Nationalism and Islam: A Comparative Approach to Ottoman and Tatar Nationalisms

This article addresses the interaction between nationalism and Islam through the comparative analysis of Turkish and Tatar nationalisms in early twentieth century. It argues that the utilization of multiple identities allows for a mutually inclusive relationship between nationalism and Islam which was quite clearly observed especially among the Tatar nationalist intellectuals from Russia. While the Turkish nationalists and traditional Islamist intellectuals of the Ottoman Empire had a challenge of accepting each other´s positions, Tatar intellectuals from Russia, who settled in Istanbul and contributed to the establishment and advancement of Turkish nationalism in the late Ottoman Empire did not see a conflict between nationalism and Islam.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Tatar, Ottoman, nationalism, Islam

Doi Number: 10.9737/hist.2016322068

This article addresses the interaction between nationalism and Islam through the comparative analysis of Turkish and Tatar nationalisms in early twentieth century. It argues that the utilization of multiple identities allows for a mutually inclusive relationship between nationalism and Islam which was quite clearly observed especially among the Tatar nationalist intellectuals from Russia. While the Turkish nationalists and traditional Islamist intellectuals of the Ottoman Empire had a challenge of accepting each other´s positions, Tatar intellectuals from Russia, who settled in Istanbul and contributed to the establishment and advancement of Turkish nationalism in the late Ottoman Empire did not see a conflict between nationalism and Islam.

Keywords: Tatar, Ottoman, nationalism, Islam

Doi Number: 10.9737/hist.2016322068