Living Halal in the Volga Region: Lifestyle and Civil Society Opportunities

Emancipating ethics: an autonomist reading of Islamic forms of life in Russia

“…But in the study of religious life after real socialism, the term ‘revival’ risks proving misleading as it invites a framing of contemporary religious‐ethical developments in terms of a ‘re‐emergence’ of ‘traditional’ faiths. While long‐term continuities may of course be identified, many aspects of religious life in post‐Soviet Tatarstan differ from what historical sources suggest about pre‐revolutionary and Soviet times (Benussi 2021 a ). In particular, post‐Soviet pious milieus flourish without relying on the civilizational institutes of pre‐revolutionary Islamicate Eurasia – the range of pedagogical, juridical, administrative, and pastoral apparatuses that regulated the Muslim domain before Soviet‐led modernization – and attract followers from across customary ethno‐confessional boundaries.…”

“…The Islamic piety trends I researched in Russia are quietist (‘post‐Islamist’) and place heavy emphasis on correct ritual practice, discipline (ranging from strict to very strict), the pursuit of religious knowledge, and the universality of the Islamic message. I refer to them, collectively, as Russia's ‘halal milieu’ (Benussi 2021 a ). This term defines an otherwise nameless, loose galaxy encompassing groups of various and sometimes even divergent theological orientations united by the same commitment to ethical‐theological discernment and Islamically permissible conduct.…”

“…On the other hand, Muslim economic actors remain subjected to the constraints of the dominant form of organization, and cannot entirely elude the norms and power relations undergirding their postsocialist market environment. To make a profit, pious entrepreneurs must adhere to market logic, while avoiding taxation, protection, and/or wheel‐greasing is often impossible (Benussi 2021 a ). That said, the transformative effect of Islamic ethics on economic practice at the community level cannot be underestimated (Kaliszewska 2020).…”

“…When state‐issued juridical obligations run counter to religious norms but cannot be circumvented (as in the case of norms concerning insurance), they are met, with theological justifications being offered retrospectively. Even if the halal milieu's relationship with officialdom is rocky, engagements with Islamic institutions are still pursued, for instance in the sphere of halal certification (Benussi 2021 a ). And undeniably many pietists have some degree of positive engagement with mainstream moral discourses, such as Tatar ethnic pride and Russian patriotism.…”

Halal Marketplace: The Influence of Attitude, Subjective Norms, and Perceived Behavior Control on Purchase Intention of Muslim Consumers

“…Halal lifestyle has spread around the world and is becoming more widely accepted (Aziz & Ahmad, 2018;Benussi, 2021). Today, various businesses, including tourism, hospitality, food, beverage, and entertainment, have incorporated a halal lifestyle into their operational…”