ABSTRACT
This chapter explores specifi c features of ‘Volga-Urals Islam’ and ‘Tatar Islam’, in particular, which were shaped by the history of Islamization of the region and its lengthy exposure to Russian political and cultural domination. It then proceeds to analyze various manifestations of post-communist Islamic revival in Tatarstan. The activities of various Islamic institutions, organizations and media are examined in detail. The chapter pays special attention to current theological and intellectual debate on the essence of so-called ‘regional Islam’ and its relationship with ‘normative’ Islam. The chapter assesses the scope of the proliferation of radical Islam in the region and examines its specifi c manifestations. It also analyses the implications of the Arab Islamic involvement in the Islamic revival in the region.
