by Agata S. Nalborczyk
Published in: „Disputatio” X, 2010, pp. 73-95.
Eastern Europe is a very interesting region in terms of the presence of Muslims. They have been living there for more... more
Eastern Europe is a very interesting region in terms of the presence of Muslims. They have been living there for more than 600 years.
This mere fact escapes the attention of many researchers and experts in Islam, including European Islam, and above all it escapes the attention of the journalists from Western Europe. Usually, they write about Islam as a new phenomenon for the European societies and underline its alien character, and a difficulty (or impossibility) of integration of Muslims with European societies arising from that. Or, even a difficulty (or impossibility) of becoming loyal citizens of European states. Meanwhile, Muslims in Eastern Europe are integrated with the wide society, they speak the local language well and they feel they belong to the society. In history they gave proofs of their commitment to their new homelands.
These are mainly Polish-Lithuanian Muslims whose ancestors had been settled in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania since the 14th century in exchange for military service. At present they mainly live within the borders of Poland, Lithuania and Belarus, i.e. in the former territories of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. In effect of Russian, later Soviet, domination in Eastern Europe these Muslims can also be found at present in Latvia, Estonia and in the Kaliningrad District. The latter, prior to 1945, belonged to the German East Prussia. Many of them are Tatars but Azeris and Muslims from the Central Asia also form a significant group. The ethnic component of Muslim communities in Eastern Europe is, then, completely different from what is known in Western Europe. The Eastern European Muslims have been included into the sphere of the European culture for ages.
Eastern European states, because of the tradition of Muslim presence within their borders, the tradition of multifaith and multiethnic society, have at their disposal developed legal instruments to form their relationship with Islam, or with non-Christian religions broadly speaking. In most of these states, excluding Belarus, Islam, as an officially recognized religion, enjoys similar privileges as other registered religions. Mosques, often of historical value, are active; there are Muslim cemeteries; there is a possibility of giving the children Muslim religious instruction, quite often in public schools; ritual slaughter is permitted. All these elements mean that essential conditions for leading religious life are present. Something that is often hardly attainable for Muslims in the West, e.g. in France or in Germany.
The article presents the history of the presence of Muslims in Eastern Europe, their present numbers, and legal and religious situation of Muslim minorities in separate states.
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