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Dagestan

Moslem clerics dispute over the fast issue

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DAGESTAN, October 14, Caucasus Times – Earlier, the top Moslem authorities have ruled the date of Ramadan, the ninth month of the year in the Moslem calendar, when the believers begin fasting, come in Dagestan on October 15. However, some Dagestan clerics, spiritual elders spoke out against the decision insisting the fast should be held since October 14.

According to Islam tradition Ramadan begins with the new moon. Since fog and cloudy weather is very common for Dagestan during the season it is almost impossible to determine when the moon comes, Ahmed Tagayev, an assistant to mufti of Dagestan told Caucasus Times correspondent. Therefore, the spiritual leaders calculate the day according to previous year making some corrections. This year Moslem theologians council has been held a few times and has decided the case.

For the past several years local clerics and believers have been discussing the issue. Still, the problem is not resolved making the discord and tension most probable between the people of common faith in the republic.

Many observers suggest the religious dispute has never been the main issue. The most conflicting point is the national background of the clerics appointed to their posts. Avars, the largest ethnic group in the multinational republic, dominate in the councils of clergy and influence all spheres of religious life, the opposition said. Some spiritual leaders opposing the council of Moslem authorities do not rule out a possibility of establishing of an independent council of clerics of Dagestan.

Rashid Kaplanov, Makhachkala, Caucasus Times

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The “Free Eurasia” project is an independent media platform based in Prague, with an ambitious mission to provide the regions of Central Asia and the Caucasus with high-quality, objective and timely information in their national languages. We unite the expertise of editors and journalists working in Tajik, Uzbek, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Circassian, Avar and Russian to break the monopoly of state-run Russian-language media and amplify the voices of local communities. Direction Our work focuses on comprehensive coverage of social, political, economic and cultural developments in Central Asia and the Caucasus, as well as the issues facing diasporas in Russia, Turkey, China and other countries. We produce news, analytical articles, video reports, podcasts, interviews and journalistic investigations. Special attention is paid to topics rarely addressed by state media: human rights violations, corruption, ethnic and cultural identity, migration and international relations. We strive to engage audiences of all ages, with a particular emphasis on young people and residents of remote regions, offering them digital content in their native languages. Goal Our main goal is to promote the development and sustainability of independent media in Central Asia and the Caucasus. We aim to strengthen the region’s informational sovereignty by expanding access to truthful sources and raising media literacy. At the same time, we support the development of national languages as key elements of identity and cultural heritage, encouraging public discussion and engagement. The project seeks to become a catalyst for building a strong civil society and defending democratic values, helping to train new professional journalists and fostering international cooperation.

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