Putin’s Quran gesture: A hollow symbol or true allyship?

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Daniyal Kahlon, UK 

A video posted recently on social media shows Russian President Vladimir Putin kissing the Holy Quran and gifting it to the Prophet Isa Mosque in Chechnya, which is a republic of Russia. (Global Eye News/X)

Usually, when such instances occur, some Muslims are quick to glorify not just the act, but the person committing it and turn that person into a quasi-saviour or role model for Muslims. There is absolutely nothing wrong with kissing the Holy Quran, but Muslims should always be wary of who they consider their role models and protectors. 

A lesson from the past

A relatively recent example of this is that of the renowned psychologist, Dr Jordan Peterson. Peterson’s message appealed to many young men who found inspiration in his words. The confidence and belief that he preached his thoughts with were convincing to many Muslims, and they became inspired by him and were even eager to be on the frontlines of defending him and his message to others. They did this because Peterson provided a moral compass they felt might be missing from their lives.

Filling this vacuum with Peterson’s teachings was a mistake because first of all, there is no vacuum if those Muslims knew where to look. Secondly, humans are prone to weakness and mistakes so when Peterson revealed his thoughts about the conflict in Gaza, as well as a video on his YouTube channel in which he gave Muslims a message that seemed patronising and condescending to many, it became evident that he wasn’t, after all, a role model to be looked up to.

This isn’t an isolated incident; there are many examples throughout history such as Mustafa Kemal Pasha, the founder of Modern Turkiye, as well as that of Gandhi. This will also happen in the future, and potentially even with Putin.

Putin’s track record with Muslim populations

To attempt to prove whether Putin is inherently pro-Islam or anti-Islam is difficult. Below are a few examples of Putin’s interactions with Muslims both in and outside Russia.

Second Chechen War (1999-2009)

The Second Chechen War began in 1999, just as Putin was appointed Prime Minister, and continued into his presidency. The conflict was marked by significant military aggression by Russian forces against Chechen separatists, many of whom were Muslim. The war led to massive casualties and destruction in Chechnya, with widespread human rights abuses reported, including the targeting of civilians. (Evangelista, Matthew. The Chechen Wars: Will Russia Go the Way of the Soviet Union? Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press, 2002, Ch 5, pp.127-135)

Although it could be argued that Putin didn’t directly or intentionally target Muslim civilians during this conflict, it is a fact that atrocities against innocent Chechen Muslim civilians did occur, as it would have in any modern conflict in all fairness.

Syria intervention (2015-Present)

Russia, under Putin, intervened in the Syrian Civil War in 2015 to support Bashar al-Assad’s government. While this intervention was primarily geopolitical, aimed at maintaining Russia’s influence in the Middle East, it had significant implications for the Muslim population in Syria. Russian airstrikes have been accused of targeting civilian areas, including those with Sunni Muslim majorities. (Sakwa, Richard. The Putin Paradox. London: I.B. Tauris, 2020, Ch.8, pp. 243-257)

It’s worth noting that Putin’s decision to intervene in Syria was a calculated move to protect Russian interests and expand its influence, but it also involved supporting a regime accused of committing atrocities against its own people, many of whom are Muslims. (Human Rights Watch. “Russia/Syria: War Crimes in Month of Bombing Aleppo.” October 2016 www.hrw.org)

Reconstruction and economic development in Chechnya

While it’s true that Chechnya, and specifically the capital city of Grozny were almost razed to the ground during the Second Chechen War, what has followed since has been an era of supposed reconciliation and rebuilding. Putin appointed Ramzan Kadyrov as the leader of Chechnya, and the Russian government has invested heavily in rebuilding Grozny and other parts of Chechnya. This includes new infrastructure, mosques and public buildings. Chechnya has undoubtedly seen significant economic development and reconstruction efforts. (Souleimanov, Emil. Chechnya after the Chechen Wars: From Past to Future? Zürich: LIT Verlag, 2011, pp. 102-115)

Support for Islamic institutions

It is also important to acknowledge that Putin has supported the construction of mosques and Islamic cultural centres across Russia, particularly in regions with significant Muslim populations such as Tatarstan and Bashkortostan. He has also attempted to endorse the role of Islamic leaders in promoting peace and social cohesion. (Russia’s Muslim Religious Institutions and Putin’s Policies. The Central Asia-Caucasus Analyst, April 17, 201 www.cacianalyst.org)

In addition to that, Tatarstan has also been granted a degree of cultural and religious autonomy under Putin, having been allowed to keep its Islamic traditions and language. (Rorlich, Azade-Ayse. The Volga Tatars: A Profile in National Resilience. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1986, pp. 200-215)

Pro-Islam or anti-Islam

Narrowing it down to whether Putin is pro-Islam or anti-Islam is a hot debate which might never be concluded, but what is categorically evident is that Putin is pro-Russian – his policies, interventions and interactions with and regarding Muslims are all according to what he perceives to be Russia’s interests.

Who should Muslims look up to?

As far as Muslims are concerned, first and foremost, the truest protector of our interests is Allah the Almighty Himself:

بَلِ اللّٰہُ مَوۡلٰٮکُمۡ ۚ وَہُوَ خَیۡرُ النّٰصِرِیۡنَ

“Nay, Allah is your Protector, and He is the Best of helpers.” (Surah Aal-e-’Imran, Ch.3: V151)

As far as who we should accept as a good role model, the Holy Quran is clear:

لَقَدۡ کَانَ لَکُمۡ فِیۡ رَسُوۡلِ اللّٰہِ اُسۡوَۃٌ حَسَنَۃٌ لِّمَنۡ کَانَ یَرۡجُوا اللّٰہَ وَالۡیَوۡمَ الۡاٰخِرَ وَذَکَرَ اللّٰہَ کَثِیۡرًا 

“Verily you have in the Prophet of Allah an excellent model, for him who fears Allah and the Last Day and who remembers Allah much.” (Surah Al-Ahzab, Ch.33: V.22)

Muslims should follow the example of the Holy Prophet Muhammadsa, who’s sunnah is well preserved as are thousands of ahadith and books of seerah (biography), which describe his life, conduct, morals & ethics and every detail of his noble life.  The ultimate blueprint of his ethics and morals can be found in the Holy Quran, as Hazrat Aishara explained:

فَإِنَّ خُلُقَ نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَانَ الْقُرْآنَ

“The character of the Messengersa of Allah was the Quran.” (Sahih Muslim, Kitab Salatu l-musafireen wa qasriha, bab Jami’i salati-l layli wa man nama ‘anhu au maridha, Hadith 746a)

In fact, the example of the Prophet Muhammadsa isn’t only in books, but for the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, it is alive and well in the person of Hazrat Khalifatul Masih Vaa, who should be considered the saviour, protector and role model for every Ahmadi.

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