Abu Umar Sasitlinsky: Interview with «Voice of Islam»?

The famous Dagestani preacher and philanthropist Abu Umar Sasitlinsky gave an exclusive interview to the website «Voice of Islam». Today we present to our readers the first part of the interview, which deals with the position and activities of Sheikh Abu Umar himself and contains his advice for those who find themselves in a similar situation. In a few days, insha Allah, we will publish the second part of the interview, which will be devoted to socio-religious processes in Dagestan and the Caucasus, as well as the region’s prospects in the event of a possible political transformation in Russia.

Assalamu alaikum, Sheikh. Thank you for agreeing to an interview. Since our website specializes mainly in the social and political aspect of Muslim life, in order to understand your current position, we would like to ask you — would it be correct to introduce you today as a Muslim political refugee from Russia? After all, you were practically forced to leave the country because of your beliefs, statements and public activities? The question is also related to the fact that your enemies are trying to present your departure in a completely different light — as if you were one of many who went there after the events in Syria, but unlike other well-known preachers who ended up there and openly declared their goals, you simply conspired and hid them, although in reality you were with them.

Bismillah, alhamdulillah, wa-salatu wa-salamu ala rasulillah. Wa alaikum as-salam wa rahmatullah. Before leaving Dagestan, I was actively working in my homeland, giving lectures, leading the Islamic Institute in Khasavyurt, building an orphanage and a school for memorizing the Qur’an in my village, and running it. At the same time, I was appointed Qadi of the northern part of Dagestan, a member of the Shura of the Ahl al-Sunna, and in charge of family and civil affairs in Dagestan. I left my homeland not to fight, I just learned about the situation of Syrian refugees and could not stand by and do nothing. I spent 10 years studying there, and I have many friends and those who studied with me. I loved this country as my own, even more than my homeland, because the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) made a dua for this country, saying, «May Allah bless Sham,» and there was indeed blessing and baraka there when I studied there. I spent my wonderful young years in search of knowledge in this land. I announced my intention to everyone on the Internet, and this video is on YouTube. I received a lot of feedback that I did not expect. I remember people from all over the world started calling me, writing to me, asking me to open accounts, asking me to open PayPal, Kiwi, I didn’t even know what those were at the time. I didn’t even have credit cards. And I entrusted my assistants to take care of it, to open a foundation, to open accounts, and the first time we collected a decent amount and went to Syria as promised with the brothers. There I saw a terrible picture of how the refugees live, or rather, survive. Most of them don’t have enough to eat and live in fear and uncertainty. Many have lost loved ones, some have lost their health and limbs, some have lost their homes and possessions. Some freeze in the winter, others burn in the sun or sweat in stuffy tents. There is no normal food or medicine, no normal living conditions, and no one knows their future. There are many refugees and, alhamdulillah, we have been able to provide them with significant help in the form of large food parcels. Of course, we recorded video reports from the very beginning. The people were very happy with our arrival and our help, they thanked us, made dua, and before we left they asked us to come back and help again. I promised them that I would come back and help them with food and blankets, which I did, and with Allah’s help we collected twice as much money in a short time and went back. We ended up in tent cities during the month of Ramadan and saw the difficulty of fasting in the heat for the refugees. We organized a school for them, a mosque, provided food, cold water, blankets, baby food and diapers. In less than a month, we completed the mission and returned. We ask Allah to accept our efforts and the charity of those who donated and participated with us. Returning home through Turkey, we saw the situation of our migrants in Yalova and decided to open a kindergarten, school and madrasa for them, as most of the migrant children did not receive any education. Later, we opened similar educational institutions in Istanbul after the opening of «Muhajirun» Educational Center. For the opening of the center, we invited Khalid Yasin, and since his wife was from Somalia, one of the poorest countries in the world, the idea was born: «Let’s do the next charity project in Somalia.» When I came home for the third time and collected money for Africa, the leadership in Dagestan changed and Abdulatipov came. With his arrival, the repression against Ahl al-Sunna began, and wherever there were kindergartens, schools, and even cafes and other Islamic places, searches and raids began, problems were deliberately created. They also came to my orphanage and Qur’an memorization school and conducted searches several times by different authorities, but of course they found nothing. Later I announced the third collection for Africa as agreed with friends, collected a decent amount and went to Africa. From Makhachkala I flew to Africa, and from that moment on a criminal case was opened against me under Article 282 for «sedition». The reason was what I said about Bashar al-Assad, whom I called a tyrant who kills Muslims and his own people, and the role of Alawites and Shiites in all this. And because I called Alawites non-Muslims and Assad a tyrant, a criminal case was opened against me. I didn’t even have time to reach Africa. My brother gave me the number of the investigator in charge of my case. I called him, his name is Nadyr. I said to him, «Why didn’t you invite me? If you have any claims or questions for me, I can come back. «No, go to Africa,» he told me. I wasn’t arrested, they didn’t plant anything on me like they did with others. They did not officially prevent me from leaving Makhachkala for Dubai, from where I flew to Somalia. But in fact, they blocked my way back and made sure that I could not return home from there. So I did not intentionally emigrate, they just closed the doors for me. That was in 2013. Since we already had a center in Turkey, I went to Turkey after my trip to Africa. I also started working there. For three years now, I have been working in Niger with our staff from the Living Heart Foundation, and I have never left this country because there is so much work here that it will take many years. With the help of Allah and the participation of good people from all over the world, we have so far built 4,500 wells and 60 madrasas and schools, as well as 135 mosques for the Rohingya refugees and the poor in Africa. We are building an institute and helping the disadvantaged in different parts of the world. Calling to the truth and helping the weak and the poor has been my path from the very beginning and I am still sticking to it no matter how hard they try to drag me somewhere else. These two themes — humanitarian work and the call to knowledge — are enough for one person, and it would be wrong to go elsewhere.

Can you call me a political refugee? But I was not involved in politics, and Niger, where I am now, is not a suitable place for that. It is probably the poorest country in the world, and I have no problems with the authorities or anyone else here. Back home, although I’m on the wanted list, they know very well where I am, and I wouldn’t say they’re actively looking for me. Basically, they don’t need me there, I don’t cause them any harm here, I’m not a military man or a politician, I’m involved in humanitarian work, scientific activities, I’ve written a book, I give lectures. This is my field of work and I try not to go beyond its limits.

Nevertheless, Sheikh, the article under which a criminal case was opened against you — Article 282 — is considered in modern Russia to be a clear sign of political persecution or persecution for so-called «thought crimes». After all, in the conditions of a totalitarian country, which Putin’s Russia is turning into, it is not necessary to engage in political activities to be declared a «thought criminal». It is enough to have and express views and beliefs that contradict the «party and government» line, for example, religious beliefs, if they go against the Russian Orthodox Church and its junior brothers from the official spiritual administrations. Thousands of Muslims have already left Russia for these reasons, fearing persecution, including dozens of well-known preachers, publishers, journalists, human rights activists, public figures, bloggers, and so on. But what is striking is that when the persecution of liberals or other political opposition figures attracts the attention of the media, the forced emigration of Muslims is not only ignored, but in many cases the same media is complicit with the security forces in their harassment.

For example, in 2015, «Novaya Gazeta» published an article presenting you as an ISIS recruiter rather than a preacher and Islamic philanthropist who was persecuted for his activities. What do you think is the reason for such an attitude?

To be honest, I was shocked by this article and the way it presented the facts. Especially the words of the head of my village. Of course, I talked to him afterwards and he said that he absolutely did not say those things. He said, «They wanted me to say what they wanted, and when they didn’t hear what they wanted, they wrote what they wanted. It was a commissioned issue, but he swore to Allah that he did not say those things to the journalist. So the article clearly looks like it was commissioned. It is a hundred percent lie that shocked me with its cynicism. Later they opened an extremism case against me and portrayed me as a dangerous person. In any case, it is clear to everyone who thinks and knows the essence of the problems and the situation in our homeland that it was a commissioned topic. But while I was at home, I can’t say that I was suppressed. I continued my activities until the end, giving lectures and organizing collections for the underprivileged at home. But at some point, my competitors ordered me to stop calling Muslims to the true faith as Ahl al-Sunnah. In any case, those who are aware know well to whom I was a thorn in the flesh at home. I have not stopped, I am moving forward and working on new projects. Alhamdulillah, Allah has not abandoned us, no matter where we are, we must always do constructive work, build and call for good and righteousness. I love helping people, it brings me joy, and most importantly, the Most High loves it.

Your story has become one of many examples of how, at a certain point, open Islamic vocation and public Islamic activity in Putin’s Russia, if it is indeed Islamic activity and not serving the regime, has become impossible. In this regard, what advice could you give to sincere and active Muslims in Russia based on your experience? Should they leave or try to adapt to the current realities in the country? Again, if they leave, where should they go, and if they adapt, how?

There probably won’t be any universal advice, because each situation has its own individual characteristics. For example, there may be a brother who is a public figure and is known, and he may be a little controversial. It might be better for him to leave and continue his activities from a distance. Fortunately, there is the Internet, which allows recording, blogging, and creating channels almost for free, with a little financial support, and everything can be done from a distance. For people who work on a local level, for example, an imam of a mosque or a student who teaches the Qur’an or a subject, if they work carefully and do not get involved with unnecessary people, they can continue. We have such people in our homeland, and many of them continue their work from home, if they are not public figures and are not heard, then they don’t attract much attention. Of course, if they have already «shown themselves» on the Internet, it will be difficult, because sooner or later they may encounter obstacles.

As for those who work locally, I would not advise them to leave, because they are needed there. They have to deal with elementary questions of Sharia, answer them and educate people. If everyone leaves, what will happen? For a long time we have seen how many active Muslims have been crushed step by step, someone was lost in the south of Dagestan, then someone was lost in the Stavropol region, some imam was imprisoned, then someone was lost in Bashkiria, then something happened somewhere else. And so, here and there, they work carefully, like a well-organized conveyor belt. Those who are informationally targeted are killed, online attacks begin, and among them are Muslim traitors, their own agents, who have been contracted to work. In my youth I saw the movie «Gladiator» where a senator advised Caesar when he wanted to kill Maximus, a former general who rebelled against him: «You have to kill his name before you kill him. Because the people love him, and if he kills Maximus, who the people love, then Caesar will be seen as a bad person. All these Internet resources, trolls, it is clear who they belong to. They work with only one task — to defame and discredit the name of an active Muslim. They try to make him an opportunist, a coward — did he run away or steal money somewhere, did he indulge in something, did prostitutes come to him — they try to cast doubt on the person’s name.

There is probably an audience in Russia ready to believe anything, because Russia has always been famous for two things. They’re still complaining about the roads, so they probably haven’t figured out the second problem either. So if a person is more public, more famous, and more open, it might be better for him to leave if they don’t leave him alone. If a person teaches quietly, he is an Imam, until they start creating specific problems for him, it is better not to leave. Let him stay there and teach his people, his relatives. They are needed there anyway. Where to go? This is also a very difficult question. Wherever Muslims go today, there are problems. If a person wants to continue to study, to live among Muslims, Egypt was a good place. But now, those who have problems at home are not left alone by the Sisi regime. There are real cases where people are arrested and sent back home, which creates problems for them. Some are quietly studying in some official places, in Al-Azhar. They have no problems, they are in contact with me and we help them from our foundation. There are some who live and work in Turkey. Some study there.