Religious scholars emphasize advisory nature of announced fatwa, banning wearing niqabs in Dagestan

The Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Dagestan, being a religious organization, may issue a fatwa (a ruling based on the principles of Islam), banning wearing niqabs, but this is only a recommendation, religious scholars and Caucasian experts believe. Violators of the ban face a maximum of condemnation and censure, they note.

The “Caucasian Knot” has reported that after the leader of Dagestan spoke out against wearing niqabs, Mufti of Dagestan Akhmad-Afandi Abdulaev has announced that the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM) of Dagestan will soon issue a fatwa, banning wearing niqabs. Sergey Melikov, the leader of Dagestan, voiced his position two days after the militants’ attacks in Derbent and Makhachkala.

Dagestan will be the first region of Russia where a ban on wearing niqabs will be introduced, says Leonid Syukiyainen, Professor of the Higher School of Economics (HSE), specialist in comparative law and Islamic law.

According to the expert’s explanation, a fatwa is a recommendation for Muslims, and its implementation depends on the authority of the organization and the mufti.

“If someone does not comply with a fatwa, the punishment may be condemnation of other people,” Leonid Syukiyainen noted. The specialist has added that the decision of the Mufti of Dagestan applies only to Muslims of Dagestan.

The decision to ban wearing niqabs in Dagestan will be a precedent in Russia, suggests Dmitry Mikulsky, Chief Researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS). According to his version, the punishment for wearing a niqab could be public reprimand.

Vladimir Bobrovnikov, Candidate of Historical Sciences, the head of the Centre for the Study of Central Asia, the Caucasus, and the Ural-Volga Region of the Institute of Oriental Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), states that if the fatwa of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Dagestan is adopted, its effect will only be of a regional nature. The expert has noted that in general, few people wear niqabs in Dagestan.

Let us remind you that on May 28, Russian State Duma Deputy Speaker Vladislav Davankov proposed giving legislative and municipal assemblies the power to impose a ban on wearing religious clothing in public places. Russian State Duma member from Chechnya Adam Delimkhanov promised to “clearly” explain to Vladislav Davankov what “religious traditional values and customs” are.