The Many Faces of Islam in Russia

An authentic Russian Pavlovo-Posad Shawl.? 




It has frequently been described as the world's fastest growing religion, but Islam has attracted ethnic Russians for years. With an estimated 20 million Muslims in Russia, it is not unheard of for Russian Orthodox believers to consciously decide to convert to Islam, with many describing the switch as something of a spiritual breakthrough.? 





Sociologists have attributed the conversions mostly to marriage, when a Russian Orthodox believer converts for the sake of his or her Muslim spouse. But many other converts take the plunge because they are attracted to the mysticism of certain aspects of the religion, and others do so because they are genuinely attached to the religion for all of its cultural, linguistic and historical manifestations.? 





And despite concerns about such conversions challenging Russia's national identity, many Russian converts say they have had no problem preserving their ethnic identity even while adopting traditional Islamic styles of dress.





See our previous Photo Gallery:

Russia's Valenki Winter Boots Making a Comeback

Djohar, whose birth name was Nikolai.

Helga, whose birth name was Olga.

The word 'Allah' written in modern Arabic calligraphy.

Tubeteika, traditional Muslim headdress.

A postcard showing a mosque in Central Asia.