Islam In Russia and Russian Reactions

The New York Times today carries a long front-page article on the growth of Islam in Russia, and the government's response to it. It reports that the Islamic faith, and Islamic militancy, is on the rise. In response, the government has created a Soviet-type system of control over religion. Its Muslim Spiritual Department now oversees the appointment of Islamic leaders. The number of Muslims in Russia is estimated as between 14 and 23 million, 10% to 16% of Russia's population. They are found mainly in several Muslim-majority republics. Thousands of mosques have been rebuilt and reopened, as have madrasas. However, believers outside of the state's Muslim departments are increasingly viewed with suspicion because of the radicalization of Chechnya and other republics. They are denounced as Wahhabis, a word that has become Russian shorthand for any Islamic militant.