Ingush theologians protest against idea to equate Wahhabism and extremism

Theologians of Ingushetia treat a proposal of the Interreligious Council of Russia (ICR) to declare Wahhabism an extremist ideology as an attempt to legitimize the persecution of believers for their beliefs.

On March 27, at a meeting of the Interreligious Council of Russia (ICR) in Moscow, an initiative was voiced to appeal to the Russian authorities with a proposal to recognize Wahhabism as an extremist ideology and Wahhabi organizations as extremist institutions.

The ICR's initiative has provoked a protest from the Russian Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM) and the Council of Muftis of Russia. "The introduction of the principle to persecute believers for their beliefs and not for specific illegal actions will have a devastating effect on the Muslim community of Russia," states the appeal posted on the website of the Russian SAM on April 2.

On April 10, on his Facebook page, Khamzat Chumakov, Imam of the Nasyr-Kort mosque, posted the statement of the theologians of Ingushetia regarding the resolution of the ICR.

Responsibility for extremism and terrorism is already provided by the legislation of Russia, and "an attempt to introduce the principle to persecute believers for their beliefs or failure to adhere to certain traditional religious and legal schools can lead to serious deplorable results," the Ingush theologians believe.

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