Salafis see no compromise in appointing Magomedrasul Saaduev as Imam of mosque in Kotrov Street

The Muftiyat of Dagestan has appointed Magomedrasul Saaduev, Imam of the central mosque in Makhachkala, the new Imam of the mosque in Kotrov Street. He plans to combine his two positions. Believers of the mosque in Kotrov Street do not treat Magomedrasul Saaduev as a compromise figure for their community.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 20, the conflict occurred over the Salafi mosque located in Kotrov Street. On that day, according to believers, representatives of the Dagestani Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM) dismissed the legitimately elected Imam and appointed their Imam. A fight occurred at the mosque. Some believers were brought to the police station.

On November 24, Magomedrasul Saaduev, Imam of the central mosque in Makhachkala, held a press conference in Makhachkala in connection with the deterioration of the situation at the mosque in Kotrov Street. At the press conference, Magomedrasul Saaduev has acknowledged that the issue of appointment of the new Imam should have been agreed with the believers of the mosque. Besides, he has also announced the promise of the Mufti of Dagestan to prevent similar changes of Imams in other mosques, including the mosque in Hungarian Fighters Street, which is also visited by Salafis.

Shortly after the press conference, it was announced that the Muftiyat has appointed Magomedrasul Saaduev the new Imam at the mosque in Kotrov Street.

Representatives of the mosque have expressed ambiguous opinions concerning the press conference held by Magomedrasul Saaduev and the subsequent decision on his appointment as the new Imam of the Salafi mosque.

"He is not a figure for us, and there is no difference, he or another person is appointed, since he is not a member of our Jamaat. A relocation of components does not change the summary. Accordingly, people have perceived the appointment in a negative way," the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent has been told by Murad, a believer of the mosque.

Ziyavutdin Uvaisov, a member of the Association of Scientists "Ahl-Sunnah", also believes that Magomedrasul Saaduev is not a compromise figure for the community of the mosque. However, according to him, "the conference has shown that members of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM) realize that they had made a mistake."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.