The process of accepting Islam by a Russian girl is not particularly difficult. Difficulties await later, when the life of a Muslim woman begins, who cannot be supported and protected by her relatives. The question of why Russian girls convert to Islam remains relevant, taking into account the peculiarities of Eastern culture, because of which the girl remains essentially defenseless. Thus, the statistics of divorces between Russian girls who accepted this religion and their Muslim husbands prove the fragility of such unions.
How to accept
The very procedure for a Russian girl to accept Islam consists of saying out loud special words - shahada. These are the words “La ilae illal-lah, Muhammadun rasulul-lah”, which are literally translated as “There is no god but the One Lord, Muhammad is His messenger.”
In many countries, Russian girls convert to Islam by saying these words before a meeting of the local parish or community. But this is not practiced in Russia. As a rule, before a girl converts to Islam at home, a circle of friends who share the same views gathers at a party. The Shahadah is spoken in Arabic, the language of the last Scripture, and this is also a symbol.
It is important that this is said with full awareness, and also that the precepts of religion are observed in everyday life. So, you need to stop using alcohol, drugs, adultery, theft, violence. In addition, if a girl wants to convert to Islam, she must perform rituals whenever possible.
Accepting Islam does not mean that a person betrays his faith.
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) revived the creed that was set forth in the Torah, the Gospel, and other Holy Scriptures. Therefore, accepting Islam does not at all mean that a person changes or betrays the faith of his ancestors. On the contrary, he cleanses his faith from distortions and returns to the true religion of his ancestors - the prophets Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, for all the previous Prophets (peace be upon them) told their communities about the coming of the last Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), bequeathed follow him and help him. For example, the Prophet 'Isa (Jesus) (peace be upon him) said: “O children of Israel! I am a Messenger to you from God, confirming the truth of what was revealed before me in the Torah and bringing you good news about the Messenger who will come after me, whose name is Ahmad (one of the names of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), which is translated in Russian means "Praised")". This is written about in the Koran, the Torah, and the Gospel. In the Bible, Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is called “Periklitos”, which exactly translated from Greek means “Praised One” (i.e. Ahmad). This literally coincides with what the Quran says about the appeal of the Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) to the children of Israel. In addition, closer to the End of the World, by the will of Allah, Jesus (peace be upon him), who, alive and unharmed, was ascended by the Almighty to heaven, where he remains to this day, will be descended (descend) to earth. He will come to people to confirm the messenger mission of the last Prophet - Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), will call people to observe the Sharia sent down to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and when he dies, they will bury him in the city of Medina, next to the Messenger of Allah - Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).
If there are witnesses
Someone is wondering how a girl can convert to Islam in a mosque. This can be done to make the procedure more solemn, and also so that the community knows about it. In this case, two witnesses, male or female, who are Muslims, are sufficient.
Thanks to this, a person who accepts a new faith immediately finds brotherhood with those who were previously unfamiliar. In addition, this gives an idea of how exactly to bury a person in the event of his sudden death. After all, Muslim traditions are different from Christian ones.
Those who accept Islam begin to love Jesus and other prophets even more.
Everything related to Prophet Isa (Jesus) (peace be upon him) and his mother Maryam is sacred to Muslims.
Maryam is one of the most revered women. As a result, the names Isa and Maryam are widespread among Muslims. They bear these names with honor and love for the Prophet of Allah.
Jesus Christ, the son of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the Muslim tradition is the Prophet Isa (peace be upon him). He is one of the five great Prophets, who are called “Possessors of Majesty” (ulul azm). Read more >>
About the canons
It is believed that before a Russian girl converts to Islam, it is important for her to familiarize herself with the precepts of Islam in advance. When a person recites the shahada, he becomes an official believer and is endowed with new obligations to observe religious tenets.
After this ritual, the person performs ablution. It is a symbol of the spiritual beginning on his life path. Before a Russian girl converts to Islam and goes through this procedure, you need to understand exactly how it is carried out. After all, there are many subtleties in this process.
After a Russian girl converts to Islam, it is believed that her spiritual life begins anew. Everything she has done up to this point, if it was wrong, is annulled. The exception is grievances that were inflicted on someone with her participation. Also, the harm that she can compensate by establishing relationships with those offended by her is not annulled.
When answering the question of how a Russian girl can convert to Islam, many believers point out that this should under no circumstances be done while intoxicated. It is worth noting that it is not necessary to change the name. At the same time, you can take a new name for yourself (if you wish), and this happens in practice. Every name that has a positive meaning is considered suitable.
How to Convert to Islam - Testimony of Faith (Shahadah)
Becoming a Muslim is quite simple and easy. All you need to do for this is to say one sentence (it is called the Testimony of Faith - Shahada
), and it sounds like this:
“I testify “ La ilaha illallah, Muhammad rasulullah
«».
These Arabic words translated mean “There is no true god (deity worthy of worship) except God (Allah), and Muhammad is the messenger of God.” Saying the words of testimony of faith ( Shahadah
) with conviction and understanding of their meaning, a person becomes a Muslim.
The first part, “There is no god but Allah,” means that no one deserves worship except God alone, and the Lord himself has no partners or son. The second part means that Muhammad was indeed a Messenger sent by God to humanity.
To be a Muslim you also need:
- Believe that the Holy Quran is the word of God revealed by Him.
- Believe that the Day of Judgment (the day of resurrection after death) is true, it will definitely come, as the Lord promised in the Koran.
- Believe in the prophets that the Lord sent, in the Scriptures that He sent down, and also in His angels.
- Consider Islam as your religion.
- Do not worship anyone or anything other than God.
It's that easy! To listen to how to say the words of the Testimony ( Shahadah
), click here or click on the “Online Help” button to get a chat assistant.
You can convert to Islam on your own, but it is much preferable to use the help of one of our consultants through Online Help. He can help with the correct recitation of the Testimony of Faith, as well as provide important information tailored specifically for new Muslim converts. In addition, he will advise where it is best to start studying your new religion.
We can also call you on the phone and provide assistance with the adoption of Islam. In this case, please indicate your phone number and a convenient time to call here: Contact us.
Where to start studying the tenets of Islam
Before a girl converts to Islam, she should start reading the hadiths of the Prophet. They give a basic idea of how the Prophet Muhammad thought and acted. It is important to understand his attitude to certain events.
It is believed that answers to many questions can be found in Islam. There are several currents in it. But we must remember that there are also many sects.
In addition, there are several variations in the translation of the Qur'an. It comes in different languages, and each author reflects the peculiarities of his mentality. Before converting to Islam, it is important for a girl to decide which translation she will prefer.
Those who embrace Islam have all their previous sins erased.
Those who choose the path of Islam are forgiven all their previously committed sins. Life begins with a clean slate.
Many are kept from the righteous path by sins committed in the past and loss of hope. But one must never lose hope in the mercy of the Almighty. He is forgiving and loves to forgive those who sincerely repent.
Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “A repentant slave is the favorite of Allah, and one who sincerely repents is like a sinless person . Likewise, the one who embraces Islam is cleansed of everything that happened in the past. From this moment on, he must begin to study and comply with all the requirements of the religion of Islam. While studying the basics of Islam, a newly converted Muslim should try hard and begin, without delay, to study his religion, learn how to correctly perform the five-fold prayer, fast, perform the Hajj, etc. Read more >>
Peculiarities
When accepting the Muslim faith, you need to take into account that this decision will be followed by more than one unpleasant moment. And not everyone realizes what exactly awaits a girl who is going to marry a Muslim after accepting a new faith. Only having begun to live in accordance with the new canons, the girl is surprised by the state of affairs in practice. Thus, female representatives actually do not have rights; they observe very strict standards of behavior.
It is important to know that her family plays a big role in the life of a Muslim woman. It is he who comes to her defense, ensuring her rights in marriage. But if a girl does not have a Muslim family, there is actually no one to stand up for her. She finds herself in an extremely vulnerable and powerless position.
In addition, she has the responsibility to obey her husband and mother-in-law in everything. And the latter is rarely happy with her daughter-in-law, especially if the girl was not originally a Muslim and is the bearer of a completely different mentality.
It is important to know that any Muslim woman must obtain permission from her husband before seeing a friend or getting a job. In addition, disobedience to the mother-in-law is considered unacceptable. And even when her demands are excessive and unfair, turning to her husband will be useless, since he will take the mother’s side. And again, in such cases, her family can protect the girl. Muslim marriage is an agreement between two clans, and this guarantees the safe position of the female representative.
In addition, Islam provides for the possibility of polygamy. The Koran gives a man the right to have four wives at one time. He can also have as many concubines as he likes in cases where he has the opportunity to support them all. And none of the wives has any right to express their displeasure about this. She should welcome the choice of her husband or mother-in-law.
Features of the transition to Islam from other religions
When converting from another faith, many questions arise. We tried to cover the most common and pressing ones:
1. Changing religion is not a sin. For example, if you decide to change Christianity and become a Muslim, then only excommunication from the Orthodox Church will occur. After all, a person voluntarily breaks up and changes his spiritual values. The Koran says that there is no and cannot be coercion in religion. Islam is the third revelation of the Almighty, in which we can see some echoes of the other two religions: Judaism and Christianity. Therefore, every person is a follower of God. However, many are not given an independent and informed choice of religion. Often, parents with their family or even national traditions do not provide any options, and from early childhood, from an unconscious age, they make decisions for their child. When a person grows up, the realization may come that the spiritual path is not correct, and a completely different faith is close. Therefore, accepting Islam after another religion is not a sin.
2. Since now the new believer begins the next stage, a new page of spiritual life, any previously bad deeds or mistakes are considered invalid in religious terms and are annulled. Particular attention should be paid only to insults and harm. These mistakes can only be compensated for by establishing relationships with those people who were hurt and harmed.
3. Those who are wondering how to convert to Islam are often faced with the issue of changing their name. This will help you radically start life over with a new leaf. But this is not mandatory. A person can choose any name that means something good, positive.
4. Circumcision is recommended for men, but it is also not a prerequisite. A Muslim with an uncircumcised foreskin has the same rights and is considered to have the same full rights as any other believer. All rituals, prayers and pilgrimages are performed in the same way as for a man whose foreskin is circumcised.
5. Someone decides to change religion and convert to Islam without telling their relatives, so they do it only for themselves, not surrounded by loved ones. However, saying the shahadah in the mosque in front of witnesses will further help to record your desire. For example, this applies to cases of unexpected death. Relatives may not know about your change of religion, and disagreements will arise regarding belonging to one religion or another.
About the rules of conduct for a wife
It must be remembered that every Muslim wife is obliged to appear in public places only in a hijab. Her body should be as hidden as possible. That is, you will need to refuse clothes that are fashionable today; you cannot expose your wrists and neck.
As soon as a Muslim wife meets a man's gaze, she should lower her eyes. In addition, its movements should be silent. She must not enter other people's houses without her husband's permission.
She must also show humility. And when the husband wants intimacy, she has no right to refuse him. The exceptions are menstruation, the postpartum period, Hajj, and illness. The wife is prohibited from leaving home without her husband's permission.
But at the same time, a Muslim woman can divorce at will. Her clan can stand up to protect her rights.
Religion of stereotypes
Photo from personal archive
Olga Tsygankova grew up in a Christian family, but out of the whole family only her grandmother went to church. After graduating from school in the Stavropol Territory, Olga moved to Moscow and entered the Academy of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation to study law. After studying, she worked for nine years in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, then quit: the work was hard, the pay was low, and she had to devote time to her small child.
After the divorce, Olga gradually became interested in religions. She began to study Christianity, which confused her. And then one day in the center of Moscow she saw a Muslim couple walking, and she liked the man’s attitude towards the woman - affectionate and gentle, and not rude, which she sometimes saw at home. There was an interest in Islam, which turned out to be easy to understand: it clearly explains what is halal and what is haram.
Converting to Islam was not an easy decision for Olga, as she would have to change her whole life. She was worried not about herself, but about her loved ones: would they understand, would they accept her? She was able to wear the hijab only two years after accepting Islam, as she worked as the head of the security service of one of the Moscow banks.
“Islam is not a heavy religion at all: there is a God, you believe in him, you know what to do and what not to do, all the principles and morals are in your heart, no one from the outside forces you to observe them,” says Olga. — I go to the theater, like everyone else, I can watch TV, I sit in a cafe with my sisters and walk in the park, and take part in social events. I don’t feel any negativity from others, and I behave kindly with everyone. After all, the best language of religion is you yourself. The right examples destroy stereotypes.
About legal subtleties
Wedding celebrations always take place in accordance with Muslim traditions. And only if all the rules are observed, the marriage union will be valid. Painting in the registry office does not have such great importance in Islam. Many live in marriage and without it. Eastern wedding clothing is quite unique, it is rich and symbolic.
But you need to know that when marrying a Muslim, a girl is not obliged to renounce her faith in favor of her husband’s faith. However, in the process of living together, she finds herself in harsh conditions, and everyone around her is already helping to convert the “infidel” to another faith. And if her husband asks or starts ordering her to convert to Islam, she is unlikely to refuse if she lives with his relatives. Relatives play a big role in the life of a Muslim, especially his mother. And he often listens to her. If she opposes her daughter-in-law, her influence on the man will be enormous.
In addition, in the event of a divorce, which the husband can cause instantly by uttering the phrase “You are not my wife” three times in public, his wife will find herself alone in a foreign country, where she has neither rights nor financial means of subsistence. It is believed that children born in marriage belong to the father.
Religion of Healing
Photo from personal archive
Andrei Korchagin was born and raised in Astrakhan in a non-religious family; he was raised by his mother alone. From his youth, he wondered why he was in this world, and was not a supporter of the Darwinian theory of evolution, which states that man descended from apes. Attempts to explain to himself the origin of man and the world led him to the idea of the existence of the Creator, and not to its denial. Faith was already inside. In search of himself, Andrei visited various monasteries and holy places, communicated with representatives of different faiths, sectarians and fortune tellers. But more questions appeared than answers, and unpleasant thoughts came to mind that religion was about politics and money, and not about God.
After school, Andrei joined the army, then served under a contract, opened a small business and worked as a cook in a restaurant. Three years ago, when Andrei was 26 years old, he became very ill, and no one could diagnose him or cure him. Andrey went to doctors, traditional healers, energy vampires and psychics. But no one, he claims, could answer the question of why he was sick. When the doctors decided to put him in the neurological department, he realized that he had to get out of this painful condition himself.
In Astrakhan there are many mosques, Islamic centers and burial places where Muslim saints lie. Andrei visited one of these places and heard a man reading the Koran aloud.
“My heart started pounding, I started sweating, I wanted to run away, because at first I was scared and I didn’t understand where this excitement came from. Then it became easier, I could breathe,” Andrey recalls.
This story was the first step on the path to understanding Islam. Andrey began to read literature about religion, traveled to holy places in the Astrakhan region, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Chechnya, and Dagestan. Soon Andrei recovered - it was as if he had found what he was looking for, and everything in his life fell into place.
Andrey converted to Islam by saying the shahada in a holy place - an underground mosque located in the Oglandy area in the Mangistau region in Kazakhstan. Now he lives in Makhachkala, has been studying at the madrasah of the Islamic Institute for two years - studying Arabic and lexical interpretation and translation of the Koran. Afterwards he wants to return to Astrakhan and serve in the mosque.
— Islam is often criticized, but literate people know: Muhammad said that you should not kill anyone - and yourself too - this is a terrible sin. How then does ISIS dare to fight in the name of Allah? Despite harsh criticism of the religion, more and more people are converting to Islam. And this is not surprising. One of the hadiths reports that the Messenger of Allah said: Islam will spread from east to west and there will be no place left where the religion of Allah will not come, says Andrey.
About the positive sides
At the same time, Muslim marriage also has positive aspects for a Russian girl who decides to convert to Islam. Thus, a Muslim spouse never drinks alcohol, since his faith prohibits him from doing so. In addition, there are no men who live off women in Islam.
A spouse also has many responsibilities in Islam. He is obliged to fully support his wife. This is always provided when the spouse demonstrates her obedience and submission.
The Muslim community ensures that this rule is observed. If violations are observed on the part of the spouse, the wife has the right to divorce at any time.
Also, when marrying a representative of the Muslim faith, you need to remember that even before the wedding ceremony, the spouse announces the amount of the gift for the bride. He will pay it throughout his life or upon divorce. Thus, a Muslim wife is provided with insurance in case her marital life is unsuccessful. But the divorce should take place through no fault of hers.
When children of a marriage reach adulthood, a respectable Muslim woman is endowed with a new status and social recognition. She is given honor and respect. Mothers’ work is also appreciated.
When a woman becomes the wife of a Muslim, her husband's extended family becomes her relatives. This includes second and fourth cousins. When difficult times come, difficulties begin, they are always ready to support the family.
Is the game worth the candle?
When accepting the Muslim faith, you need to remember that this is an important step. If there is even the slightest doubt, then there is no point in rushing too quickly with your decision. Any changes in life may occur, and views sometimes also change.
This is only part of all the subtleties that are associated with the transition to a new, Muslim faith. In reality, there are even more nuances in this procedure. There are many examples of erroneous actions and tragic events. There are often situations when a woman is not saved by Muslim norms. She may be subject to oppression by representatives of this faith if she lives among them or associates her life with them. Also, she may be subject to psychological pressure from her chosen one, who belongs to the same faith.
The most important thing to remember when moving to Muslim traditions is that the most important thing is to assimilate a new and foreign mentality. It is necessary to take care in advance to study your new rights and obligations that are prescribed by Sharia law.
It must be remembered that as soon as any problems arise, including psychological ones, you should seek help without any hesitation. Islam gives women not only responsibilities, but also gives them many rights, including respect and protection, even though in practice they are often violated.
“Inconvenient” interview with Deacon Georgy Maximov
The interview published below by Deacon Georgy Maksimov was given back in the winter to a journalist of a liberal publication, which was planning a large selection of materials about Russian Muslims, Islam, and “disappointment in the Church.” The issue was published, but... without a conversation with Father Georgy: it turned out that his answers did not “suit” the direction of the newspaper. The questions asked by the journalist never cease to be “hot” for the media, and the story of the “uncomfortable” interview itself is indicative precisely as an example of a dialogue with a representative of the secular-liberal part of our society. That's why we decided to introduce our readers to this conversation.
***
Deacon Georgy Maksimov
- As far as I know, the Orthodox Church has a negative attitude towards the conversion of Orthodox Christians to Islam.
What are the main arguments for this negative attitude? Note that a person does not cease to believe in God and keeps the commandments inherent in both Christianity and Islam. – Christianity is not just the recognition of some abstract God and a set of common moral precepts. Christians believe in Jesus Christ - God, Who became Man, Who does not just issue directives “from above” on how to live correctly, but Who became like one of us, lived among people and with His life, death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, opened the way for us salvation. A person who becomes a Muslim does not believe in such a God. The Koran directly condemns the teaching that Christ is God and the Son of God (5.17, 9.30). If a Christian accepts Islam, this means that he renounces Christ, who said: “I am the Son of God” (John 10: 36). And the words of Jesus apply to such a person: “Whoever denies Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 10:33). “He who believes in the Son has eternal life, and he who does not believe in the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36). That is why this is a spiritual tragedy over which the Church mourns. As for the commandments, they are different in different religions; Of course, there are intersections, but there are not so many of them.
– Is the problem of Christians accepting Islam relevant today for the Russian Orthodox Church? Are any steps being taken to prevent this, or is faith a personal choice in which the Church has no right to interfere?
The Church mourns for those who left the Savior for another religion, because it considers this step as erroneous.
– In principle, it is impossible to interfere with personal choice. In recent times, this has been well illustrated by the example of the Russian New Martyrs, who retained their faith even though atheists subjected them to bullying, torture, imprisonment and execution. Of course, the Church grieves for those who left Christ the Savior for some other religion, including Islam, because it considers the choice they made as erroneous. But this is not one of the current church problems, since this phenomenon is, in general, marginal. I have heard about how sometimes priests, at the request of relatives, held conversations with those who began to become interested in Islam. And some authors created apologetic texts that allow such a person to think. But these are all private initiatives, and not some systematic church-wide work.
– Compared to Christianity, is it easier to popularize the ideas of Islam? Is it possible to say that Islam is “more convenient” for missionary purposes?
– Certain ideas of Islam look more favorable in the eyes of the modern world - for example, the permissibility of polygamy, but if we take Islam as a whole, then it is not very easy to promote it, since a rather negative image of Islam has formed in society, which Muslim preachers themselves often complain about. This concerns not only the topic of terrorism, but also, for example, the position of women, as well as the aggressive image that was created thanks to the behavior of some representatives of Caucasian youth. Of course, Muslim apologists are trying to destroy this negative image, but so far they themselves are unlikely to admit that their work has been completely successful.
– Don’t you think that the scandals surrounding the Russian Orthodox Church are one of the reasons for the loss of Christians’ trust in their Church, which leads to the search for a new faith?
There is no such primitive thing that a deeply religious Christian read scandalous news on the Internet and tore off his cross
– It seems to me that this is exactly the result that people who stir up these scandals are trying to achieve. However, in reality, there is no loss of Christian trust in the Church. The number of parishioners has not decreased. Anti-church sentiments grew among those who were only nominally Christians, but they cannot affect churchgoers. For the simple reason that the basis of faith is a person’s living relationship with God, which he found in the Church. This personal experience of life with God cannot in any way be refuted by information that some priest or high church official has committed some kind of sin. Because in Orthodoxy there is no teaching about the sinlessness of priests, and because it is not faith in priests that is the basis of a person’s spiritual life. Our faith is called Christianity, not “priesthood.” Cooling in faith and falling away, of course, do happen, but the reasons for this are much more complex, and the person himself rarely speaks openly about them. There is no such primitive thing that, supposedly, a deeply religious Christian read scandalous news on the Internet and tore off his cross with the words: “That’s it, I’m now going to become a Muslim!” In addition, there are many scandals in the media related to Islam and Muslim clerics, so scandals clearly cannot be a reason for converting to Islam, even if the person himself names it. The real reason lies deeper.
– You are probably familiar with the contents of the Koran and other Islamic literature. What do you think is the main thing that convinces people to practice this religion?
– The majority profess Islam simply by tradition. For those who are well versed in their religion, the main incentive, in my opinion, is the sense of personal exclusivity that his faith gives a Muslim.
– Does the social structure of Muslims influence this: a community (jamaat), where everyone is brothers and sisters, which attracts, for example, single people?
In any Moscow temple they will tell you about Muslims who come to ask for help in difficult life situations
– In the overwhelming majority of cases, the reason for accepting Islam is the girl’s desire to get married.
Although there are also girls who convert their Muslim fiancés to Orthodoxy. As for guys, in some cases it is not the community as a whole, but a specific group of Muslim peers that can create an attractive image of such a friendly community. In some cases this may play a role, especially in regions or communities where Muslims are in the majority, but I would not call this typical. It's not that simple here. I know a Russian guy who converted to Islam, and when he was successful, he had many friends from the mosque. But when he lost his job, his car, his family, and fell out of his old life, all his Muslim friends suddenly became very busy and disappeared somewhere. In any Moscow church they will tell you about Muslims who come to ask for help in difficult life situations. And they refer to the fact that the mosque did not help them. If the Muslim community were the way you described it, I think such people would not have to go to Christians for help. And I know more than one example when a Muslim received baptism, saying that he had never seen such love for himself as in an Orthodox church. You will find even more former Muslims at some Protestant meetings in Moscow, since Protestants are active among migrants, which cannot yet be said about the Orthodox Church. – Why are there so many interpretations of the Koran? Often, in neighboring mosques, congregants may be learning two completely different teachings. It is difficult to imagine such a thing among Catholics, Jews or Orthodox Christians. Is this due to the enormous role and authority of the spiritual leader?
There is no mechanism now in Sunni Islam that would force one to admit that one should only listen to this mufti
– There are several movements in Islam, the majority of Muslims (about 90%) profess the Sunni direction. The Sunni ummah is decentralized. It does not have its own pope or ecumenical council, which could decide: this is the correct understanding of the Koran, and this understanding is wrong, and all Sunnis will obey. In the first centuries of Islam there was such a figure - the caliph. They were considered the viceroys of the “prophet”, and they had not only secular, but also doctrinal power. They compiled the Koran, determined what was true and what was false, and persecuted heretics. When the caliphate was abolished, no such figure remained. And now there are simply many authoritative experts on Islam who, in principle, are equal to each other in status. One, for example, may declare: suicide attacks against civilians are a sin, and for a Muslim this is unacceptable. And another will say: this is a wonderful struggle in the path of Allah, and every Muslim is obliged to contribute to it. And now a simple Muslim is free to decide for himself which of the two he will listen to. There is no such mechanism in Sunni Islam now that would force it to admit that it is only necessary to listen to this mufti, and this is not necessary at all. As you can imagine, this state of affairs greatly contributes to the diversity of opinions that you ask about.
– According to Archpriest Vladimir Vigilyansky, the doctrine of the Muslim faith is built on the fact that a true Muslim is a priori “chosen and sinless,” in contrast to a Christian sinner. That is why, Father Vladimir believes, Muslims are easier to manipulate, sometimes pursuing the most terrible goals. Do you agree with his position?
Warriors of Allah
– Maybe this is the case, but it seems to me that the main reason is different. The figure of Muhammad is considered an ideal, a role model: what he did, what he said and especially what he called for - all this has become normative in Islam. The Quran says: “The Messenger of Allah is an exemplary example for you” (33.21). What will a Muslim see when he opens the traditional biography of Muhammad? The “messenger’s” wars with the infidels, praising jihad as the greatest feat and calls for participation in it. Someone, having read it, may say: this is not for me, I just want to live, raise children, provide for my family. And someone will want to imitate, will want to become a martyr. Such a person will only have to be instructed and directed in the “right” direction.
– What is the root of the fact that Islam is rightfully associated with terrorism? How did it happen that Muslims largely “monopolized” terrorist activities, hiding behind and using faith?
– The reason for this association is that the majority of religiously motivated terrorist attacks with human casualties are committed by Muslims. It is a fact. You can look at the report of the US National Counterterrorism Center, which monitors the situation around the world. A 2011 report found that “Sunni extremists accounted for the largest number of terrorist attacks and deaths for the third year in a row. More than 5,700 incidents have been linked to Sunni extremists, who are responsible for nearly 56 percent of all terrorist attacks and about 70 percent of all terrorist deaths." According to statistics from this center, 43% of terrorist attacks were committed for non-religious reasons (nationalist, separatist, environmental, etc.). And of the 57% religiously motivated, 56% were committed by Muslims. The root is what was said above. Among religiously motivated terrorists there are both Christians and Buddhists, but their number is tiny, less than the statistical error. This is not surprising if we remember that neither Christ nor Buddha ever took up a sword in their lives. And Muhammad had nine swords, and they served him not just for interior decoration.
– There is a widespread belief that Muslims are intolerant. But didn’t the rather aggressive reaction of the Orthodox public to the antics of the punk group Pussy Riot expose a similar intolerance of religions?
Believers are people too, and they have the right to be protected from blasphemy
– On the one hand, bloody terrorist attacks with thousands of victims, and on the other hand, many indignant words and one torn T-shirt - do you think it’s appropriate to talk about the similarities here? It seems to me that the reaction of the supporters of the mentioned punk band should rather be called aggressive. Who wrote: “Free Pussy Riot” - with the blood of murdered people? Who cut down worship crosses, desecrated churches, poured ink on icons? And from the Orthodox side there are only indignant words and one torn T-shirt. These women were judged not by the Church, but by a secular court. To those who say that the Church should have let them go and forgive them, I would like to remind you that the Church actually did just that at first. The first time they tried to carry out their prank in the Yelokhovsky Cathedral, the temple workers simply took them out and let them go in peace. They didn’t call the police or write a statement. How did these women respond? An even more defiant prank in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. For some reason, our media “forgot” this circumstance. By the way, when in Germany a supporter of this punk band tried to hold a rally in their support in the Cologne Cathedral, representatives of the Catholic Church immediately called the police and filed a lawsuit against him. And that's okay. Believers are people too, and they have the right to be protected from a situation where, upon coming to church, they will be forced to listen to blasphemy and mockery of their faith. In fact, the German court found this man guilty of violating the rights of believers.
– Do you personally know Orthodox Christians who have converted to Islam?
– Since I specialized in Christian-Muslim relations, at different times quite a few people wrote to me by email, saying that they had converted from Christianity to Islam. I met some of them in person. Almost all of them did not even know the basics of Christianity, the most basic things. The exception here is cases where former priests converted to Islam. For example, I had the opportunity to communicate with Ali Polosin. He, of course, knew Christian teaching. I got the impression that he did not convert to Islam for religious reasons. It's my personal opinion. Although, apparently, I was not the only one who experienced this. I remember how I was surprised to see on one of the Muslim forums several years ago a seriously stated accusation that Polosin had allegedly been specially sent by the Russian Orthodox Church to destroy Russian Islam from the inside. This, of course, is absurd, but, nevertheless, it shows that the range of reactions to “envelopes” can be very wide. I also know examples of people who, having converted to Islam, then returned to the Church with repentance.
– Having learned that one of your parishioners is planning to become a Muslim, what will you do?
- I'll talk to him. I'll let you read the literature. I will pray for him.
Baptism of three Muslims
– If a Muslim came to you and wanted to become Orthodox, would you agree to perform the sacrament of baptism? Have there been such cases in your practice?
In every Moscow parish you will find a former Muslim among the parishioners.
– As a deacon, I cannot perform baptism, the priest does it. But, for example, I had the opportunity to conduct public conversations (preparation for baptism) with former Muslims who want to become Orthodox. There is nothing exceptional here - in every Moscow parish you will find a former Muslim among the parishioners, and every priest in a more or less large city parish has experience in baptizing Muslims who themselves came to Christ and asked to be accepted into the Church.
