Moscow Imams point to specificities of perception of niqabs by Russian society

Wearing a niqab, which was sharply criticized by the Mufti of Chechnya, is undesirable in Russia because it attracts attention and contributes to Islamophobia, the Moscow Imams interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" believe.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in late November, the "Grozny" TV Company showed a video report about the "educational conversation" conducted by Salakh Mezhiev, the Mufti of Chechnya, and the head of the Grozny police department with the girls who wore niqabs – a headdress covering the entire face except for the eyes. After the Mufti's instructions, the girls took off the niqabs. The public rebuke shown on TV has sparked outrage among social media users. On December 5, the Mufti sharply responded to the opponents, who were dissatisfied with his public criticism of girls in niqabs. Calling critics "enemies of Allah," he said it was shameful not to wear "the clothes of your nation."

The Koran, as the main source of laws and regulations of Islam, does not indicate a woman's obligation to cover her face, said Damir Mukhetdinov, a deputy chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims (SAM) of Russia. According to his version, since no secular law prohibits niqabs, the person's choice to wear this headdress should be respected.

At the same time, Mr Mukhetdinov has pointed out that the issue of wearing the niqab should be considered based on the characteristics of the society in which a person lives. "For Russia, in the central regions, in Moscow, where the absolute majority of the non-Muslim population lives, wearing a niqab is a factor of suspicion, irritability, and close attention. Thus, people who wear niqabs achieve diametrically opposed goals, which should be achieved by a woman who wants wearing a niqab," Damir Mukhetdinov has stated.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on December 8, 2020 at 10:12 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.