Adilova, Gyulshen2026-04-182026-04-182020https://repository.iou.edu.gm/handle/123456789/505The purpose of this study is to investigate the problem of identity of people living as Muslim minorities in Russian Federation, by examining how Muslims identify themselves, and various dimensions established for their identification. Mixture of cultural and religious practices, in conjunction with living in the state with secular legal and political structures, combined with rigorous efforts to fit the surrounding society, creates in the minds of Muslims confusion between ethnic, religious and national identities. The focus of this study is to explore the determinacy of the position of the Islamic dimension, in the whole picture of Muslim minorities' identity, and to explore the underlying factors of their identification. The method used to carry out this research consists of both secondary and primary researches. Secondary research was done by reviewing the relevant literature from notable scholars, politicians, journalists, and researchers in the field of the study. The primary research was conducted among madrasa students, who have knowledge of principle foundations of Islam and whose Islamic awareness is on high level. The primary research was carried out in Moscow, while interviewing the representatives of different ages from different ethnicities, with different levels of education, job positions and professions, in order to avoid a unilateral approach. The findings show that female Muslims have to put more effort to preserve their Islamic identity and to achieve set objectives related to their education or career, because in an unwelcoming society, female Muslims face more challenges, as the ḥijāb makes them easily identifiable as Muslims, while male Muslims are more comfortable to feel themselves as equal members of society. This study has revealed the existence of a strong correlation between the level of Islamic knowledge of Muslims and their capacity to resist undesirable influences on their Islamic identity. This correlation explains such tendencies as a small number of practicing Muslims in Russia, confusion between practices required by Islam and associated to Islam, assimilation of Muslims to non-Muslims, and violation of prohibitions made by Islam. The study concludes that Islamic education and interaction with Muslims contribute greatly to building, development and preservation of one's Islamic identity and recommends to pay more attention to religious education of Muslim minorities in Russia.Thesis