In Ingushetia, political conflict gets religious undertones

The statement voiced by a religious figure from the Russian Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM) concerning the legitimacy of Ingush Mufti Isa Khamkhoev and the conflict between the Mufti and Ingush leader Yunus-Bek Evkurov have political and not religious reasons. This opinion has been voiced by the experts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on May 27, the Muftiate of Ingushetia decided to excommunicate Ingush leader Yunus-Bek Evkurov.

The statement voiced by the Muftiate of Ingushetia provokes a split in the society, believes Ildar Alyautdinov, the academic secretary for the Ulema Council of the Russian SAM. He has questioned the legitimacy of Mufti Isa Khamkhoev.

"From the point of view of Islam, the excommunication is nothing else but a pronouncement of takfir ... The accusation is a very serious and dangerous act ... Scholars of four law schools unanimously banned takfir," reads the material prepared by Ildar Alyautdinov and published on the Russian SAM's website on June 10.

According to Magomed Mutsolgov, the head of the Ingush human rights organization "Mashr", there may be several reasons why the Russian SAM supports Yunus-Bek Evkurov. "They could voice the statement by friendship, by acquaintance or by the call of their Kremlin supervisors," Magomed Mutsolgov assumed.

The dispute between Yunus-Bek Evkurov and the Mufti of Ingushetia is a reflection of the conflict among members of the Ingush elite, journalist Orkhan Djemal believes. According to him, the Ildar Alyautdinov's statement only showed whose side the Russian SAM supported in the conflict.

"Members of the Ulema Council of the Russian SAM have identified themselves as supporters of Yunus-Bek Evkurov. In our country, everyone has the right to speak on any problem. However, I do not understand why that is put into the form of religious interpretation instead of a direct declaration reading: 'We support Yunus-Bek Evkurov.' In this conflict, the positions of Yunus-Bek Evkurov and Isa Khamkhoev have very little relation to Islam and Sharia," Orkhan Jemal told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on June 22, 2018 at 02:55 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.