There is an opinion that the writer who disappointed in the Orthodox Church changed faith and became a Muslim. We checked the validity of this version.

Assumptions and even allegations that Leo Tolstoy at a certain moment of his life became a Muslim can be found on a Muslim YouTube channel Nur, the Kazakhstan site informburo.kz And in several publications philologist Maryam Vakhidova. They are found on social networks - for example, in "Classmates", "VKontakte" And Facebook. On services "Big question" And "Mail.ru answers" It is believed that Tolstoy changed faith shortly before his death.

The assumptions that Leo Tolstoy at some point became a Muslim is most often based in one of his two quotes. One dates back to 1884 and says: “Please look at me as a good Mohammedan, then everything will be fine.” According to another, Tolstoy considered Islam to be "the final instance of any reasonable person." In addition, Tolstoy for many years first in absentia, and then in full -time polemicized with official Orthodoxy - this brought To the publication of the special definition of the Synod that "the church does not consider it its member and cannot consider it, it will not repent and will not restore its communication with it."

In 1884, the writer really Sent Letter to his cousin and close friend Alexander Tolstoy. The above quote about the “good Mohammedan” is the truth in it, but it seems to be torn from context. Throughout the letter, Tolstoy is trying to talk about religious disputes and what negative emotions can cause people to consumer positions in people. In particular, he writes: “I am often surprised at the irritation that causes my confession of faith. Why does Protestantism, the uniitarianism, magometanism do not cause such irritation? I would be very happy if you were one faith with me; But if you are a different faith, then I really understand how the fact that you are different faith have happened, and your difference with me cannot annoy me. Irritation against me is especially cruel. ” In other words, Tolstoy only calls on the interlocutor to be more calm about his disagreement with the official church and dogmas.

Dismantication of the second quote Spent Our colleagues from Kyrgyzstan. According to the Factcheck.kg resource, this phrase is found exclusively on blogs and on thematic resources, but it is not in any text belonging to Tolstoy. During the search, the Kyrgyz facts discovered a mention of a letter from the writer by a certain Elena Valilova, with whom Tolstoy discussed the issues of religion. The letter is existsIt was sent in March 1909. As Vokyilova informed the writer, her two sons decided to move from Christianity to Islam and ask for its approval, but the intentions of children cause her concerns.

In his response, Tolstoy writes: “In the most ancient religions, the most wonderful and all kinds of superstitions that hide the truth: most in the most ancient, in the most ancient, in the Brahminsky, already less in the Jewish, even less in the Buddhist, Confucian, Tassian, even less in the Christian, but the least in the latest great religion - in Mohammedan. And therefore, Mohammedanism is in the most favorable conditions in this regard. He only has to throw back all the unnatural, external in his belief and the basis to put the basic religious and moral teaching of Mohammed, and it naturally merges with the foundations of all great religions and especially with Christian teaching, which it recognizes the truth. ” In other words, Tolstoy is interested in Islam, but nothing more, and Factcheck.kg came to the conclusion that the quote attributed to the writer is fake.

Although even Tolstoy’s genuine quotes speak of his positive attitude and a sincere interest in Islam, it is unreasonable to make a conclusion about the adoption by the writer of Islam. We were not able to find a single confirmation that he changed faith or followed Muslim rites. For example, in 1908, in his diary, Tolstoy left A record that he wants to be buried in a simple wooden coffin, while Muslims Accepted bury in the savana.