Religious Revival And Secularism In Post-soviet Azerbaijan (religion And Society; Volume 71)

"The book explores the complex world of Islam from the perspective of its adherents and activists in Azerbaijan. Baku, the most secular Muslim capital city, is a battlefield for the minds and souls of "ethnic Muslims." Visiting pirs was till now the typical expression of religiosity among Azerbaijani Muslims. Sunni-Shia division was blurred. Nowadays, Shia and Sunni Muslim movements propose new distinctive identities. Foreign and local preachers took advantage of liberal religious policies of the 1990s to promote their ideas. Salafis stress the "pristine" Islam and the idea of universalism, while Shias underline rationality in their faith tradition. Turkish model of Islam is more inclusive towards local customs. Sufism, although not as powerful as before, also finds a committed audience. Finally, independent charismatic local leaders gain supporters. The book investigates how this pluralism affects both religious groups and believers. Competitive environment requires effective strategies and flexibility. In this process, the traditional dominance of Shiism is challenged by Sunni movements. Shiism, however, is not giving up and adapts its concepts and practices to contemporary contexts"-- Provided by publisher Acknowledgements 7 Contents 9 List of Tables and Figures 13 Note on Transliteration 15 Introduction 17 Chapter 1. Religion as a Field of Competition 24 Chapter 2. Islam in the Caucasus: Historical Contexts of Religious Pluralism 64 Chapter 3. Islamic Modernism and Secularism 84 Chapter 4. The Lived Islam 98 Chapter 5. Religious Revival and the Plurality of Choices 125 Chapter 6. Choosing Religion: Strategies and Discourses 153 Chapter 7. Religious Competition 188 Chapter 8. State control: Heretic-Hunting 214 Glossary 227 Bibliography 229 Index 239 "What happens when religious movements begin to compete with each other? What strategies are employed by actors to gain popularity? The book investigates the rise of religious pluralism inside Islam in Azerbaijan and its impact on people and religious movements. Although the traditional dominance of Shiism is challenged by Sunni movements, Shia actors are not giving up easily"..