Islamic scholars: Saudis refuse to treat Kadyrov as leader of Russia’s Muslims

In Saudi Arabia, members of the ruling family mark the name of Ramzan Kadyrov among the heads of other subordinate entities of the Russian Federation; however, they do not treat him as the leader of Muslims of Russia. This opinion was voiced by the experts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on November 26, during his visit to Saudi Arabia, Ramzan Kadyrov met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud. According to the Arab media, during the meeting, the Chechen leader apologized for the Islamic conference in Grozny and admitted that Salafis were not sectarians.

According to Vasily Kuznetsov, the chair of the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), the Ramzan Kadyrov's visit to Saudi Arabia can be explained by his desire to "smooth the impression of the Grozny Islamic conference."

Vasily Kuznetsov has admitted that Ramzan Kadyrov "has some ambitions within the Muslim community of Russia." "Yes, Ramzan Kadyrov competes to represent Islam of Russia, for example, in Saudi Arabia," Vasily Kuznetsov has explained.

Meanwhile, Vasily Kuznetsov has expressed his doubts that Ramzan Kadyrov is treated in Saudi Arabia as a representative of the entire Islamic Ummah of Russia.

"Of course, Chechnya enjoys a special image in Saudi Arabia yet since the 1990s and early 2000s. However, Ramzan Kadyrov is not treated in Saudi Arabia as the leader of the Muslims of Russia," Vasily Kuznetsov has said.

According to Alexei Malashenko, the deputy director of the Russian branch of the Carnegie Foundation, Ramzan Kadyrov is perceived in the Arab world as a Russian Muslim politician loyal to Vladimir Putin.

"When Ramzan Kadyrov represents a special relationship between Chechnya and the Gulf states, the Muslim world perceives it through the prism of the fact that Ramzan Kadyrov is loyal to Vladimir Putin and that he does no steps in foreign policy without the Kremlin's approval," Alexei Malashenko believes.

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