Muslim clergy in southern Russia urge cooperation in antiterror fight

NORTH OSSETIA, 26 July, Caucasus Times – Muftis of the North Caucasus believe that they should identify Wahhabis among Muslims themselves. This was the topic of a meeting between the head of North Ossetia – Alania and muftis of the North Caucasus.

The chairman of the coordinating centre of the Muslims of the North Caucasus, Ismail Berdiyev, noted the importance of cooperation with government agencies in the fight against Wahhabism.

“The centre’s task is to cooperate with government agencies in order to have common approaches to the fight against Wahhabism and terrorism. The clergy can do nothing alone without the authorities’ help,” he said.

The head of North Ossetia also backed consolidation of efforts of the state and religious leaders in the fight against religious extremism. He noted that “the authorities should support religious figures in the religious education of the youth, in teaching them the importance of peace and interethnic concord in the region”. Muslim communities should “not ask the authorities for help, but deserve to be helped”, he said.

Muftis expressed their desire to be involved, along with government structures, in the identification of Wahhabis among Muslims. “People in communities know better who is a Wahhabi, who cannot be reformed, and who won’t listen to anyone. But a policeman stands by a mosque and puts down everyone’s name,” Ismail Berdiyev said.

The muftis also talked about their plan to establish a single Islamic education centre in the North Caucasus with branches in all the republics.