Paul
Goble
Staunton, October 31 – Roman
Silantyev, a Russian specialist on Islam frequently cited by Western writers
but notorious among Russian Muslims for his attacks on Islam, says that Mufti
Nafiigulla Ashirov, by coming out in support of the victim of dedovshchina
who killed eight of his persecutors, is creating “a Columbine cult” (golosislama.com/news.php?id=37472).
By suggesting that the Muslim
community should get behind the soldier in question only because he is a
Muslim, the specialist says, the mufti risks provoking Orthodox Christians to
do the same and to conclude that any attack by a Muslim on an ethnic Russian is
that of the Islamic State. Such things must not be allowed (ng.ru/faith/2019-10-31/100_mufty3110.html).
Even more mainstream commentators, like
Andrey Melnikov, who edits NG-Religii, entitles his article about
Ashirov’s statements, “The Mufti has Spoken on Behalf of the Soldier-Murderer,”
and quotes Silantyev. But Melnikov at least makes clear exactly what the mufti
said and why.
The head of the Muslim Spiritual
Directorate (MSD) of Asiatic Russia simply appealed to Muslims to collect money
to help pay for a lawyer for Ramil Shamsutdin and invited them to visit
Shamsutdin’s parents in the Tyumen oblast village where they live in order to
show “solidarity.”
Ashirov is often attacked in the Russian
media for his outspokenness. But in this case, it appears that any attacks like
those of Silantyev are uncalled for. The Siberian mufti simply behaved as the
leader of a religious organization is supposed to when one of its members is in
trouble. That, however, is too much for some Russians.
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