Relations between the Muslim communities and the Russian Orthodox Church in Western Siberia in the second half of XIX – early XX century in the context of confessional policy of the Russian

The problem of relations between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Muslim communities of Western Siberia in the context of state-confessional policy of the Russia in the second half of XIX - early XX century is considered in the article. The dominant position of the Russian Orthodox Church led to the fact that the government regarded it as a companion for the policy of russification and degradation of the features of non-Orthodox religions, including Islam. This line of national policy in Russia forced the Muslim community to defend their rights. The government's attempts to interfere in religious affairs did not lead to result, but caused the indignation in the Muslim world. A decree on strengthening the foundations of religious tolerance, adopted in 1905, reduced the number of foreigners who wanted to embrace Orthodoxy. Since that time a great opportunity offers for the functioning of the Muslim communities in different regions of the Russian Empire, although total freedom of conscience was absent