Namaz is the physical act of Islamic prayer.
[KavkazUzel] The ban on namaz in the Andropovsky District of Stavropol is "open discrimination and legal lawlessness," the head of Chechnya said today, commenting on the document that has already been cancelled by the district authorities. He suggested that the authorities of other regions build more mosques if they do not want namaz in the street.
As the "Caucasian Knot" wrote, the letter about the inadmissibility of public prayers as uncoordinated mass events was erroneous, the authorities of the Andropovsky District stated. There are no restrictions on religious rites in the region, a representative of the Stavropol authorities assured.
Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov said today that he "read with indignation the letter from the administration of the Andropovsky municipal district of Stavropol Krai" about the "inadmissibility of public prayer" and the threat of fines. "This is not just a bureaucratic paper - this is open discrimination and legal chaos," he wrote on his Telegram channel.
He recalled the large number of Muslims in Russia and their participation in the SVO. "These people do not ask for anything extra. They want one thing - for their faith to be respected," Kadyrov said.
According to him, the geographical location of Stavropol also determines the special attitude towards Muslims. "Stavropol Krai is part of the North Caucasus Federal District, surrounded by republics with a Muslim majority. <...> In such conditions, such statements from the authorities sound not just illiterate, but absurd and dangerous. Instead of strengthening peace and mutual respect, the officials themselves are throwing up artificial reasons for inciting hatred," the head of Chechnya said.
According to him, "if the authorities do not want Muslims to perform namaz on the streets, then let them facilitate the construction of mosques."
Kadyrov spoke on behalf of all Muslims. "I and millions of Muslims across the country are outraged by such actions. This undermines interethnic trust and provokes discord. Such things must be stopped harshly and in a principled manner," he concluded.Â
Let us recall that this is not the first time Kadyrov has tried to speak on behalf of all Muslims. Thus, earlier Kadyrov got involved in the issue of building a mosque in Moscow in order to show himself as the main defender of Muslims in Russia and to demonstrate his increased influence, although formally he has no right to interfere in events taking place in another region, noted human rights activists and a Caucasus expert interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot".
Against the backdrop of social media and media reports about the authorities' intention to allow the construction of a mosque near the Holy Lake, where an Orthodox church is already located, protests against the construction of the mosque began to take place in Moscow in early 2023, with MMA fighters, including Maksim Divnich, taking part. And on April 3 of that year, a video was published online in which people in military uniform, identifying themselves as participants in the military operation in Ukraine, promised to fight with those involved in the construction of the mosque. The video does not indicate the nationality of the military, but social media, in particular the YouTube channel "Morning of February", claims that the statement was made on behalf of Chechen security forces.
In the summer of 2024, statements by the head of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation Alexander Bastrykin regarding migration policy and the religious subtext of the terrorist attacks in Dagestan caused bewilderment among Muslims, said political scientist Ali Magamadov. The head of the Investigative Committee is primarily dissatisfied with the migration policy, said human rights activist Alexander Verkhovsky. The controversy between Kadyrov and Bastrykin showed the claims of the head of Chechnya to the place of the protector of all Muslims, said a teacher from Grozny.