Beginning of Ramadan highlights ban on sale of alcohol in Dagestan

In Dagestan, the ban on the sale of alcoholic drinks during the month of Ramadan infringes on the rights of residents, some local residents note on Facebook. However, their opponents consider the ban justified.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that on the evening of April 12, in Southern Russia, believers held collective prayers in mosques in honour of the onset of the holy month of Ramadan. In Dagestan, believers began to celebrate Ramadan on April 13.

On April 12, on his Facebook page, Dagestan historian Sergei Manyshev wrote about the ban on the sale of alcoholic drinks in Dagestan during the holy month of Ramadan. “And when will this Abdulatipov’s legacy in the form of <...> the ban on the sale of alcohol during Ramadan be lifted?” the historian asked.

In their comments under the post, some social media users expressed their opinion that the ban on the sale of alcoholic drinks during Ramadan should be preserved in Dagestan. “It is better not to lift the ban on the sale of alcohol during Ramadan. Otherwise, it will cause a storm of indignation. We all need to respect each other’s feelings and values,” wrote Arsen Magomedov, a Dagestani activist of the “Our City” movement.

“Alcohol is prohibited for Muslims. Regardless of uraza (fasting in Islam). The ban on the sale of alcoholic drinks during the fasting infringes on my rights,” Dagestani journalist Svetlana Anokhina claimed in her turn.

“There is world experience in banning alcohol, which did not lead to anything, or rather led to underground sale networks. And later, the sale of alcohol was simply legalized again! And any religion should not prohibit it,” says Anna Tallina.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 13, 2021 at 12:08 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.