General Characteristics of Islamic Education in Contemporary Russia

Abstract

This article looks at certain major characteristics of Islamic education in contemporary Russia. It covers such issues as the status of Islamic educational institutions within the Russian legal system, the forms they take and the problems they face in the system, as well as the nature of reforms initiated, with government backing, by the leaders of the Russian Muslim community and the results achieved. The author argues that the development of Islamic education in contemporary Russia has not been without its problems, but has nonetheless achieved significant results, as reflected in both the number and variety of institutions involved. The reforms aim to convert quantity into quality and raise the standard of teaching in Russian educational institutions to match that of international centers of excellence in Islamic sciences.