THE ROLE OF THE ORENBURG MOHAMMEDAN SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY IN THE LIFE OF MUSLMAN OF THE YENISEI PROVINCE IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE XIX – EARLY XX CENTURY

Abstract

The article notes that the Orenburg Mohammedan spiritual Assembly, established during the reign of Catherine II, for many years became a conductor of state policy in the Muslim environment of the Russian Empire, including in Siberia. While performing the function of monitoring the life of Muslim parishes, it has completely become a state body, but it is partially deprived of rights in dealing with a number of issues, especially those related to the financial well-being of the Muslim community. Only the highest clergy of the Orenburg Mohammedan spiritual Assembly received maintenance from the state. The maintenance of the administration itself fell entirely on the shoulders of Muslim parishes. This duty was especially acute in the low – income parishes that were widespread in the second half of the XIX-beginning of the XX century in the Yenisei province. The Muslims of the Yenisei province not only did not receive support from the Central government of Muslims, but also experienced a number of restrictions on their part. The Orenburg Mohammedan spiritual Assembly, along with the state, sought to control the number of parishes, and most importantly their financial viability, which led to a restriction on the number of Muslim parishes in the Yenisei province.