2021, vol. 9, no. 2. Adygamov R.K.

2021, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 336-350

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.22378/2313-6197.2021-9-2.336-350

   THE BULGAR AND GOLDEN HORDE’S THEOLOGIANS
AND THEOLOGICAL SOURCES THROUGH THE PRISM
OF SH. MARJANI’S “MUSTAFAD AL-AKHBAR…”

R.K. Adygamov 1, 2
1 Marjani Institute of History of Tatarstan Academy of Sciences
Kazan, Russian Federation

Abstract: Research objectives: The “Mustafad al-akhbar…” is one of the earliest and most important works on the history of the Bulgars and their descendants – the Tatars. After evaluating this source, we can rightly say that it is the first attempt at a scholarly description and analysis of the history of the Bulgars and Tatars. To achieve this purpose, Sh. Marjani used a large array of different sources, among which a special place was occupied by theological sources. In revealing religious life, the theologian used mainly written sources, but he did not limit himself to quoting them. The presentation of these texts is accompanied by Sh. Marjnani’s analysis of the information’s reliability. The author compares the facts and makes reasonable conclusions about the biographies of theologians, as well as the content of their works.
The purpose of the study is to identify the authors’ names and the titles of their theological works that Sh. Marjani used in the first volume of the mentioned work.
Research materials: The source basis of the study was the first volume of the “Mustafad al-akhbar…” by Sh. Marjani, as well as reference works by Muslim biographers. Throughout the study, the author used the methods of analysis and synthesis, as well as the historical and comparative method.
Research results: This study established the titles of the theological treatises to which Sh. Marjani referred in the first volume of the “Mustafad al-akhbar…”, their content, the names of their authors, and years of their deaths. The study of the personalities of theolo­gians and their works has allowed for a division of them into respective Bulgar and Golden Horde periods. However, it should be noted that Sh. Marjani partly goes beyond these pe­riods and mentions some theologians who lived after the conquest of the Kazan Khanate in 1552.
Research novelty: The author described, for the first time ever, the titles and topics of theological works mentioned in the first volume of the “Mustafad al-akhbar…”. Also, he identified the names of their authors and divided the works according to a historical prin­ciple into the works of the Bulgar and Golden Horde periods.

Keywords: Sh. Marjani, Mustafad al-Akhbar, history of theology among Tatars, history of the Bulgars, history of Tatars, theological sources, theologians

For citation: Adygamov R.K. The Bulgar and Golden Horde’s Theologians and Theological Sources through the Prism of Sh. Marjani’s “Mustafad al-akhbar…”. Zoloto­ordynskoe obozrenie=Golden Horde Review. 2021, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 336–350. DOI: 10.22378/2313-6197.2021-9-2.336-350

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About the author: Ramil K. Adygamov – Cand. Sci. (History), Senior Researcher of the Department of History of Religions and Public Thought of the Marjani Institute of History of Tatarstan Academy of Sciences (7A, Baturin Str., Kazan 420111, Russian Fe­deration); ORCID: 0000-0002-0448-0107. E-mail: abu_muhammad@mail.ru

Received  March 4, 2021   Accepted for publication  May 12, 2021
Published Online June 29, 2021