To Moscow, Not Mecca

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The book explores the intense ideological conflict between Communism and Islam in the Soviet Union, particularly in Central Asia from 1917 to 1941. It highlights the efforts of the Soviets to dismantle Muslim culture through Marxist-Leninist principles while examining the nuanced responses of Central Asians, who navigated between defending their faith and adapting to secular pressures. Despite Stalin's authoritarian regime, the study reveals the inherent weaknesses of Soviet control, leading to a stalemate between the two systems by 1941.