The Central Spiritual Administration of the Muslims of Russia (TsDUM) and its strategy of subordinate partnership in dialogue with the Russian Orthodox Church

Abstract

Under conditions of competition with other federal muftiates, the Central Spiritual Administration of the Muslims of Russia (TsDUM) has developed a deliberate focus on maintaining good relations with the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). This paper analyses the strategy of TsDUM and its mufti Talagat Tadzhuddin regarding the ROC. The author argues that Tadzhuddin’s actions indicate he may be playing a more complicated game than his policy of cleaving closely to the ROC of itself suggests. Against researchers and experts who consider Tadzhuddin’s actions irrational, the author argues Tadzhuddin is a skilful strategist who has deliberately donned the mask of the holy fool (yurodivy). The author also offers a brief overview of the history of TsDUM in the 1990s and 2000s, exploring the reasons behind the disintegrative processes within the muftiate that began in 1992.