Paper long abstract:

Based on an analysis of Russian and Tatar periodicals, publications on the Internet, social networking sites, specialized forums and chats, audio and video materials, publications of official documents and statistics, and interviews with target respondents, this presentation examines the degree and nature of the Russian state's involvement with Islam through the lens of the Halal industry in Tatarstan. What makes this involvement different from other spheres of religious life that are also regulated by the state is the fact that Halal products are a growing industry that has development in response to a market demand, and it presents an attractive business potential. Despite article 14 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation stipulating that religious bodies are separated from the state, in Tatarstan since the late 1990s, de facto religious institutions including those that are part of the Halal industry, have been incorporated by the state.In the 1990s and the 2000s there was an emergence of Halal products and industry, which developed spontaneously and without state control. This created a need for standardizing the industry, with the tacit participation of state structures. This work toward standardization began in 2003, but received official status in October 2004, when a new Department, the Halal Standard Committee, began to function in the Department of Idel-Hajj under the Muslim Spiritual Board of the Tatarstan. Currently, the number of consumer of Halal products is growing and includes both practicing Muslims and non-Muslims who perceive Halal products as healthier and environmentally-friendly. However, the industry has its problems. In the summer of 2018, Tatarstan'sPresident Rustam Minnikhanov created an official Commission under the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic, which was tasked with ensuring production compliance of all products that carry the stamp of "Halal" on Tatarstan's market. The creation of the Commission was necessitated by an incident in which traces of pork were found in a product marked "Halal." These examples illustrate that the Halal industry is one area where religious institutions and the state actually need each other in order to function successfully. The state's regulation of the Halal market can ensure quality of the products while the growing demand for Halal products can boost local production and business development.