Cult of Saints in Siberian Islam: the Specificity of the Universal

The work considers the cult of saints in Siberian Islam, primarily among the Tobolo-Irtysh Tatars, as a subject of ethnological research. The main aspects of this cult are analyzed, including the veneration of Islamic holy ascetics, the establishment of Muslim shrines, and ideas about general Islamic figures that are organically incorporated into the local religious tradition. The author identifies both common and distinctive features in the operation of the cult and the dialectical interplay between its universal and regional elements. The impact of Sufism on the development of the religious framework of Siberian Muslims is also explored. Field ethnographic and folkloric materials are introduced into scholarly discourse. This book is intended for scholars of history, ethnography, cultural studies, religious studies, and anyone with an interest in this subject.