Alexey Malashenko on how to count Russian Muslims

Alexei Malashenko, Deputy Chairman of the Academic Council of the Carnegie Moscow Center, Professor at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations, Head of the Department of Islamic Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, speaking at the round table "What Islam means for Russia" at the Russian Cultural Foundation on May 22, spoke in favor of the main criterion for determining the number of Muslims in Russia consider the self-identification of the respondents.

He pointed out that the available data ranged from 3.5 million to 30 million people. "Apparently, the truth lies in the middle, and about 20 million Muslims live in Russia. Why about? - Because we must first answer the question: can those Azerbaijanis who now live in Russia be classified as Russian Muslims (this is about 1 million, and maybe even more)? And also Kazakhs, Tajiks, etc.?" But the main problem is who is considered a Muslim? There is evidence that only about 3 million people fully observe the rites. According to A. Malashenko, it is also necessary to take into account those who do not do this, but consider themselves adherents of Islam: "A Muslim is one who considers himself a Muslim, one who believes that he belongs to both the Muslim community of Russia and the Muslim world ummah. And in this respect, it doesn’t matter at all how often he goes to the mosque, how often he prays and, by the way, how strictly he observes all Muslim rituals and does not violate prohibitions. I apologize in advance, maybe I will be criticized, but if a Muslim allows himself to drink alcohol, then for me he is still a Muslim."

Sources

• Malashenko A. "Without developing an attitude towards the Muslim world, the reorganization of the world will not take place ..." // Religion and Mass Media. 2003. May 28.