Вестник археологии, антропологии и этнографии (Dec 2023)
The social portrait of the Muslim clergy in the Tobolsk Governate in the 19th — early 20th century
Abstract
The Muslim clergy is analysed as one of the social groups. In Muslim communities, the clergy could comprise khatibs, imams, muezzins or adhan-caller, mujtahids, and ahuns. The congregation usually called all clergymen of mosque as mullah. In the course of research, it has been found that the majority of the clergymen worked in the countryside. The clerical staff of countryside mosques was few. Generally, there were one or two clergymen in service: an imam and a muezzin. Sometimes, two imams worked in the house of worship. In the period under study, mosques operated in the towns of Tara, Tobolsk, and Tyumen. The clergy staff in the urban mosques in different periods included 1–4 people. In most cases, the religious community elected clergymen, although there were situations when the congregation were asking the Orenburg Mohammedan Spiritual Assembly to appoint them a mullah. The clergymen began religious activities at a relatively young age (28 years old). The average age of the imams was 45. Normally, they occupied clerical posts for the whole life. The Muslim clergy was not receiving allowance from the state. Usually, the religious community took the maintenance obligations towards the mullah. The clergy had different well-being levels. Part of the clergymen were living well. For example, they could afford to build religious houses at their own expenses. In the meantime, some mullahs lived in need, especially, in the time of natural disasters and poor harvests, when the members of the congregation did not support them with resources. A large part of the clergymen carried out educational activities, teaching children in a maktab or a madrasah. The Muslim clergymen were family people. In the second half of the 19th c., a trend towards establishing the dynasts of imams emerged in the Tobolsk Governate. The Muslim clergy had an immense authority amongst the population. Meanwhile, the facts are known when some imams discredited themselves by their behaviour. The religious community and individuals criticised them and composed complaints on them. Petitions against the Muslim clergy were written not only by the congregation, but also by clergymen against each other.
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