Imam of Gubden: neutral Islam should be professed in Dagestan

All the Muslims should be equal; and to combat extremism, Dagestan needs neutral Islam, Magomedrasul Karanaev, Imam of the Dagestani village of Gubden, said today in Makhachkala, at the Congress of Religious Leaders of Northern Caucasus.

The Congress on the topic "Role of religious leaders in combating extremism and terrorism, and in improvement of the system of education and moral rehabilitation of society" is attended by Muftis from Chechnya, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, Kalmykia, Ingushetia, and religious figures of Dagestan.

Magomedrasul Karanaev believes that Islam has united the clergy of Northern Caucasus. The Imam said that Sharia and Tariqah are invalid without each other and called to preach the neutral Islam for the sake of unification.

"If we want to lead the nation, we have to leave aside our own interests and forget about them. Then, those who disagree with us, will be ashamed of their," said the Imam from Gubden.

Prior to the start of the Congress its participants received a questionnaire inviting the respondents to assess the Law "On Prohibition of Wahhabi and Other Extremist Activities in Republic of Dagestan".

Following the debates at the Congress, a resolution was adopted condemning extremism and terrorism, calling to respect the laws of the Russian Federation and urging the authorities to expose prudence and address all ethnic and religious conflicts at the negotiating table.