Mufti of Chechnya excuses himself for attacks on niqabs

Salakh Mezhiev, the head of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM) of Chechnya, has responded in an insulting manner to his opponents who had been dissatisfied with his public criticism of girls wearing niqabs. Calling his opponents "Allah's enemies", the Mufti stated that it is shameful not to wear "the clothes of one's own nation."

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the "Grozny" TV Channel showed a report about the "educational conversation" of the Chechen Mufti with the girls who wore niqabs, that is, a headdress covering the entire face except for the eyes. After the Mufti's instructions, the girls took the niqabs off. The Mufti has provoked a conflict by scolding girls for wearing niqabs, Leonid Syukiyainen, an Islamic scholar, believes.

Mufti Mezhiev has blamed his opponents, dissatisfied with his criticism of girls in niqabs as "Wahhabists", "Allah's enemies" and "shaitans". He has treated niqabs as a step towards terrorism.

Wearing a niqab is voluntary; and no one, according to Islam, has the right to impose or prohibit it, said Musa Lomaev, a blogger.

The Mufti of Chechnya has pointed out that this is an Arab tradition that is not characteristic of Chechens. However, according to experts, Mezhiev himself violated Chechen Adats (traditions), since only the oldest men in the family can criticize a woman's appearance.