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Мурза Алим: проблемы идентификации, концепция истории и культурные ориентиры раннего русскоязычного мусульманского модернизма в поздней Российской империи
This chapter analyses the key narrative describing the history of Islam by Muslim authors who wrote in Russian in the 1880s, addressing the public sphere of the Russian Empire: I. Gasprinsky, A. Bayazitov, and an unknown author hiding under the pseudonym "Murza Alim." The latter's narrative, considered in the general context of the reformist Muslim authors' approach to history, which is examined in all chapters of the book, becomes the focus of analysis in this chapter. Both the general and specific features of this text are highlighted, consisting of writing methods—the intensive critical use of the works of European Orientalists— and in its concept—a secularised interpretation of the commonality of religions under the "brand" of Islam and the search for a universal religion, which is 5-10 years ahead of similar global trends. In a debate with a number of researchers, the problems of identifying the author and the perception of his work by Russian Orientalists are examined, which allows for a deeper interpretation of the content of his articles. The study is accompanied by a carefully annotated critical publication of a series of articles by Murza Alim, the full text of which, partly due to its opacity, has not previously been introduced into scientific circulation.