The Peoples' Friendship University of Russia hosted the International scientific-practical conference titled "Religion against Terrorism", which was initiated by the Presidents of Russia and Kazakhstan almost a year ago. After reading the greeting from Vladimir Putin to the participants, organizers and guests of the conference, the deputy head of the presidential administration, a former head of Dagestan, which faced the monstrous manifestations of terrorism along with other republics of the North Caucasus, Magomedislam Magomedov also expressed his own views on this matter.
"The realities of today are such that terrorism has acquired a global nature, there is no state in the world that could live in peace and in full confidence that a phenomenon of terrorism will not affect its citizens. Russia, Kazakhstan and other our neighboring countries have not escaped this threat. A destruction of an inter-religious peace has become a purpose of the radicals, representing pseudo religious and marginal flows. To do this, they are struggling to introduce an ideology, alien to our age-old tradition, into the religious communities of our countries, especially in the Islamic community, Magomedov said.
According to him, a spread of this ideology, covering with false, pseudo islamic slogans, have led to a degradation and chaos in some regions of the Middle East and North Africa: ‘’The groups, settled there, especially an international terrorist organization calling itself the ‘Islamic state’, commit monstrous crimes against humanity. We should not consider the crimes of these terrorists as a part of a religious conflict between Islam and other religions and within Islam itself. Such currents, groups distort deep moral principles inherent in Islam, by recruiting actively to its ranks young people first of all, who have no adequate knowledge about this religion.’’
According to the deputy head of the presidential administration, a recognition of the diversity of culture and civilization, commitment to the international law, a peaceful resolution of all issues are in the basis of the Russian position in the relations with the Islamic world. ’’ There should be no double standards or selectivity on the political, ethnic or religious grounds in interpreting the actions and motives of terrorism in various regions. In the difficult foreign policy situation and with the attempts of an escalation of the ethno-political and religious tensions in the country, the strengthening of unity of the multinational people of Russia and ensuring an inter-ethnic harmony remain the priority directions of the state policy. "
Magomedov believes that the fight against terrorism is a task not only of the government or law-enforcement agencies. ‘’The religious organizations and traditional faiths of Russia reject all forms of violence and extremism, whatever religious, ethnic or other slogans they may use to camouflage. The Centralized Religious Organization of Muslims does a great work on preservation and development of the forms of Islam, combining moderation and common sense in religion and conscientious service to the fatherland, with respect for the representatives of other traditional religions of our country. The state provides all possible assistance to the Muslim religious organizations in their constructive efforts. "
