Islam and the lyric phenomenon of Soviet afghan warriors (1979-1989)

The article examines aspects of Islam as a religion of the “faithful” and analyzes the peculiarities of its forms - Shiism and Sunnism. The prerequisites explaining the cohesion, the unity of Muslims in confronting “outsiders” are interpreted. The study aims to identify the reflection in the lyrics of the soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union who performed international duty in Afghanistan during the period from 1979 to 1989, the features of the mentality of the Afghans in terms of their religiosity and adherence to the Islamic laws. The sources of this research were scientific developments in the field of military affairs, works of specialists-orientalists, historians, analysts on military history, as well as artistic works of Soviet servicemen, whose work became a striking event in the USSR during perestroika (1985-1991). Based on the analysis of empirical material, specific conclusions about the essence and characteristics of front-line soldierly folklore, about the authors’ vividly expressed attitude to events due to a particular emotionality, categorical judgments about reality, revaluation of values in critical situations were formulated.