Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[KavkazUzel] The niqab problem is far-fetched for Russia, but its ban in Dagestan and Karachay-Cherkessia will be followed by an attack on the hijab and other attributes of Islam, Islamic scholars interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" are sure. The discussion about the niqab has become a test of society's reaction to a sensitive issue, but it is unlikely to be followed by a ban on the hijab, their colleague objected.
As the "Caucasian Knot" wrote, the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Karachay-Cherkessia (SAM KCR) banned the wearing of niqabs "until the threats are eliminated and a new theological conclusion is reached." The chairman of the presidium of the SAM KCR, Ismail Berdiev, explained the decision by the corresponding resolution of the Coordination Center of Muslims of the North Caucasus, which he also heads.
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On July 1, the Mufti of Dagestan, Akhmad-Afandi Abdullayev, announced that the Muftiate of the Republic would soon issue a fatwa banning the niqab. There are no grounds for a general ban on the niqab, but a temporary ban may be introduced for security reasons, the head of the Muftiate's Fatwa Department said on July 2.
The Coordination Center of Muslims of the North Caucasus promised to issue a fatwa on this matter by the end of July in order to "eliminate factors" that hinder security, the head of the center said.
On July 3, the Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of the Republic reported that a ban on wearing the niqab had been introduced in Dagestan, and it was in effect until a new theological opinion. Wearing the niqab and burqa in modern conditions causes practical harm to Muslims and threatens discord in interreligious and interethnic relations, the Coordination Center of Muslims of the North Caucasus said.
The Muslim Spiritual Directorate of Karachay-Cherkessia does not have sufficient grounds to issue a fatwa banning the wearing of the niqab, political scientist and Islamic scholar Ruslan Aisin ( Ruslan Valerievich Aisin is recognized as a foreign agent in Russia) told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.
"According to the Shafi'i madhhab ( theological school, doctrine. - Ed. "Caucasian Knot" ), women must cover their faces, especially in situations where there is danger and threat according to Islamic norms. It is desirable that they protect themselves and take all measures to protect themselves from attacks, harassment and other abusive actions on the part of people who have a negative attitude towards Islam.
According to many, such an era has arrived in Russia, and there is a direct threat to the rights of Muslims, especially women. Therefore, the DUM KCR acted thoughtlessly by issuing a decree that does not comply with the norms of Sharia, but simply issuing it as a directive. It must be understood that the Muftiate, as a public organization, does not have serious administrative and legal powers to detain women or ban them from visiting mosques that are under the control of the Muftiate. However, this may be a signal for the security forces to take administrative measures against those violating the decree of the DUM KCR", - said Aisin.
The Islamic scholar noted that such a “decree has no legal significance, but serves only as a moral justification” for subsequent repressive actions for their actors.
"The authority of the Muftiate of Karachay-Cherkessia is at a very low level. Those who wear the niqab are not supporters or followers of the Muftiate, their leaders and authorities. Therefore, this is an order into the void. All those who follow the so-called traditional Islam, which is beneficial and suitable for the Russian authorities, are not on the list of disloyal. However, from the point of view of the authorities, the wearers of the niqab are a disloyal group of the alleged Salafi persuasion, therefore, appropriate measures are taken against them," the expert believes.
The attack on the niqab is directed at the hijab and further at the attributes of Islam, including for men – wearing a beard, performing religious rites on Eid al-Adha, and so on.
The Islamologist noted that the Muslim community of Karachay-Cherkessia, like all other regions, has alternative authorities, in addition to spiritual administrations. "There are certain religious authorities who do not necessarily live in the republic. Now, thanks to the Internet, it is easier to get explanations and answers to your inquiries. They have communities and a system of jamaats, which are not advertised for obvious reasons, since Islamic groups are under serious pressure and control of security forces," Aisin believes.
The attack on niqabs is "part of a general strategy to suppress Islamic activity and infrastructure in order to restrict the wearing of the hijab in public places and government institutions," the source said. "This has already happened in Tajikistan, a similar bill was being prepared in Kazakhstan, but it met with resistance. A similar ban exists in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The source of all these anti-Islamic laws and decisions is in Moscow, on Lubyanka. If they restrict the wearing of the hijab in public places, this will effectively mean a ban everywhere - on the street, in the yard, everywhere outside the home or private property. They have been banning it in schools for a long time, and in some government institutions. Perhaps they will make an exception for Chechnya, Ingushetia, Tatarstan, but in other respects they will tighten the rules. The attack on the niqab is aimed at the hijab and then at the attributes of Islam, including those concerning men - wearing a beard, performing religious rites on Eid al-Adha, and so on," concluded Ruslan Aisin.
This is a political technology campaign designed to distract attention from problems within the country, from the failures of the special services in Dagestan and in Crocus, so that everyone discusses niqabs and not terrorist attacks.
Public and religious organizations cannot issue decrees except for internal use, for employees of their organizations, noted political scientist and Islamic scholar Rinat Mukhametov. "I don't quite understand what is meant by the decree. Our decrees are issued by state bodies, not by public and religious organizations that are part of civil society. It is strange for them to claim some kind of state terminology. They can issue decrees for their employees.
The DUM of Karachay-Cherkessia strangely voiced the position that they consider wearing niqabs not only in the Karachay-Cherkessia Republic, but also in the Russian Federation to be wrong. But this has the same nature as the earlier statement by the DUM of Dagestan. Whoever considers this organization and its conclusions authoritative for themselves will follow it, it is not mandatory in any way. In the same way, a consumer society can say that they don't like a certain store and advise its members not to go there. Whoever accepts authority - follows, there is no obligation," Mukhametov told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.
At the same time, he called the authority of the Spiritual Directorates of Muslims in Russia as a whole and especially in a number of regions of the North Caucasus extremely low. "It is difficult to give assessments, but in Russia as a whole, including in the North Caucasus, with differences by region, the authority of the muftiates is low - this is well known. In Karachay-Cherkessia, it is probably lower than in Dagestan, although it must be said that the Dagestan Spiritual Directorate of Muslims is strongly dominant among the Muslim community. Perhaps, the influence is approaching 40-50%," said Mukhametov.
In his opinion, the influence of the DUM in Karachay-Cherkessia is significantly less than in Dagestan. "People go to mosques run by the DUM, use their services, but they do not accept every word and do as they are told - this is not the case. People strongly filter everything that is said by such organizations due to the fact that their authority has been undermined over many years of activity," Mukhametov noted.
The Islamologist suggested that the story of the niqab ban is a political technology campaign initiated by Moscow. "I am currently inclined to believe that this is a political technology campaign designed to distract attention from problems within the country, on the external frontier, from the failures of the special services in Dagestan and in Crocus, so that everyone would discuss niqabs and not terrorist attacks," he emphasized.
On June 23, militants attacked an Orthodox church and a synagogue in Derbent, and the Holy Dormition Cathedral and a traffic police post in Makhachkala. As a result, 22 people were killed and 46 were injured. The "Caucasian Knot" has prepared reports " The Main Thing About the Participants in the Attacks in Makhachkala and Derbent " and " Attacks on a Church, Synagogues, and Security Forces in Dagestan."
Mukhametov predicts tougher measures against Muslims, religious and ethnic minorities in the future. "The general policy is leading to this, it is quite possible. The very trend, when a monocultural, non-Russian, but Russified state with a single culture and standard is being formed in Russia, when national and religious minorities are dissolving, assimilating, is shown by statistics, including in the North Caucasus. It is logical that there will be tougher measures," the Islamologist believes.
The fact that they say "niqabs" and mean hijabs can be considered as completely proven. Niqabs are a far-fetched problem.
The campaigns to ban the niqab, according to the interviewee, are aimed at banning the wearing of the hijab. "I agree that they actually say "niqabs" but mean "hijabs", which is what Muslims fear most and what representatives of the Muslim clergy talk about. Actually, Davankov confirmed this. In his draft law, there is a clause that directly states the provisions on the ban on hijabs. There is a clause on the ban on religious clothing in educational institutions without specifying that it covers the face. It is necessary to understand that we are talking about the hijab. This is stated in the draft law. But for now, the excitement around this has died down, and the fate of the law is unclear. The fact that they say niqabs and mean hijabs can be considered completely proven. Niqabs are a far-fetched problem, we are talking about several hundred women throughout Russia. It is clear that this will not give anything, even if they ban them. A strange scandal, inflated by someone. And the ban on the hijab will have an effect that affects everyone. Some restrictions on its use may be somewhere at first, I do not think that immediately everywhere, but this is quite possible in the foreseeable future,” Mukhametov believes.
On May 28, State Duma Deputy Speaker Vladislav Davankov proposed to empower legislative and municipal assemblies to introduce a ban on wearing religious clothing in public places. State Duma deputies from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Mikhail Matveyev and Sergei Obukhov also prepared a bill that proposes introducing fines for wearing clothing that conceals the face in public places. After Davankov's proposal, State Duma deputy from Chechnya Adam Delimkhanov criticized him. He promised to "clearly" explain to Davankov and others what "religious traditional values and customs" are.
He also pointed to other discriminatory tendencies, linking them in general with the campaign to limit the rights of Muslims in the country. "Now they are already calling for a ban on "Wahhabi" beards. Activists of nationalist and Islamophobic communities are pushing the topic of banning "Wahhabi beards" with shaved moustaches. But without the main force - "United Russia" - not a single law will be adopted, so for now we are talking about some kind of campaign, preparation. The final decision has not been made at this point," Mukhametov concluded.
The directive in the form of a "decree" issued by a religious organization is designed for an illiterate audience, according to a well-known Russian researcher and Islamic scholar who wished to remain anonymous.
"This is calculated for the illiteracy of the audience, which does not understand what a decree is and that the DUM does not have the right to issue decrees. For employees who are paid salaries, perhaps, but by law it is a public organization, and the muftiate has an advisory fatwa, which Muslims can follow or not follow. Mosques have their own imams and activists. It depends on the charters, and formally they can hinder women from going to mosques. I don't know about Karachay-Cherkessia, but the Hanafi madhhab does not very approve of women visiting mosques, and in such regions they do not go to mosques very actively. Most likely, they sit at home. I don't know if they wear niqabs. If she puts on a niqab, then she mostly sits at home and I don't think that they can be influenced by not letting them into the mosque," the Islamic scholar told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent on condition of anonymity.
The structures of the muftiates are secondary in the self-organization of Muslims, the interlocutor noted. "Islam is not only muftiates, it is mostly communities of people. Recently, quite a lot of Muslim networks have been spreading, including in Karachay-Cherkessia. In their communities, there are Salafi networks, Sufi networks, and all sorts of things. These are all people who somewhere show loyalty to the muftiate, somewhere not. It is better to ask the question: is the mufti an authority for all Muslims? The answer is obvious - no. For some, sheikhs are authoritative. This situation is typical for Islam in general. This is not the Orthodox Church," the interlocutor noted.
He also suggested that the “hype around the ban on the niqab and various decrees” is being used to gauge the reaction in society in order to subsequently “work out the issue of a real ban.” "The state has the ability to ban, it has security forces that will ensure the implementation of these bans. It is quite possible that this was done in this direction, and at the same time to see who will show loyalty. I do not think that the hijab is the ultimate goal. Here we are talking specifically about the niqab. The hijab is banned only in Tajikistan, and experience shows that this, on the contrary, leads to protest behavior. Look how many women wear hijabs there. The failure of the ban in Tajikistan is obvious. I practically do not meet anyone in niqabs in Moscow - a tiny percentage, and usually these are still people from the Middle East. Russian Muslim women [in niqabs] make up hundredths of a percent. I do not see the potential of banning the hijab yet. They want to test this topic, to feel it out, but the hijab is not the goal yet. But in anti-terrorism, the niqab issue turned out to be the most important one," the expert said.
The resolution on banning the niqab was prepared by the Russian presidential administration, a source in the North Caucasus Muslim Coordination Center told a "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.
"It was sent in this form, it is not an initiative of the Caucasian muftis. First, it was sent to Dagestan, and then ordered to be adopted at the level of the KCMSC. The meeting was held via Zoom. The decision that this resolution would pass was made even before the meeting, which became just a formality," the source said.
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