Eye on Eurasia: Russia`s moderate Muslims

Moscow, Russia - The Union of Muftis of Russia or SMR has taken two steps to promote moderate, reformist Islam among Muslims.

Late last month, the SMR moved to create a Moscow Center for the Dissemination of Moderate Islam, and it convened a conference on humanistic values directed at the country`s Muslim youth.

In an interview posted on the SMR website, Mufti Ravil` Gainutdin, who heads the Union, said that the creation of this new center which reflects the core values of Islam, a religion that values moderation and rejects extremism, will seek to reach out to the rising generation of Muslims in Russia.

Noting that 'the Islamic world is enormous and diverse,' Gainutdin said, it should come as no surprise that 'the trends of Islamic thought are diverse' as well. Moreover, he insisted, it is critically important that each generation, like that of the jadidists a century ago, 'attempt to modernize Islam' by returning to first principles.

Now, at the start of the 21st century, Muslims need to work out a variety of new answers to the challenges of a changing world, Gainutdin argued, but in every case, they should proceed with care and moderation lest they make mistakes in their interpretations of the basic sources of their faith.

On May 30, Gainutdin delivered the opening speech to the conference the new Center has taken the lead in organizing, a two-day meeting which assembled under the slogan 'Moderation is the Direct Path to Islam.' Gainutdin`s speech has now been posted on the web and provides additional insights on his views at muslim.ru/.

Gainutdin began his speech by stressing that Islam was 'a religion of humanism,' that Russia was 'a secular state.' He said that 'in Russia, Muslims have every possibility for the performance of their religion, even more than in many Muslim countries,' although sometimes he said their rights are in fact violated.

Then, he delivered what he said were the three messages that members of his generation of Muslims wanted to be sure were passed on to the next. First of all, he said that moderation is a core value of Islam, something that must guide each Muslim in everything he or she does.

Second, the mufti continued, much more attention needs to be devoted to the humanistic values of Islam than has been over the last decades or 'even centuries.' Were that to happen, he said, no one would be talking about the clash of civilizations at least from the point of view of Islam.

And third, he insisted, Russia`s Muslims must recognize and develop the longstanding cooperative ties they have with members of other faiths, first and foremost with the branches of the other monotheistic religions (Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism, and Judaism) but also with other religious groups as well.

The need to focus on these basic ideas, Gainutdin said, was a reflection of the fact that unfortunately there were some 'radicals' among younger Muslims in Russia who acted according to the non-Islamic notion that `the end justifies the means.` Such people, 'alas,' existed, and it was important both to understand why and to work with them to overcome this tendency, he said.

Gainutdin then listed nine reasons for the appearance and growth of radicalism among Muslims, none of which 'have their source in Islam:' First, poverty and unemployment, especially in the North Caucasus where up to 80 percent of young people are without work. Second, widespread social injustice and corruption.

Third, the absence of hope for a better future or even any chance of fitting into the broader society. Fourth, the growth of nationalism and xenophobia, including beatings and 'even murders of persons of Caucasus nationality` and also students and workers from Muslim countries.'

Fifth, 'the unobjective relationship of certain organs of power to Muslims,' including but not limited to the failure to get a conviction in the case of those who murdered a nine-year-old Tajik girl. Sixth, official efforts to prevent the construction of mosques, something that drives young Muslims in particular to underground radicals.

Seventh, the negative image of Muslims offered by many media outlets in the Russian Federation. Eighth, the misuse of Islamic formulations by political forces far from the faith for their own purposes. And ninth, the lack of well-trained Muslim leaders because of the Soviet Union`s closure of all but two of the country`s Islamic training centers.

However, many of those in Gainutdin`s audience both at the Moscow meeting and via the Internet are more likely to focus on his litany of problems as a justification for political action by Muslims in Russia rather than to take seriously his calls for a moderate approach in all things.