Muslim in a micro-secular society: K. Nasyri as a teacher at Orthodox theological schools in Kazan (1855–1870)

Kayum Nasyri’s work as a teacher of the Tatar language at Orthodox theological schools in Kazan during the period from 1855 to 1870 is explored. In the micro-secular society of that time, his ties to the traditional Muslim community were weakened, distancing his religious practices and everyday life from “public oversight.” At the same time, this setting integrated him into a new intellectual world that aligned with his teaching and research interests. Despite being part of the Orthodox educational system, K. Nasyri maintained his Muslim way of life, even as the absence of a strong confessional community led to a slight decline in his religious activities. His dedication to scholarship and pedagogy, along with the support from prominent figures of the Russian and Tatar intelligentsia, shaped him into an outstanding linguist, ethnographer, and methodological expert. Within this micro-secular context, his enlightenment program took form. Engaging with scholarly literature, periodicals, and discussions with Kazan’s leading Turkologists and Orientalists, K. Nasyri became one of the most educated members of the Russian intelligentsia.