Press Release
The New Attack against Islam and Muslims
(Translated)

The latest attack against Islam and Muslims took place in the Stavropol region. School's №12 Director in Kara-Tube village of the Neftekumskiy district banned Muslim girls to attend school wearing the hijab. Parents appealed to the Muftiyat (Imams). Earlier the people of Arzgirsiy and Stepnoy districts of Stavropolskiy region also appealed with the same complaints.

Officials of the state, from deputies to the Russian President Vladimir Putin, expressed their attitudes towards the issue. But nevertheless the Head of the State declared that the hijab ban is correct, corresponds to the secularity of the state and with international practice, particularly the law of Western countries.

Such a statement caused bewilderment. Why would the secular state, guaranteeing in its constitution the right for religious freedom, have a problem with the religious attributes of Muslims or representatives of any other religion? Anyways, the religious upbringing of children is a family affair, which is not contrary to the principles of secular state. Inconsistency to the schools charter is not a parents' problem, but the problem of the school, that includes the charter, whose positions are contrary to Russia's constitution.

The conflict is being resolved by finding a compromise. According to the opinion of officials, the girls are to remove Muslim headscarves and wear kerchiefs. So, the authorities were not irritated by the headdress existence, but exactly by the attribute of religious identity of Muslim women. This situation once again proves that the Russian authorities are fighting against the whole of Islam, not only some extremist and terrorist manifestations.

President Putin's reference to European practice seems absurd and ridiculous. It is no secret European countries as a whole and West Europe in particular have not only economic, but also ideological and political crises. These countries are examples for those, who have no ideological core, and follow the West not so much by ideological motives, rather by inertia, remembering the past power.

However the most amazing was the position of the Deputy of Mufti of Muslims of European Russia Damir Muhetdinov. D.Muhetdinov, being an expert of Islam, instead of protecting Muslim interests, justified the prohibition of wearing hijab. Yes, he is accurate in saying that Islamic Shariah law does not require young girls to wear the hijab. But is he not aware that Islam encourages teaching children to respect Islamic rules? Muhetdinov boldly criticized CDUM in interests of SMR, but for some reasons he didn't show the same courage in criticizing the authorities. Prophet (saw) said:

أَفْضَلَ الْجِهَادِ كَلِمَةُ حَقٍّ عِنْدَ سُلْطَانٍ جَائِرٍ"  "The best jihad - the word of truth, said to an unjust ruler." (Ibn Majah).

This once again confirms the fact, that most of the official religious leaders' aims - are not protecting the interests of Muslims, but to defend the positions of the authorities. It is necessary to advise Muhetdinov to take example from his brother and colleague in the Samara region, Mukaddas Bibarsov, who was not afraid to present the Islamic point of view on this issue, oblivious to the satisfaction or dissatisfaction of the representatives of secular authorities. Let us hope, that our Ummah will be replenished by people, who love Allah's contentment before their mercantile interests.

(إلَّا الَّذِينَ تَابُوا وَأَصْلَحُوا وَاعْتَصَمُوا بِاللَّـهِ وَأَخْلَصُوا دِينَهُمْ لِلَّـهِ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ مَعَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ۖ وَسَوْفَ يُؤْتِ اللَّـهُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَجْرًا عَظِيمًا )

"O you, who have believed, do not take the disbelievers as allies instead of the believers. Do you wish to give Allah against yourselves a clear case?" [4:144]

Usman Salihov
The Media Office of Hizb-ut Tahrir in Russia