The Central Asian muftiate in occupied Afghanistan, 1979–87 |
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Authors: | Eren Tasar |
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Institution: | Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies , Harvard University , Cambridge, USA |
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Abstract: | Known by the Russian acronym SADUM, the muftiate responsible for overseeing mosques in the five Soviet Central Asian republics conducted pro-Soviet public diplomacy in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan after the invasion of December 1979. SADUM's engagement with pro-Soviet ulama in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan marks a departure from the character of its extensive propaganda and relationship-building activities elsewhere in the Muslim and developing worlds. The Central Asian Islamic scholars staffing SADUM sought to assist the Soviet Party-state in establishing and consolidating a cadre of Afghan ulama who could achieve legitimacy in the eyes of Afghanistan's overwhelmingly Muslim population while maintaining political support for the Communist-oriented People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan. |
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Keywords: | Afghanistan Central Asia Islam and state Socialism Sovietization ‘ulama |
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