ABSTRACT
This chapter begins with a brief history of Islam in Dagestan. It outlines the main stages of the Islamisation of Dagestan and points to the key factors contributing to the stronger position of Islam there compared to other republics of the North Caucasus. It pays special attention to the role of Sufi sm in the Dagestani society and politics. The chapter proceeds to the analysis of the contemporary religious situation by focusing on the nature and representatives of so-called traditional Islam and fundamentalist Islam (Wahhabism). It introduces previously unknown fascinating data on the main Sufi tariqats, including their organisation, their shaykhs, and their relations with the Dagestani political and Islamic establishment, on the one hand, and with the Wahhabis, on the other. The chapter offers a Dagestani perspective on the reasons behind the rise of radical Islam in Dagestan. It examines the evolution of the Wahhabi movement and analyses views of successive Wahhabi leaders. It provides rare statistics on the geography and dynamics of the Wahhabi movement in Dagestan and positions it within a global jihadist context.
