Muslims protest against statements by the deputy head of the regional FSB directorate about the growth of “religious extremism” in the region

The head of the Muslims of the Chelyabinsk region, Imam-khatib Muhammad Gabidullin, plenipotentiary of the Muslim Spiritual Directorate of the AChR, appealed to the Chelyabinsk Rabochiy newspaper in connection with the statements of the deputy head of the regional UFSB Leonid Golubev, made during a meeting of the advisory council on national issues under the regional governor at the end of 2004. L. Golubev talked about the growth of "religious extremism" and tensions in the Muslim communities of the region in connection with the influx of "illegal migrants" from the countries of Central Asia. In response, M. Gabidullin stated that "the Southern Urals is free from the slightest manifestations of extremism" and that at Friday prayers imams read sermons calling for peace and harmony. He also noted that representatives of the clergy who were interested in discussing these issues were not invited to the meeting.

On January 15, Interfax published an article by Timofey Drogushev from the newspaper Uralskiye Vedomosti for December 11, which details the meeting of the advisory council on national issues. In particular, T. Drogushev writes, “it is recommended that the heads of the municipalities of the Chelyabinsk region create subdivisions under their administrations that would deal with national issues and be responsible for communication with religious and public organizations.

Until now, the deputy heads or departments of culture and education have been in charge of these issues." In addition, the regional government recommended "introducing the teaching of the basics of both Russian Orthodox culture and other national cultures that exist in the South Urals in schools."

Also, with reference to the speech of L. Golubev, the article reports that "in Buguruslan (Orenburg region) for a long time there was a madrasah funded from Saudi Arabia, in which the Wahhabi ideology was clearly preached" and in which believers from the Chelyabinsk region were also trained. (Recall that on the part of Muslims, the leadership of the police in the city of Buguruslan and the employees of the RUBOP of the Orenburg region have already been accused of a targeted attack on adherents of Islam.)

The article in "Uralskiye Vedomosti" caused indignation of Nafigulla Ashirov, chairman of the Muslim Spiritual Directorate of the AChR. His response was also published by Interfax (with a link to the Koran.ru website).

“Timofey Drogushev’s article ...,” said N. Ashirov, “raises a number of reasonable questions about the adequacy of its author. I would also like to ask the deputy head of the FSB department for the Chelyabinsk region L. Golubev. It was on the basis of his statement that the author compiled his work reeking of anti-Islamic extremism."

According to the head of the Muslim Spiritual Directorate of the AChR, L. Golubev "allows himself freely, in a biased accusatory tone, to interpret the theological terms of a religion alien to him. Putting an equal sign between terrorism and the so-called "Wahhabism", apparently due to his complete religious incompetence, L. Golubev is trying to blame the failures of his department, in protecting the security of Russian citizens, on the diabolical cunning of the malicious, ubiquitous mythical "Wahhabis"!

In particular, N. Ashirov rejected L. Golubev's statement about the involvement of students of the Buguruslan madrasah in the terrorist attack in Beslan: "... none of the official sources ever spoke about this and no criminal case was opened in this regard!"

According to N. Ashirov, “from the very beginning of the article it is clear that the author, throwing up fried but unsubstantiated“ facts ”, tried to play on the basest feelings of the Russian layman, who, in his opinion, was ready to swallow and digest any nonsense he invented. This fact makes us think about who is her real customer and what is his goal?

"Are not such false arguments and fabrications today sowing the seeds of interethnic discord in a country that did not know in its history the ideology called" Russian fascism "? - the head of the Muslim Spiritual Directorate of the AChR asks rhetorically. swastika, and openly, with the tacit approval of the zealots of "purity" of Russia, declaring that it is time to cleanse Russia of the Jews, Masons and Muslims who prevent the Russian people from living happily.How long will a state exist in which its responsible officials and people like Drogushev will be guided by racist principles?"

Sources

• Leonov S. Muslims were offended by the Chekists // Religion and Mass Media. 2005. January 14. (Article from the newspaper "Chelyabinsk worker" for January 12.)
• Newspaper "URAL VEDOMOSTI": "Let's not let extremism into the South Urals" // Interfax. 2005. January 15. (Article by T. Drogushev from the newspaper "Uralskiye Vedomosti", December 11, 2004)
• Mufti Ashirov questioned the FSB data on the involvement of graduates of the Buguruslan madrasah in the terrorist attack in Beslan // There.
• "Koran.ru": "Mythical fears or "global Islamic conspiracy against Russia" // There.