The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics dealt with Islam in these republics with violence and defiance since it extended its influence over those lands. The police confiscated all copies of the Holy Quran and burned them between 1929 and 1936. Many atheistic associations supported this effort with anti-Islam propaganda at the time.
Combating Islam and its adherents
The Soviet government used all means of media to achieve its goal: to combat Islam and its adherents. For example, in 1962, 23,000 lectures were delivered in the Republic of Uzbekistan against religion, and cinemas and radio stations were used to fight religion and distort the image of Muslims who went to mosques, fasted during Ramadan, or celebrated Islamic holidays.
Union of Atheists
To this end, the communists established the Union of Atheists in 1923 and prevented pilgrims from going to the Holy House of God, taking into account that before the Soviets seized Islamic lands, the number of Muslim pilgrims in these areas was approximately 35,000 annually. However, with these fierce campaigns targeting Islam over the years, their number during Soviet rule ranged from only 15 to 20 pilgrims in some years! In many years, none of the Soviet pilgrims reached the Holy House of God!
Amid waves of severe fear
In such extremely difficult circumstances, Muslims performed their religious rituals amid waves of severe fear. Therefore, during this period, only the elderly appeared as pioneers of the mosques, due to the ban on prayer, fasting, and pilgrimage under the pretext that this would economically affect Soviet society. In light of this, some religious leaders in Russia were compelled to issue fatwas that aligned with the objectives of the Soviets, so that Muslims could carry out their religious practices without affecting the future of the economy.
Praying only once a day
For example, these fatwas permitted Muslims to pray only once a day and to fast for just one day during the entire month of Ramadan! The Soviet authorities issued an order banning the sacrifice of animals, even if they were private property, under the pretext of the economic damage that would result from the slaughter of such a massive number of sacrifices.
