Press Release
Muslim Religious Board of Tatarstan Joins those who Prevent Islamic Culture in Russia
(Translated)

The decision of the Muslim Religious Board of Tatarstan (MRB RT) became known on 8th May 2015, which stipulates a list of unwanted writers in publishing their writings by the Ulema Council of the Muslim Religious Board of Tatarstan on the territory of the Republic. The list consists of 16 names of prominent scholars and intellectuals. Among these scholars were the names of Sheikh Taqiuddin an-Nabahani, Abdul Qadeem Zalloom, Ata Bin Abu Al-Rashtah, Nasser Eddin Albanian, Abd al-Rahman al-Saadi, Hassan al-Banna, Sayed Qutb and others. The resolution has been sent to Imams of the Mosques in order to prevent the distribution of books for the writers on the list. The list of the "unwanted" writers was sent to the Ministry of Interior and the General Prosecutor's Office in the Republic.

The Russian Ministry of Justice has developed a list of banned Islamic books long ago, and this is matter is not unexpected by the Dawah carriers in Russia. Since many years, the banned Islamic books are a subject for discussion and debate, not only by Muslims but also by lawyers, experts and human rights defenders, who considered it illegal and unjustified. However, this ban of Islamic books has so far relied on the views of experts who spoon-feed the security services. Today this ban comes at the hands of the MRB representatives. Although the wording of the resolution was twisted in which states the desire of not to distribute their writings, but the content is part of the pressure exerted by the government to have an understanding of Islam in Russia that agrees with its views.

Not any decision to promote the Dawah in Tatarstan to traditional Islam, or the approval of the list of unwanted scholars is considered a justification for the MRB RT to do such acts. To ban books is contrary to Islam which permits the difference in the branches of Shariah issues, and even made it a mercy from Allah (swt) and a factor for the Ummah's revival. The only way to exclude the difference between Muslims is by discussion and debate on the basis of Shariah evidence, and not in any way by banning or supporting those who ban the opposite opinion, and thus the case was solved throughout the history of the Islamic nation since the time of the Khulafaa.

We express our dismay of such ill-studied steps practiced by the MRB RT and we call it to stop attacking the respected scholars and the inherited culture of the nation. Especially that the mosques of Tatarstan are filled with supporters of the writers whose names appeared in the mentioned list of the Ulema Council of MRB RT. By tracking the government and its security forces you betray the believers, rather than to stand by them and work with them in the field of the call to the right, and protect them in the face of hostile policy to Islam pursued by the government.

It is obvious that workers in the Islamic field who obtain satisfaction of the Russian government are partners with them as long as they are willing to contravene Shariah. The Prophet (saw) said:

«إِنَّ أُنَاسًا مِنْ أُمَّتِي سَيَتَفَقَّهُونَ فِي الدِّينِ وَيَقْرَءُونَ الْقُرْآنَ وَيَقُولُونَ نَأْتِي الأُمَرَاءَ فَنُصِيبُ مِنْ دُنْيَاهُمْ وَنَعْتَزِلُهُمْ بِدِينِنَا ‏.‏ وَلاَ يَكُونُ ذَلِكَ كَمَا لاَ يُجْتَنَى مِنَ الْقَتَادِ إِلاَّ الشَّوْكُ كَذَلِكَ لاَ يُجْتَنَى مِنْ قُرْبِهِمْ إِلاَّ (الخطايا)»

"There will be some people among my Ummah (nation) who will gain knowledge of the religion, and they will recite Qur'an, and will say: 'We come to the rulers so that we may have some share of their worldly wealth, and we will make sure that our religious commitment is not affected,' but that will not be the case. Just as nothing can be harvested from the Qatad except thorns, so nothing can be gained from being close to them except (sins).'" (Narrated by Ibn Majah)

Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Russia