aisharus
10-10-2009, 08:10 PM
Islam is currently the second most widely professed religion in the Russian Federation. According to the most recent estimates by the R&F Agency, while there are 6 million genuine followers of Russian Orthodoxy in Russia, there are more than 20 million officially self-identified Muslims, a number that has risen by 40% in the last 15 years. According to the same source, Russia has requested to join the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, as Russia currently has observer status since 2005. Muslim communities are concentrated among minority nationalities residing between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea: Adyghe, Balkars, Chechens, Circassians, Ingush, Kabardin, Karachay, and numerous Dagestani peoples. Also, in the middle of the Volga Basin reside populations of Tatars and Bashkirs, the majority of whom are Muslims. There is also a sizable number of Russian converts to Islam, some of whom have participated in the Chechen conflict against Russian troop
The majority of Muslims in Russia adhere to the Sunni branch of Islam. About 10% are Shi'a Muslims. In a few areas, notably Chechnya, there is a tradition of Sunni Sufism. The Azeris have also historically and still currently been nominally followers of Shi'a Islam, as their republic split off from the Soviet Union, significant number of Azeris immigrated to Russia in search of work.
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The majority of Muslims in Russia adhere to the Sunni branch of Islam. About 10% are Shi'a Muslims. In a few areas, notably Chechnya, there is a tradition of Sunni Sufism. The Azeris have also historically and still currently been nominally followers of Shi'a Islam, as their republic split off from the Soviet Union, significant number of Azeris immigrated to Russia in search of work.
http://s40.radikal.ru/i089/0909/ce/1cd2c22d9998.jpg
http://i063.radikal.ru/0909/21/769b0f1dde15.jpg
http://i055.radikal.ru/0909/f6/efdad8fd9757.jpg
http://img15.nnm.ru/6/2/5/8/5/4f1c637234b84a9e28edebe7ab7.jpg
http://s42.radikal.ru/i097/0909/e6/1c2dd13ebc0a.jpg
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