Islamic experts draw attention to video of street prayers in Dagestan

Video records of street prayers in Dagestan confirm that the number of believers strictly observing the Islam requirements is growing, Akhmet Yarlykapov, an expert on the Caucasus, is sure. Magomedrasul Omarov, the head of the "Fikr" Centre, said, in his turn, that prayers in streets are not a new phenomenon and are quite widespread in Islamic countries.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in Dagestan, videos of performing namaz (prayer) in public places posted on social networks had caused a resonance.

The namaz administered in public places is not a new phenomenon; and the widespread practice thereof indicates that young people are becoming seriously practicing Muslims, said Akhmet Yarlykapov, a senior researcher at the Centre for Caucasian Studies of the MGIMO (Moscow State Institute of International Relations).

"For a Muslim, it is preferable to pray in a mosque, but one can perform namaz quite calmly in any place, when there is time for prayer," Mr Yarlykapov told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

There is nothing unusual in performing namaz in the street; the main thing is that it should be done for the purpose of worship, and not for display, says Magomedrasul Omarov, the head of the "Fikr" Information and Analytical Centre.

"It is much better to perform namaz in special places, where there are all conditions for this. But if the time for namaz comes, and there is no suitable place nearby, then it can be done in the street, but in no case on the road, or so that other people's rights or interests are infringed upon," he has added.

In Islamic countries, this can be seen quite often, he has explained. "Nobody pays attention to it there; they have it in the order of things," Mr Omarov has concluded.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on October 16, 2020 at 03:20 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.