The Russian Muslim Spiritual Assembly (DUM) continues to defend its position in the dispute with regional DUMs that do not want to recognize its new order (https://golosislama.com/news.php?id=39043) through the mouths of its supporters. However, it does so in a most unconvincing manner. We have already written about the claims of its representatives to play the role of the «Muslim church mother» (https://golosislama.com/news.php?id=38933). This time we will discuss similar claims — the role of «Muslim Moscow». These claims were expressed in an article by a candidate of economics, associate professor M. Salimov, on the prestigious website Ansur.ru, where interested individuals can familiarize themselves with it (http://www.ansar.ru/analytics/dum-rf-vmeste-no-po-novomu). And we will allow ourselves to focus on its most revealing fragments.
«The development of the Muslim Ummah is inseparable from the processes taking place in Russia. Let us recall the recent history of our country. The 1990s were first and foremost a parade of sovereignties in all spheres of life… However, with the arrival of V.V. Putin and the consistent strengthening of the vertical power structure, the situation is changing drastically,» the author writes.
This abbreviated quote describes the author’s developed idea — in response to the processes taking place in the country, Muslims are forced to reproduce them within their own community. That is, when there was a «parade of sovereignties» in Russia, it was time for it in the Muslim community, and when the «vertical power structure» began to establish itself, it became necessary to establish it among Muslims in Russia.
It continues:
«During the years of Putin’s rule and the strengthening of the vertical power structure, the role of Moscow in the life of the country has not only increased, but has reached truly gigantic proportions. Of course, even during the Soviet era, the capital of the USSR was of special importance. All state decisions were made in Moscow, you could buy things in stores that were not available in other cities, but Moscow salaries were no higher than regional ones, and the influx of new residents was strictly limited. The market economy, along with the new vertical power structure, has made Moscow the hyper-center of the country for several reasons: not only are all state decisions made in the capital, as regional leaders are essentially appointed by Moscow officials, but all income flows to Moscow, as the owners of monopolies that accumulate profits from the whole country are located in Moscow, and there are no restrictions on entry for anyone who wants to come. That is why Moscow has become literally «elastic» — the city is constantly growing, and the active population of working age is moving there. The income of Muscovites is several times higher than the average income in the country, and the budget of the capital is comparable to the incomes of the largest cities of developed countries. Moreover, understanding the lessons of our country’s history and the experience of the «orange revolutions», the current Russian government fully understands that a change of regime in the country is possible only if the mass discontent begins in Moscow. That is why it strives to make life as comfortable as possible for Moscow’s residents, strictly suppresses even the slightest protests, and closely monitors the loyalty of opinion leaders».
Under these conditions, Ravil Gainutdin fully demonstrated his diplomatic, organizational and leadership skills. He managed to find resources for the implementation of powerful projects in various spheres, the most important of which became the construction of the new Cathedral Mosque in Moscow. Given the constant growth of the Muslim population in the capital and the fact that Ravil Khairetdinov controls the absolute majority of mosques in Moscow and the Moscow region, his status and political significance are less dependent on the number of regional communities. For example, do you know how many satellites Jupiter has?»
Here the author calls on Muslims to follow another all-Russian trend — the consolidation of power in Moscow, which is presented as a more significant factor for the Russian Muslim Ummah than the communities in the regions.
Communities are communities, but has the distinguished Associate Professor Salimov forgotten that the political weight of the Muslim factor in Russia is determined not by abstract communities, but primarily by the presence of indigenous Muslim peoples within it, living on their own lands and possessing their own, albeit limited, statehood — republics within it? In his opinion, several hundred thousand or millions (depending on how you count) of Muslims in Moscow, mostly immigrants, outweigh the factor of indigenous Muslim peoples of the Russian Federation living on their own lands.
But the most amusing part is that such an approach is a delayed action mine against Raviil Gainutdin and his circle, who represent the «Tatar clergy», while Tatars have long been a minority in Moscow. This logically raises the question — can Mr. Gainutdin and his entourage really represent the changed and ever-changing Muslim Ummah of this Moscow, which, according to Associate Professor Salimov, they embody?
However, this — the conformity of the declarations of Raviil Gainutdin’s followers with the realities from the Muslim perspective — is only part of the problem. The other part lies in their understanding of these realities, which, if humorously described, could be summarized as «everyone ran and I ran too», and if without humor and politeness, as «lagging behind».
Are the Orthodox building their «Mother Church» under the sole leadership of the Patriarch? Then let us build an «Ummah-Mother» under the sole leadership of «Sheikh Raviil Gainutdin, the spiritual leader of Russian Muslims».
Is Putin dismantling the «parade of sovereignties» and establishing his vertical power structure? Then let us do the same among the DUMs.
In a vast and diverse country, all resources and power are concentrated in one bloated center? Then the Muslims should do the same and bring everything to «their» Moscow.
Interestingly, Raviil Gainutdin, imitating the Kremlin and Patriarch Kirill, demands equal rights for the Russian Orthodox Church and the DUM. However, the more he does this, the further away he is from realizing this ambition.
Shouldn’t we stop and think why? Perhaps because in the structures and trends to which the leaders and ideologists of the DUM are oriented, equality or even a dignified place for the Muslim Ummah of Russia is not provided for by definition? And if so, should they not imitate them, but rather act asymmetrically?
In this regard, we will once again repeat what we have repeatedly written about, starting with the article «DUM RF has no future — the future belongs to the Muslim opposition» (https://golosislama.com/news.php?id=38442). Attempts of the «Russian Muslim Church» to integrate into the existing system of special rights, let alone equal rights with the Russian Orthodox Church, are futile. The only option for the «Muslim clergy» in this system is to serve it unconditionally, knowing their place, as Tadjudin, Krganov and company do.
As for the Muslims, their chance lies not in integrating into this system, but in the growing civil resistance against it (at least initially, mentally and morally), where it is still possible to stake out an appropriate place.
To do this, however, they must not resemble this power, but be its opposite. If it creates its own vertical structure, they should develop decentralized networks. If it concentrates everything in Moscow, they should focus on the regions. And if the ROC relies on bronzed clerics, it should rely on civil society and its authorities. Only then will Muslims not follow trends that are losing their relevance and will be able to identify those that represent the future.