The sheikh did not die

A religious dispute has arisen between Chechen leaders

The relationship between Chechen President Alu Alkhanov and its Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov, which both politicians call “working” and “constructive,” affects ever wider areas of public life. On Saturday, the Mufti of Chechnya, Sultan-haji Mirzoev (close to Ramzan Kadyrov), made a televised address to believers, for the sake of which the broadcast of republican television programs was interrupted. Mr. Mirzoev sharply criticized the president for his interview with one of the central media, in which he mentioned the most famous Sufi teacher of Chechnya in the 19th century, Kunta-haji Kishiev. The mufti was outraged by Mr. Alkhanov’s words that Sheikh Kunta-haji, who called on his co-religionists for peace, died in exile. The head of the spiritual administration of Muslims of the republic considered this statement unacceptable, since the sheikh’s followers believe that he did not die and sooner or later will return to his homeland.

Secretary of the Council for Public and Economic Security of Chechnya German Vok (close to Alkhanov) made an official statement yesterday in which he called on the mufti “not to play with fire” and “not to incite religious hatred.” According to him, Alu Alkhanov simply compared the peace-loving Sheikh Kunta-Haji, who died in exile, with the legendary Shamil, who killed Chechens, Dagestanis and Russians, but after his capture, although he was exiled, he lived in honor. “Perhaps Mr. Alkhanov does not understand the interpretation of Islam to the same extent as the mufti,” German Vok told a Vremya Novostei correspondent. “But the fact of the death of Kunta-haji is mentioned in the dissertation of the first president of Chechnya, Akhmat-haji Kadyrov.” . According to the secretary of the Chechen Security Council, a number of public and political figures in Chechnya have recently, “frightened by the horse, began to fight with the saddle.”

The Secretary of the Security Council did not comment in detail on the political background of the mufti’s speech, but told a Vremya Novostey correspondent that he considers any talk about the possible replacement of the current President Alu Alkhanov with Ramzan Kadyrov to be groundless and inappropriate. “Alu Alkhanov is the elected president and a worthy person, he is increasingly perceived by people as the standard of the Chechen people,” Mr. Vok said. “And those who are trying to bring Ramzan Akhmatovich to power are doing a disservice.” At the same time, the Security Council Secretary once again emphasized that there is no conflict between the top officials of Chechnya: “Our main common task is stabilization.”

Ivan SUKHOV