Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, former director of the Federal Security Service (FSB) Nikolai Patrushev said that the Russian authorities will combat the application of Sharia norms in the Caucasus. He made the statement at a recent security meeting in the North Caucasus Federal District.
«Attempts to introduce the possibility of applying Sharia norms instead of secular laws, the displacement of traditional Islam by radical movements, and the formation of new Salafist groups continue,» he said, listing the threats to Russia’s national security in the Caucasus region.
However, one can seriously consider the creation of such Salafist groups when Salafist mosques and centers are closed, preachers are killed, imprisoned or expelled abroad, and religious life is under the full control of the security services. So the problem is not what they want to disguise it as, but the essence itself, which begins with this list of threats — «introducing the possibility of applying Sharia norms instead of secular laws» — is emphasized.
Note this wording — it does not mention the forced introduction of Sharia norms instead of secular laws, nor attempts to overthrow the constitutional order of the secular state. It speaks in general terms about the introduction of the possibility of simply applying Sharia norms instead of secular laws as a threat, even though this itself does not contradict Russian laws.
For example, Muslims may wish to voluntarily settle their disputes in accordance with Sharia law, and if this is done by mutual agreement and the decisions are then voluntarily implemented by the participants, this does not contradict Russian legislation. The same applies to the creation or dissolution of marriages according to Sharia, the drafting of wills, and so on.
Nevertheless, it is clear from Patrushev’s words that the source of the threat to Russia in the Caucasus is not only «radicals» and «Salafists,» on whom he focuses his attention, but also any associations of Muslims who try to practice Sharia in their lives instead of Russian law, which has long since ceased to be in force.
Therefore, for the Kremlin and the security services, Sharia was, is, and will be an enemy in and of itself, no matter what decorations they try to use to cover it up. It is noteworthy that this is said by Patrushev, who himself and his son Dmitry Patrushev have close relations with Ramzan Kadyrov, who regularly appeals to Islam, Sharia, Sunnah, and so on. And here we have two possibilities — either they do not take his appeals seriously, or they consider him part of this threat, despite their outwardly friendly relationship.