Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
[KavkazUzel] There is no unity among Russian Muslims in their assessment of events in the Middle East, and many representatives of the clergy, unlike the mufti of the Volgograd region, prefer not to speak out on this matter, experts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" indicated.
As reported by the "Caucasian Knot", the mufti of the Volgograd region Mohamad Bata Kivakh faced criticism from some of his fellow believers after he published an appeal in connection with the events in Syria. According to the mufti, he received "many insults from Muslims". A native of Syria studying in Volgograd recorded a video apologizing for his reaction to the mufti's words about the events in the Middle East.
"The address of the Mufti of the Volgograd Region on the genocide in Syria" was published on the Mufti's Telegram channel on March 13. It says that in the Syrian provinces of Latakia, Jabla and Tartus, "civilians, including Christians, became victims of a brutal genocide" organized by groups associated with terrorist organizations.
"Men, women, the elderly and children were mercilessly exterminated. According to sources, about 10 thousand people died as a result of these terrible events. All these crimes were committed under the banner of Islam, but those responsible for them have nothing to do with the true faith. They are real monsters and criminals," the Mufti wrote and called for "spreading calls for peace, as well as praying for the people of Syria."
The conflict that arose around the video address of Mufti Mohammad Bat Kivakh was commented on for the "Caucasian Knot" by international law expert Roman Melnichenko, human rights activist Alexander Verkhovsky, Islamic scholar Muslim Yunusov and his colleague, who wished to remain anonymous.
To accurately assess the situation surrounding the appeal of the Volgograd mufti, “it is necessary to leave the Christian paradigm, in which the majority of Russians find themselves in one way or another,” Melnichenko believes.
"In Muslim culture, there are no intermediaries between the faithful and God, and everyone is responsible for themselves, and therefore, for example, a mufti is a simple Muslim, equal to others, who simply performs certain functions that the Muslim community has endowed him with. Hence our surprise at the active expression by Muslims of various positions, including those different from the positions of the Muslim "leadership". But this should not be regarded as attacks against the authorities," he explained.
The form of expression of a Muslim's position on current issues, according to the expert, can be "quite harsh, but it rarely leads to any real irreparable steps." Transferring the conflict to the legal plane with the use of articles of the criminal code, such as the threat of murder or causing serious bodily harm, is unlikely here, according to Melnichenko's assumption, "since the criminal article is applied if there are grounds to fear the implementation of this threat."
"Comments, even very harsh ones, do not give grounds for such concerns. As for the public apology, this should also be looked at from the position of Muslims, where public speech has a very high value. A speech given by a real Muslim means exactly what it means, in this case, his repentance," said Roman Melnichenko .
Only investigators, prosecutors or judges in criminal cases, for example, under the article on threats to murder, can give a legal assessment of the threats to Mohamad Bata Kivah from anonymous commentators on his video message, believes Alexander Verkhovsky .
"It is not just experts who can find signs of extremism in such comments and threats to the mufti, but rather employees of investigative, supervisory and judicial bodies. But I doubt that such a criminal case will be opened, since identifying commentators is an extremely difficult task, and investigators do not need "cold cases". The same applies to signs of terrorist activity," said Alexander Verkhovsky.
As of 05:50 Moscow time on March 20, there were 3,521 comments under the publication with the appeal of the Volgograd mufti, however, among these comments there are no longer those that contain direct insults, threats or support for violence. The publication V1.ru wrote earlier that comments justifying violence and cruelty were deleted. The authors of some comments under the appeal of Mohamad Bat Kivah indicate that they have encountered such statements. "The first Muslim who condemned these murders. In the chats, many Muslims are either silent, or approve or justify," wrote messenger user Julia Lapulya on March 14.
There are several Muslim spiritual directorates in Russia, and all of them, including muftis, "refrain from commenting on the events in Syria," said an Islamic scholar who wished to remain anonymous.
"Only a few people spoke out. One from Stavropol, we know. And here - from Volgograd Oblast. In our Muslim community (in Russia) there is no unity on this issue," the expert admitted, pointing out the inadmissibility of violence against civilians, "no matter what faith people are." Violence against civilians is allowed by representatives of so-called radical Islamist groups, the Islamologist noted.
Deputy Mufti of Stavropol Krai Shahabuddin Guseinov, speaking at a video conference with journalist Maxim Shevchenko, referred to friends and colleagues from Syria, stating that hundreds of thousands of citizens are going out to demonstrate in support of the new government, and the killings of unarmed people are happening "naturally", but not by order of the authorities, but by the whim of "looters and bandits". On March 10, the Telegram channel of the DUM of Stavropol Krai reported that Guseinov was dismissed from his post back in February and "has nothing to do with the government". On March 12, the channel of the DUM of Stavropol Krai published a message about "deep condolences to the people of Syria in connection with the tragic death of innocent people". "One of the largest tragedies in the country's modern history has occurred on the western coast of Syria. Militants have carried out mass reprisals against civilians. Several thousand civilians, including women and children, have fallen victim to these attacks," the publication says.
Astrakhan Islamic scholar Muslim Yunusov noted that "there is practically no military conflict in the history of wars where civilians have not suffered." "We know that, unfortunately, it is mostly civilians who die in wars," he stated.
According to Yunusov, one should refrain from evaluative and critical judgments regarding the current situation in Syria, since such judgments will not help stabilize the situation.
"We are currently closely monitoring the processes that are taking place there. Now, those forces that came to power in long-suffering Syria are trying to find a consensus among themselves in order to finally establish peaceful life in the country. There is no need to make any harsh statements yet," Muslim Yunusov said.
On March 9, the Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of Russia published on its website an appeal to the forces that came to power in Syria to "find opportunities to establish an intra-national dialogue, establish mechanisms to take into account the opinions and interests of religious minorities." The events, which claimed "hundreds and thousands of civilians," were called "a real tragedy" in this publication, but the Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of Russia refrained from condemning them. "Sympathizing and empathizing with all the victims of the Syrian civil strife, we call on all parties to show the will to compromise, peace and harmony," the text says. On March 13, the Telegram channel of the Spiritual Directorate of Muslims of Russia reported that the head of the directorate, Mufti Sheikh Ravil Gainutdin, speaking at a diplomatic iftar, "called on the Syrian authorities to show the best qualities of Muslims."
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