Excerpts from Khalil Rahimov’s book “Himayat al-awliya’ min ihanat al-agwiya’” [The Protection of the Saints from the Abuse of Erring Men]

Preface, translation and commentaries

Abstract

The present article reveals insufficiently studied aspects of Islamic Mysticism (Sufism) in Russia’s Volga-Ural region at the end of the 19^th – beginning of the 20^th century in the context of modern­ization in late imperial Russia. A special attention is paid to the analysis of the contribution made by pedagogue, Sufi and scholar Khalil Rahimov to moderate Muslim reformism. He led extramu­ral polemic with outstanding Russian Muslim reformists on the ways of development of the Mus­lim community, the role of Islamic Mystical tradition (Sufism) in the life of Muslims. He criticized their religious and philosophical teachings and views on the issues of faith and reason, the adapta­tion of scientific achievements and cultural models of advanced countries. Khalil Rahimov be­lieved that Muslim education, culture and society should be developed without undermining the foundations of religion. Alongside the research, the article provides a Russian annotated trans­lation of excerpts from Khalil Rahimov’s book “Himayat al-awliya’ min ihanat al-agwiya’” [The Protection of the Saints from the abuse of erring men].