The regular flow of migrants from the countries of Central Asia and the frequent representatives of the Caucasian diasporas in the largest cities of the country create the impression that in a couple of decades Russia is at risk of losing its original culture.
Migrant flows
The problems in the work of the Russian Migration Service are no secret. The number of illegal immigrants has decreased recently, but the problem has not been fully resolved. In addition, various migration restrictions hit, among other things, repatriates (Russians from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and other neighboring countries) who want to return to their historical homeland.
A significant part of migrant workers arrives in Russia from the Muslim countries of Central Asia. First of all, these are Tajiks, Uzbeks, Kyrgyz. However, one should not equate the problems of migration and Islamization. Of course, the overwhelming majority of migrants from Central Asia are Muslim by origin, but the fact that these people visit the mosque, read the Koran and do not drink alcohol is hardly a threat to the indigenous population of Russia. In addition, a significant part of foreign workers are Muslims formally and do not spend time in prayer at all.
Muslims of Russia
About 10% of the indigenous people of Russia are Muslims. In numerical terms, approximately 14-15 million people. These people did not come to Russia from distant countries; for many generations they lived in the Muslim regions of Russia - Ingushetia, Chechnya, Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, Bashkiria, Tatarstan. It should not be forgotten that Russia is not only Moscow and its surroundings. The Caucasus, the Volga region, the Urals, Siberia and the Far East with the numerous indigenous peoples living there - all this is also Russia.
In the USSR, the percentage of Muslims was even higher. The indigenous peoples of the Union were also Azerbaijanis, Kazakhs, Kyrgyz, Uzbeks, Turkmen, Tajiks. However, the problem of Islamization in society was not observed.
It is necessary to accept the fact that Islam is also a part of Russian culture. If historically in central Russia lived predominantly Orthodox Russians, then in the Urals, Siberia and the Caucasus, for example, initially the majority of the population were Turkic, Finno-Ugric and other peoples who professed Islam, Buddhism and other local beliefs.
Is there a problem?
Is the problem of Islamization threatening Russia? A significant part of migrants return to their homeland. Ethnic Russians sometimes also convert to Islam, but their percentage is small. The indigenous Islamic peoples of Russia tend to have a higher birth rate, but there is nothing wrong with that either. There was a demographic decline in Russia for quite a long time, so there is no need to grieve about population growth in certain regions of Russia. All citizens, to one degree or another, are close to both the all-Russian and Russian culture. For all, Russian is their native language, or one of several native languages. Another question is that the Russian population should take an example from fellow Muslims - to have more than two children, and in general to take a more serious approach to creating a family. In addition, the state should be truly interested in the repatriation of Russians. Obtaining Russian citizenship for Russians, despite all the "simplified" programs, is a very difficult task.
There are about 20,000 Russian Muslims in Russia, and over 50,000 in neighboring Kazakhstan.
And again about the problem of Islamization. Is Islam itself, as a traditional world religion, a problem? Hardly. The problem can be considered extremist currents of Islam, brought to the Muslim regions of Russia from abroad, thanks to the activities of Western specialists. services. The percentage of adherents of such movements is small, but the problem must be solved both by the forces of the secular authorities (federal and regional) and with the help of representatives of the traditional Muslim clergy.
