MOSCOW, (ST) – President of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov deplored statements made by Youssef al-Qaradawi from Qatar, considering Russia ” the first enemy of Islam.”
Al-Qaradawi “remarks are illogical ,shocking and are directed against millions of Russian Muslims,” Kadyrov added in a statement circulated by the Chechen Presidency on Saturday.
“Qaradawi statements were regretted by Muslims of Russia, where thirty million Muslims are living, building hundreds of mosques every year and performing al-Haj rituals”, the statement said , adding that ” the Russian constitution guarantees the freedom of religious belief”, noting that Qaradawi should be reminded that Russia does not provide thousands of mercenaries from all over the world with weapons and money in order to infiltrate to Syria and commit there, terrorist acts , shedding the blood of Syrian women , children and the elderly .
The statement continued that Qaradawi should also know that ” Russia has international obligations towards Syria , as our ally for many years and that the weapons reaching it are sold to it as any other country may do.
President Kadyrov recalled what the Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced to the whole world, “that Russia was and will always be the best partner of Islamic countries”, noting that for decades Muslims of Russia, were deprived of praying in mosques , learn the Holy Quran, and visiting the holy places in Mecca and Medina.
The statement recommended Qaradawi to dedicate full-time efforts to spiritual enlightenment and not to poke his nose in politics , rather leaving it to professional politicians.
Worthy mentioning that the All-Russia Fatwa house issued on October 31 a statement calling on Muslims not to listen to Qaradawi , noting that the Muslims of Russia, as part of the Muslim nation, receive signal stand against their country ‘s foreign policy . A matter viewed as a call for disobedience and a violations of laws in Russia.
T. Fateh