominantly widespread, and Sufism, which was once widespread, has lost its position in modern Tatarstan. Today, the Islamic festive ritual tradition is observed here, which was practically uninterrupted even in the most difficult periods for the faith - the main holidays, widely celebrated, are still considered Eid al-Adha and Kurban Bayram.

Among the twenty million people who currently constitute the indigenous Muslim population of modern Russia, the Tatars are the largest Muslim people, and the majority of Tatars are Sunnis; Shiites are extremely rare among them. In Russia, Sunni Muslims predominate, while Shiites predominantly live in the North Caucasus region of the Russian Federation.

The number of Tatars in the country today reaches seven million, of which only less than two million people live in Tatarstan, in their historical homeland: the rest live in Bashkortostan, in Central Asia, in Siberia, the Urals and the Volga region.

Sunni religious beliefs

Sunnis (from people of sunnah -

sacred tradition telling about the life of the Prophet) are the largest branch of the Islamic world. The total population is more than 1.1 billion people.

Sunni religious beliefs

The Koran is the original source of spiritual knowledge and is the word of Allah.
The companion and spiritual leader (caliph) is chosen from among people who have enormous authority in the community.
It is not permissible to marry a Christian or a Jew. But you can marry representatives of any religion.
The prayer occurs with arms crossed on the chest 5 times a day: at dawn, noon, evening, sunset, before bedtime.
They believe that Allah can be seen in the eternal world
.

The division of Muslims into two camps, Shiites and Sunnis, occurred after the death of the Prophet Muhammad

.
It was then that the Sunnis chose Muhammad's father-in-law, Abu Bakr,
. He was one of the four Sunni leaders who followed the works of the Prophet. Another, small part of Muslims chose the son-in-law of the Prophet, Ali ibn Abu Talib, as their spiritual mentor.

Shiites and Sunnis are among dozens of Muslim concessions, although they are the largest. There is also Islamism, Druze, Sofrits, Ibadis, Azraqites, Zaydis, etc. currents. Now, forty states of the world are
countries
with a Muslim .

Ideas in Islam about the human soul and the afterlife

, is no different from Christian ones. The soul is the supernatural and immortal part of a person that can live outside the body. The afterlife consists of:

Jannah
(analogue of Paradise for Christians). A place (a beautiful garden) where the soul of a righteous Muslim goes after death.
Jahannam
(similar to Hell) Infidels and sinners fall into a deep ditch blazing with fire.

But the most important teaching in Islam is that every Muslim must visit the holy shrine of Muslims, Mecca, at least once in his life.

. If a person does not have money, or poor physical condition (illness, disability) prevents him from making the pilgrimage, he must send his deputy to Mecca.

Two branches

A schism in Islam occurred shortly after the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632, when a wave of apostasy swept the Muslim East. The Arabs plunged into the abyss of unrest and discord. A dispute arose among the followers of the prophet over who should have spiritual and political power in the Arab Caliphate.

The key figure in the division of Muslims was Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law, the righteous caliph Ali ibn Abu Talib. After his assassination, some believers believed that only Ali’s descendants had the right to become hereditary caliphs, since they were connected by blood ties with the Prophet Muhammad. As a result, the majority, which supported the elected caliphs, won.

Since then, the first have been assigned the name “Shiites” (“followers of Ali”). The latter began to be called “Sunnis” (following the sacred tradition - “Sunnam”).

This radically affected the distribution of power: the Sunnis dominated the Arab East for centuries, while the Shiites were forced to remain in the shadows.

Sunnis are primarily the history of such powerful states as the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates, as well as the Ottoman Empire. The Shiites are their eternal opposition, subject to the principle of “taqiya” (“prudence” and “prudence”). Until the end of the 20th century, relations between the two branches of Islam managed without serious armed clashes.