Oriental Studies (Sep 2023)
The 1966–1967 Hajj of Soviet Muslims: Analyzing Archival Documents
Abstract
Introduction. Analysis of Soviet religious policies essentially represented by government-Muslim relations is most important to the history of our motherland. An indicator to characterize the quality of these relations is efforts of authorities in organizing Hajj trips, including multifaceted interaction with leaders of Soviet Muslims. Goals. The article examines archival documents — some to be newly introduced into scientific circulation — and attempts an analysis of the actual conditions, scope of related work, and conclusions articulated by officials who were to arrange comprehensive interaction with Muslims and Hajj participants. The study seeks to answer a number of questions pertaining to Hajj-related activities of the Council for Religious Affairs (under the USSR Council of Ministers) and Muslim spiritual directorates in 1966–1967. Materials and methods. The paper focuses on documents stored at the State Archive of the Russian Federation (coll. Р-6991 ‘Council for Religious Affairs under the Council of Ministers of the USSR’) covering the period from 1943 to 1991, with special emphasis be laid on analyses of files contained in Catalogue 6 ‘Council for Religious Affairs under the Council of Ministers of the USSR: 1966–1991’. It is in 1966 that the Soviet government agency created by way of merger (Council for the Russian Orthodox Church and Council for Religious Cults) and established by a decree of the USSR Council of Ministers began its actual work with all registered religious organizations. Methods and tools of analysis, synthesis, and that of historical reconstruction proved most instrumental in investigating efforts of the Council. Results. The work introduces into scientific circulation some archival documents that have remained unknown both to experts and the public at large, provides a historiographic review of the problem on the basis of publications authored by famous foreign and domestic researchers. Conclusions. The study shows certain peculiarities of government-Muslim relations during the period under consideration, namely: the Hajj was being prepared when the key body supposed to facilitate such constructive relations (Council for Religious Cults) had ceased its work, and the new one (Council for Religious Affairs) was not yet completely staffed.
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