Dagestanis criticize officials for broadcasting war songs from minarets

Playing music from minarets was a result of neglect and negligence of bodies of power, the political analysts and residents of Dagestan interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" have noted.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that this year on the Victory Day (May 9), in Makhachkala, wartime songs were broadcast through loudspeakers installed on mosque minarets; the fact has outraged Muslims.

The main and almost the only function of a minaret is a call to prayer, said Dmitry Mikulsky, a leading researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS).

"Therefore, using these loudspeakers to play songs, including military ones, is extremely incorrect," Mr Mikulsky explained to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"There have never been such precedents, to be honest. I can say that this is a desecration of a religious building. This can offend believers' feelings. Public indignation is absolutely understandable. Moreover, this was done in the month of Ramadan," he said.

Authorities have failed to correctly hold the action dedicated to the Victory Day, said Milrad Fatullaev, the editor-in-chief of the RIA "Derbent". According to his story, the Dagestani society could react not so sharply, if it had been warned about this action.

"Should they have been informed in advance that songs would be played, including from minarets, I think no one would have reacted so negatively. People could be sympathetic. But they were taken by surprise; therefore, they reacted sharply because it was unexpected. However, I don't agree with the opinion that this is a mockery of believers' feelings, or that there is no mutual understanding of authorities and the society – the former just failed to correctly implement the idea," Mr Fatullaev told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on May 13, 2020 at 02:23 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.