Between Ethnic and Cultural Identity: The Effect of Turkish Religious Literature on the Lifestyle of the Lithuanian Muslim Community

Abstract

his paper examines the increasing presence of Turkish religious literature in Kaunas, Lithuania, home to the only brick mosque in the Baltic States and an active Muslim community with a Turkish imam conducting services. In the globalised context, spiritual texts play a key role in shaping identity and communal lifestyle, and Turkish authors’ literature, due to accessibility in local languages, may be relevant for Lithuanian Muslims. By focusing on two Muslim groups, Lithuanian Tatars and converts, the
research investigates how religious translations are transmitted, adapted and integrated into the local community. The analysis focuses on the Islamic religion and communal expressions and explores whether translations influence the identity of Lithuanian Muslims, their spiritual practices, linguistic preferences, historical consciousness or socio-political approaches. Additionally, it provides insights into how Turkish literature serves as both a cultural artefact and an element for identity formation for these two
Muslim minority groups.