Nalchik/AgencyCaucasus – The administration of Kabardino-Balkaria starts high education in religion for members of the religious staff as part of its battle against the radical version of Islam.
A combined group of 40 imams, muezzins and members of some religious communities who are willing to increase their knowledge about religion have already started to study various religious subjects at the
The group would study the basics of Islam, the Islamic law, the history of Islam, ethics, said Hazretali Dzasejev, a head official of the religious organization of Kabardino-Balkaria, and added that the group would not only learn from the professors who teach religious subjects at the University of Islam but also from professors who teach positive sciences.
With such courses being taught, the level of national as well as religious stability has considerably increased over the past few years, said Dzasejev. “Knowledge is the best weapon to use in fighting against the kind of ideological movements considered to be harmful to the society. The Muslim society is currently quite stable and peaceful. It doesn’t anymore suffer from religious disintegration. With further education, the imams are now able to respond better to questions, because they have increased their knowledge about Islam. I certainly believe that the Muslim society no longer faces the threat of religious division.”
Asked to comment on why President Arsen Kanokov of Kabardino-Balkaria expressed fear that the 13 October 2005 incidents might recur, Dzasejev said that the President’s fear resulted from the fact that the perpetuators of the incidents in question have not yet been caught.
Dzasejev was also asked to comment on the proclamation by the Resistance leaders of a Caucasian Emirate. He denied the existence of a link between what Islam teaches and what the Caucasian Emirate aims for. Dzasejev afterwards accused the Resistance leaders of using Islam only as a façade and stated the possibility of the Caucasian Emirate posing a danger anyway.
Meanwhile, officials of the
