Islamism of Nation and Secularism of State:Republic of Tajikistan Case Study

Islam has an old history in Tajikistan and has experienced different stages in that territory. During the Samanid period</em>,</em> this area was one of the important centers of Islamic Civilization. After Russian conquest and the establishment of the Soviet Union, Islam was severely repressed in this area. And today independent Tajikistan is involving in a new religious stage. This article first seeks to provide an answer to this question: What historical stages has Islam experienced in this country? Based on historical research, we classify the local history of Islam into three periods and then look for the major events of each period related to it. Afterward, the most significant social- political movements of present-day Tajikistan are described- Secular- political, Religious- political and Ethnic- National. In order to argue about the first movement, the Political system and the organization of parties are considered. Islamic beliefs and practices of people as informal aspect of Islamism, and activities of Islamic organizations as formal aspect of Islamism are examined in order to illustrate the second movement. Finally, the nation- and state-building process in Tajikistan is reported to make the third movement clear. In conclusion, it is argued that there is a close relationship between those three historical stages and these three contemporary movements.