Ildus Kotdusovich Zagidullin,
Tatarstan Academy of Sciences Sh.Mardzhani Institute of History,
Entrance 5, Kremlin, Kazan, 420014, Russia,
zagik63@mail.ru.
The Orenburg Muslim Spiritual Assembly was a governing body of observation and control over Islam institutions in the Volga, Ural and West Siberian regions. In the late 19th century, as the head of the religious and cultural autonomy of Muslims, it positioned itself as an organization which propagated ideas of renovation in Muslim society.
In 1897, in his message to imams and teachers of schools-madrasahs, mufti M.Sultanov called for Muslim parishes and families to be made economically independent organizations in the field of moral and religious education of the younger generation. He urged imams to speak from the minbar (менбар – a pulpit in a mosque) in plain language asking their brethren in religion to be socially active, to gain new knowledge and skills, and to teach subjects necessary for everyday life in schools-madrasahs. For the first time, this message set the goal of preaching renewal.
In 1898 Muslim society witnessed great events: Qazis Kh.Gabashi and R.Fakhretdin established their society and held a large meeting, useful books written in the native (Turkic) language were printed, new spelling rules were adopted, and the subjects to be taught at four-year primary jadid schools were defined, as well as textbooks for schools and their authors.
Key words: the Orenburg Muslim Spiritual Assembly, Mufti M.Sultanov, Kh.Gabashi, primary jadidi school, jadidism, modernisation, meeting, imams.