On October, 28, the press-service of the Spiritual Management of Muslims of Crimea spread the statement which became a response to the interview of the vice-president of the Republican Committee of the ARC on Religious Affairs Ayder Bulatov in the newspaper "Voice of Crimea".
"All processes connected with Islam, Muslims, Crimea and the Crimean Tatars, directly or by implication mention the Spiritual Management of Muslims of Crimea (SMMC) – Muftiyat", the statement reads. - "In No 41 from 09.10.2009 the "VC" published vast interview of the vice-president of the Republican Committee of the ARC on Religious Affairs - Ayder Bulatov - "Islam - Real Factor of Crimean Social Life". Having read the interview of the official, there is a question: what hides behind the inconsistent passages deforming the picture by half-words, concealing of the real facts?! It is obvious that the main objective is to introduce the idea, which, as a colourful banner, is importunately highlighted in each paragraph; the thought skillfully veiled in words, but clearly understood by all who read this article – the Muftiyat is passive, does not work, is guilty …
Is it really so?
As it notices the interviewed, 80 mosques were constructed, 180 meeting-houses and 6 medrese and schools of Hafizes function, 335 Muslim Communities at the SMMC are registered.
Besides, this year the Council of Representatives of Spiritual Managements of Muslims of Ukraine is created, books are published, a religious-public newspaper "Hidaet" is published monthly, Hajj is organized, work of religious communities is supported, students are sent for studying, there is material aid given to more than hundred Imams and teachers of religion.
Also daily routine work is conducted, namely: official registration of papers to teachers from Turkey, return of cult buildings, judicial lawsuits on the Cathedral mosque, organization of television-radio programs, correspondence, meetings, trips, help to the requiring and many other things. It is especially pleasant to notice that this year by means of local businessmen, i.e. by hands of Muslims of Crimea is restored Kebir Dzhami, which celebrated 500 years.
I listed all that to make the dear reader imagine the real picture of the "idle Muftiyat", with the account of its extremely limited resources and at the same time answered an often asked question, "what you do there?"
Anyone may not know it, but not mister Bulatov, the vice-president of the Republican Committee of the ARC on Religious Affairs who supervises the department of Islam.
Without wishing to tire the reader by the details and comments on each absurdity in the mentioned interview, nevertheless I consider it necessary to specify two very important questions concerning independent communities and trends (sects).
Concerning autonomous, that is independent from the Muftiyat communities …
First of all I will notice that independent communities is not the fifth trend beside Salafites, Habashites, Hizb and Wahhabites, as it is presented in the article; it is not a trend at all. It is organization, i.e. the legal body of which can be presented by any trend, view, ideology etc. Thus, under the cover of independent (autonomous) communities work all the same Wahhabites, Salafites, Habashites and Hizb . A person with high education should understand such elementary things. And still mister Bulatov for some reason did not mention one small, but very essential detail: these communities are registered by the Republican Committee on Religious Affairs which vice-president he is. By the way, below he admits it, "The activity of Hizb should not be called closed or conspired: they founded Muslim religious communities, they are engaged in public religious-educational activity". Thus, sectarians carry out their destructive activity, hiding beside the law, and they are supported by our officials.
Concerning religious trends, parties, that is sects …
In his interview Ader Bulatov marks, "I consider it incorrect to make comments on distinctions of religious doctrines and creeds, as it is a prerogative of religious figures and theologians". Absolutely fairly. However, it does not prevent him from spreading of further rough stream of words...
To be short, "the objective characteristic" is that – be easy, people, everything is fine: this Muftiyat does not work, and all the others "strive to return Muslims to truly Islamic way of life", "aimed to return Muslims to God", "clear Islam of century innovations"! It is interesting, they "return to God", and call for parties and sects, demanding oath on fidelity; "clear everything", but thus they suggest theirs, sectarian, and encourage by "worldly", and the vice-president of the Republican Committee on Religious Affairs does not see in it anything reprehensible.
Here so the people are driven into error by means of empty slogans and beautiful words by adherents of overseas sects. Say, we revive, we clear, we return, we turn. Only there are questions: whom, whence, from what and what for?! It is necessary to be cleared by Islam, and the people need to be loved, instead of be used.
For the great expert to note. There is no such a fundamental trend as Salafism in orthodox Islam, this is one of three theological doctrines along with the doctrines of Ashari and Maturidi which represent dogma of Ahl Al-Sunnah Wal-Jamaat, i.e. the doctrine of the overwhelming majority of Muslims according to the Quran and Sunnah. And some sects such as Wahhabites just shelter behind this noble name of "righteous ancestors". Hence, in Crimea there are simply Wahhabites, Hizb and Habashites, which are innovation and error, and one should be cleared of their evil ideas and come back to Islam.
Amazes cynical shielding of the sectarians, "ordinary missionaries, the activity of Hizb should not be called closed or conspired, it they should not be treated as a party, there are no contradictions with "official" Islam". There is a question, if Mr. Bulatov really forgot, as these "ordinary missionaries" try to seize mosques, to establish their control over religious communities, to appoint their Imams, and how it is not a political activity, considering all dirt - blaming, slander which they pour on the Muftiyat and ordinary Muslims. Typical behaviour of politicians is to blacken, to crush the opponent, to present their program beautifully, to promise, to take hold of electorate. When our curator of Islamic department last time easily performed Juma Namaz? Who from the amount of Hizb knows a chain of their heads further the head of the cell or the one to whom he swore in fidelity to the party, and somebody from them is acquainted with a future Caliph who stays in his headquarters in England and distributes orders. It is a group of persons, considering that they know Islam, actually operated by an overseas wise guy whom nobody ever saw and will not see, who directs them, and, that is the most insulting, orders to the Muslims of Crimea how they should live, what to strive to and build a society together with other people in Crimea.
And as to the note of our expert concerning recent absence of obviously expressed contradictions between … and official Crimean Islam, if here is meant the SMMC, we will notice that the Muftiyat of Crimea categorically does not accept any sects, their false thoughts and their stray ideas. I will notice that we are not against this or that person, we are against the subjective sectarian views, traditions alien to us, and immoral behaviour. The Spiritual Management of Muslims cannot have anything in common with sects and trends which monopolized the truth, explain the Quran and Hadith in accordance with their own interests, divide the people, lead them astray, do not respect our traditions and senior generation.
In summary, I wish to state that revival and preservation of Islamic religion is the guarantor of safety of our nation, and this is a duty not only of a Mufti or the Muftiyat, this should be understood by each Crimean Tatar, each Muslim of Crimea. The problems existing in this sphere, are a pain of each Muslim, and therefore everyone should support it, and working together, to contribute one's feasible and positive mite. I can also notice that the Muftiyat is not just one or two persons, this is a management which is in cooperation with tens of sincere people - Imams, teachers, and they do it for the sake of people. Therefore statements that ideas of some sects are supported by up to regional Imams, to put it mildly, do not represent the facts.
And the main thing is even not that the people are misinformed, and the Muftiyat of Crimea is represented guilty, but it is disturbing that some compatriots, on occupying cozy armchairs, are forgotten in due course and here already grow dim in memories values and ideals, and their place is occupied by commercialism and money-making".
By the press-service of the SMMC and QHA
Related Links:
Islam - Real Factor of Crimean Social Life
If there are Four Wives? Issue of Polygamy Introduction in Crimea
Inter-Confessional Conflicts in Crimea are inflated by Politicians and Journalists, - Expert Opinion
A Civilisational Dialogue in The Crimea
