It seems that this issue has already been discussed in the previous text on our attitude towards Navalny (https://golosislama.com/news.php?id=39493). However, the discussion of this material shows that important things need to be repeated. And at the same time, discuss the related topic of possible Muslim participation in the upcoming protests.
1. Time and again, year after year, we convey to our readers the most important idea — no non-Islamic force will ever solve the problems of Muslims and will always try to use them for its own interests. The protection of Islamic interests can only come from Muslims themselves, and for this they must have an independent political agency. This is the basis of Islamic politics, derived from the relevant Qur’anic injunctions not to rely on outsiders, common sense, and repeatedly confirmed experience.
2. In Putin’s Russia, there are no opportunities for Muslims to acquire political agency, and there won’t be any. But the existing Russian opposition does not want it either — see point 1. At worst, they want to oppress Muslims even more, and at best, they want to represent their interests, decide for them what they need and what they don’t need, and impose their agenda on them.
3. The difference between Putin and the Russian opposition, whoever they may be, is that the former is in power and under his rule Muslims have no hope. The latter have no power. If they were to get it in full, they would also pursue policies that are contrary to the interests of Muslims. However, the power structure is built in such a way that it is impossible to simply take the power that Putin possesses and transfer it to the non-systemic opposition. Power can only be transferred to oneself, as Yeltsin did to Putin, or Putin to Medvedev. This is a possible scenario, and it will change nothing for Muslims or for Russia. The only chance for the non-systemic opposition is not to take the power that the current regime has, but to overthrow and destroy the power vertical, after which a new power will be built on new principles. This is called revolution.
4. Today all the leading forces of the Russian non-systemic opposition — Navalny, Khodorkovsky, the Free Russia Forum — are talking about the transfer of power from the (new) president to the (new) parliament, as well as from the center to the regions and cities. But those who say that if these processes take place under the leadership of the Russian opposition without the participation of Muslims as independent forces, the new system will also not take into account Muslim interests and will not consider them, are absolutely right.
5. However, in the conditions of a revolution, when the old power has already collapsed and the new one has not yet been established, there will be a window of opportunity — lasting from several months to a few years — when Muslims can take advantage of it to gain their political agency and strengthen their positions. If Muslims miss this opportunity, the change of power will bring no improvement and may even bring deterioration.
6. Therefore, Muslims living in their regions should not join protests under the leadership of others and without the representation of pro-Islamic forces. And on the whole, it is necessary to allow these protests to begin in order to assess the seriousness of their participants and organizers as well as their goals — whether they really intend to fight against the government or plan to negotiate with it.
7. It makes sense to join the protests if they take on a serious character. But in Muslim regions, this should not be done under Navalny and similar leaders, but starting with the creation of their own force. It does not necessarily have to be positioned as Islamic, because society may not be ready for it, but with the leading role of convinced Muslims. National and republican movements are the optimal format for this.
8. In protest actions, Muslims in their regions should come with their symbols and slogans and clarify their goals and priorities. If it is about political prisoners, go with portraits not of Navalny but of our prisoners of conscience and chant their names. Demand an end to the dictatorship and terror of the «federals,» freedom for religious and national organizations, independent and free elections of their leaders by the people, instead of being appointed by Moscow’s appointees.
9. If the situation develops according to this scenario, independent protest forces in Muslim regions will have to enter into dialogue with similar forces in other regions and with the Russian opposition, showing them that these republics express the will of the people through their own protest forces.
10. Only if these conditions are fulfilled, the revolution can benefit the Muslims and the new power will take their voice into account. Who will be at the helm in Moscow or the new Russian center for Muslims in such a case is not so crucial — the main thing is that this power will be forced to recognize the rights and autonomy of Muslims and consider their voice.